http://welfarecentral.org/index.php/forum-home/universal-credit/1325-dwp-admit-no-plans-how-to-migrate-legacy-benefits#5432 Want to know how you will be migrated from legacy benefits to UC, Do not bother asking the DWP, http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/444360/response/1080845/attach/html/2/FoI%204762%20reply.pdf.html

Considering that a large proportion of JCP staff are part time and the roll out of Universal Credit inevitability means that some will have to go through the same process as most claimants and sign on and encouraged to increase hours. Is it reasonable that they are able to police themselves,it is no stretch of the imagination to presume they will scratch each others back and turn blind eyes amongst themselves. I have read that they can ask to sign on at another office rather than the one they work if they feel uncomfortable being interrogated by their colleagues but what about if there is only one office as in the case in many areas. Whatever it seems they will have special/preferential treatment, in my opinion there should be an independent body setup to deal with these cases.

They ask me for 3 months regularily, just had one yesterday for a rapid reclaim as I was working for an agency for 2.5 weeks and was subsequently let go. The requirements for JSA, ESA, Universal Credit is that you to have less than £5000 in the bank otherwise the payment will get reduced. If you have over £16,000 then you will get nothing. Therefore the reason they ask for fully itemised bank statement to assess your entitlement is invalid. You can filter your statement in many different ways with any online bank so only relevant information is provided, but the DWP say you are not allowed to use these filters and they want every detail. Why? It is understandable that they want to see incoming payments to see if you have any other income (job on the side or whatever), but what right have they to access your out goings. Where you shop, whether you have drunk alcohol recently in a bar, where you go out, the grocery store you use, maybe you are making regular cash withdrawals which might suggest drug use. This request for your personal private data is excessive and has nothing to do with assessing your claim. If they want to know what your rent is you can produce the lease etc (which they already have anyway). If you question them about it they tell you that you dont' need to apply for benefits if thats the way you feel, as if an unemployed person has any choice. I'm interested in hearing peoples opinions and experiences with this, thanks

Hi When I was at university as a single mum, I claimed income support, which you're entitled to do. This was back in 2001-2004! The DWP have contacted me a couple of times over the years saying I fraudulently claimed and didn't declare I was a student. I absolutely did and in any case I would've still been allowed to get income support. They have now written to me to say they have asked my employer to commence deductions from my earnings. The debt is over £11,000! My understanding is that a debt becomes statute barred after 6 years so are they allowed to take this form of action? Ive appealed their decision twice over the years and they've dismissed it, the last time they didn't even look in to it, my bet is because they don't have the paperwork anymore!? I dont actually owe them anything, it clearly says in law that you can claim income support if a student and a single parent so I don't understand it! Can anyone help? Thanks

Can anyone please help to allay my fears? Potted History My husband who is significantly disabled is in receipt of DLA ( not changed over to pip yet) He has been on enhanced mobility since 1994 following a severe rta. Multiple injuries, crush fractures etc. spent two years in hospital initially followed by several further surgeries. He didn’t claim the care component. He was told he’d never walk again and he was offered medical retirement at this time. This he refused and with sheer determination and hard work managed to gain some mobility back, all be it severely restricted. He put himself through uni and changed career to enable him to work. He continued to meet the criteria for DLA. Fast forward to 2006, mobility deteriorating, spine breaking down, severe pain constantly, legs becoming weaker, unable to walk without crutches, and using wheelchair for distance. At this point he applied for the care component of DLA and was awarded enhanced care. Admitted to hospital for spinal surgery, metal cage fixed around lumbar spine. This surgery though complicated, gave some support to his crumbling spine. His mobility and care needs remained unchanged. In 2010 he had an emergency admission to hospital, he needed urgent knee surgery on his right leg, we knew this was was to be expected, he has no knee caps and extensive damage to both legs. His prognosis has always been in the negative and was just a matter of time before his legs would give up completely. At this time he was medically retired from work as despite adjustments he was unable to continue to function properly. He has continued to deteriorate and is on opioid meds along with other meds. Now, he/we didn’t inform DWP of these admissions to hospital, we were under the impression that because he wasn’t in hospital for longer than 4 weeks, and there wasn’t any improvement in his overall condition in that his mobility and care needs remain unchanged, that we didn’t need to tell them. I am now aware that this is not the case. My husband, since learning about this has had a complete mental health breakdown, necessitating GP intervention. He has convinced himself that because of our error by not informing the DWP of these admissions then they will see it as fraud and take action against him. We have had no contact from DWP, it is just something my husband read and has gone into panic mode. My apologies for the lengthy first post, I was trying to give some background and I’m desperately trying to hold things together. He was going to phone/ write to DWP to “confess” his error but I’m not sure it’s the correct thing to do given his present mental state. Any advice, reassurance would be most welcome. Thank you.

Hi all, sorry if this is already a sticky but I thought it'd be good to have a central list of all their sly methods, so we can just look up one list and be on the lookout. 1) Pressure to allow access to UJM; 2) Offer of 'Digital Meeting' - I had this very recently as part of a deal so I wouldn't have to come in weekly, only fortnightly. Of course, this 'deal' is just a covert way of intruding into our lives (a LOT more often than fortnightly) when not signing, I didn't fall for it as I knew it'd just give them an unwanted vector to try contact me impromptu, then sanction me for not 'responding promptly'; 3) Offer of job search to be emailed; I deliberately print out my search just so there's no reason for them to email me - and then claim I haven't 'responded promptly' as above. So basically with both the above I am minimising their opportunities to contact me. 4) "Expectation" to spend 37 hours a week jobseeking - I don't think this is sanctionable if you can prove you applied for jobs every day. But if you happen to not apply for any on one given day, they may try probing into why.

2 years ago I requested DWP several times (verbally and in email) to remove my phone number from their systems and to stop calling me. - Their response to this complaint = "would i like a callback" doh.... Eventually DWP removed my phone number from their systems after I had notified them that I will resort to legal action if they do not do this. Since then, if I have had to contact DWP then I have refused to give my phone number. Some weeks ago I received a phone call from DWP CEO Office. This phone call should not have been made due to my previous request. In response to this phone call I contacted complaints resolution team and spoke with someone who has been dealing with my complaints since 2015, she stated that as far as she can see and as far as she knows, my telephone number has been removed from their systems and she can't possibly see where the CEO office obtained my number from. The cynical side of me suggests that DWP made this phone call out of spite in relation to my complaint of a few weeks earlier where DWP CEO staff implied I am a liar, then when I proved I am not a liar by quoting her a reference number she refused to apologise. I need to stop phone calls from DWP, but despite the fact that they have removed my number from their system, I still receive unwanted phone call from their CEO office. Breach of my privacy by DWP - informing my parents of my complaints.... During the phone call (which should not have been made), DWP first spoke with my father and somehow managed to verify that he is myself. DWP then went on to discuss my previous complaint with my father who was not aware I had a historical complaint (hes only aware of recent complaints). This has made my parents even more stressed in the knowledge of an historical complaint as since they have been helping support me financially during DWP pathetic excuses of they cant pay claim because my go fit note not matches exact date of claim etc. For my parents to learn that I had struggled financially previously and have an outstanding complaint worries them more as they are nearly 80. They were hoping that my complaints surrounding 2015 to present date would result in DWP realising that they are wrong not to pay benefit for sickness, this would then repay my debt to my parents who have been financially supporting me. For my parents to learn of a more historical complaint which has been ignored just adds to their worry. DWP called me 2 years after them removing my number from their system and requesting no phone calls due to mental health reasons. They also disclosed my personal details with my father. For my mother to hand me the phone saying its "DWP talking about your complaint from years ago" with a flushed worried complexion is horrible. I am trying my best to keep her from such worry given her age and health, the same for my father. Thanks to DWP incompetence they are both aware... I need to stop these phone calls! How?????

Not sure if this is the correct forum so apologies if not but I was wondering what others would do/if anything, with regard to a complaint I made recently about a JCP Advisor. I have been on JSA now for over a year but have been suffering from a vertigo condition (saga is in another thread!!) so I am limited as to what jobs I can apply for. Those that I have applied for and there are over 300 of them, I have been unsuccessful. I had a pretty good advisor to be honest who appreciated my limitations but suddenly out of the blue I was moved to another advisor who was as far as I know newly qualified. On my first meeting with the new advisor I knew I had a problem. I am partially deaf and the advisor had a foreign accent of which I found it difficult to understand. He also looked down continuously when talking thus I could not even lip read him. I kept mentioning my difficulty but he didn't make any effort his end. He was having a nightmare, getting dates for the next signing wrong, being unable to work out when I had last signed and he even went on to criticise my CV at one point so I explained to him that the gentleman who had written my CV was sitting three desks away as he was employed by the DWP as their Careers Advisor so if he had any concerns the Advisor was the best person to talk to. I doubt this went down too well!!! I asked if it was possible to see my old advisor in the future and this gentleman said he would book me in with her the following week so all's well ends well........ Not. The following week I was back again with this new advisor. I politely asked as to why I was back with him and he mentioned that I was with him, end of story. I then stated, once again politely, that because of his accent I struggled to hear him due to my hearing impairment. He then replied "That's not my problem, it is YOUR problem". I'm not easily upset but that I have to be honest rocked me, I was stunned. Maybe it was the stress but moments later I had a vertigo attack and had to sit down for 45 minutes. I wasn't going to do anything about it but thought how can they speak to anyone like that, let alone about a disability, so I wrote to the DWP to complain because I think too often we all just accept the shambolic way they treat claimants. Unsurprisingly they have replied and this fella has denied making such a comment, of course I didn't really expect anything else although if he had said that he had made the comment and apologised I would have accepted that. So I am now not sure what to do. Leave it because I guess it's just my word against his or continue with the complaint? Fortunately they have moved me to a new advisor anyway, although not my original, and she was as nice as pie when I saw her so maybe someone has had a word, although I doubt it. So I guess I will not see this chap again, although he will certainly be in the same office. Half of me says leave it, but the other half says carry on and don't accept their denial. So I was just wondering what others would do? I have attached their letter. Have removed personal information and names. Apologies for the coffee stains, I suspect I spluttered it out when reading the letter!!!! Complaint 1 001.pdf Complaint 2 001.pdf

The DWP told me that I had been overpaid last October, although it wasn't until April 2017 that they decided how much I had to repay. This was settled at £3.70 a week out of my Income Support (I am a full time carer who gets Carers Allowance and Income Support) in May 2017. Today (21st October 2017) they have written to me saying they want to review how much I pay them and increase it. It has only been 5 months! My circumstances haven't changed. CA and IS are my only sources of income, and out of that I have bills to pay. Is there a letter I can send which will keep it at the current repayment rate? And can they just increase the repayments? If they did, can I appeal? Thanks!

Thank you for taking the time to read my problem. For the last two and a half years ive been selling virtual items on ebay whilst claiming DWP. A week ago I was asked to attend an interview at my local Job Centre, of which I did and was told by the interviewer that I had been informed on for making money and not declaring it. I told the interviewer I had indeed been doing that and he asked me to bring 3 months bank statements in next week. I went home that same day and printed off 3 months bank statements and as I did so the realisation hit me that I was in a lot of trouble. The over payment is around £8.200.00 My intensions are to be honest and cooperative from the start, so I will go back to the Job Centre in a few days and hand them the statements. I wont lie to you I am very scared and wish I had never done this, but what I need to know is what should I expect once ive given him those statements?. what will the process be?. Is there anything I need to know or do to make this go better in my favour?. The DWP im claiming is carers allowance for my partner. I have never done anything like this before and its realy playing on my mind.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/penalties-for-social-security-fraud-and-error/penalties-policy-in-respect-of-social-security-fraud-and-error#introduction Dated 14/07/2017

Article from the Guardian. The Department for Work and Pensions has been unlawfully stopping people going to tribunal to appeal against decisions to refuse them benefits, three senior judges have ruled. The upper tribunal found it was wrong for the DWP to refuse claimants the right to appeal if they took more than a month to ask for a review of the benefit decision. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/aug/04/uk-judges-rule-dwp-wrong-to-deny-appeals-over-refused-benefits HB

Hi, I'm hoping somebody here may be able to advise me. I have recently become bankrupt at the end of May. The DWP have just sent me a letter claiming an attachment of earnings to cover an old social fund loan. I did include this in my list of debts on the bankruptcy application. Can they still go ahead with the attachment of earnings depsite my bankruptcy? Thanks

http://www.mirror.co.uk/money/dwp-shut-68-jobcentres-across-10747868 There is a full list of the branches to be divested in the link above.

Hi, I have been claiming Esa and Pip for a couple of years and in May was awarded Pip again till 2027 and was informed that my ESA would also continue. I have recevied a letter from the DWP compliance office saying I have to go to an office interview in THREE weeks, that is along time to worry as my situation has not changed since being awrded ESA and PIP. The headline says, "We need to talk to you about some changes that may affect your benefit payments.You must be available for this isterview and have all the information listed on page 1and 2 with you". Just so I can calm down a bit does anyone know what this is about, do I need to see a solicitor am I having a recorded interview under caution?. I have looked through the internet but the more I read the more I panic. Some say it's abou fraud?. As I have said none of my circumstances have changed at all over the years being on benefits. Thankyou in advance nickscrypt.

Good Afternoon, I am claiming income support for both myself and my wife since 2013,plus i am her carer. When i last worked was 2013, on this job i got an industrial disease (lead poisoning). I took the company to court, in the meantime the money we were receiving was not enough for us to live on. I was borrowing money off my brother-in-law from 2013-2016 which was anything from £50 - £70 per week (He is a welding supervisor), i was loaned the money on the understanding that i would pay all the money i owed him when my settlement came through. In 2016 i received a out of court settlement of £16,800, by this time i owed him nearly £9,000. I also owed a couple of credit card debts totaling £2,700. I went to my bank the day after it was cleared and drew out £16,000 and paid off the debt i owed my brother-in-law and the 2 credit cards. I also paid out £700 to have our 3 piece repaired, £750 to get a new rear fence erected and a front fence. all this money was paid out within 2 days of receiving the settlement. That being said after the above was paid out i think we had about £3,000+ left. Would the above have any impact on my benefits ?? I showed the compliance officer this morning my bank statements which shows nothing in my bank account the same as it was about 4 weeks after i got the settlement. I forgot to mention in my post named (bank account and the DWP). I was asked in a letter i received from the DWP, to attend the Unemployment Office and see the Compliance Officer. When i got there he asked me had i been working ? No i replied because i have not been working. Well he said we have been passed information that you have been working from december 2015 up until march 2017. I am 1000% that this is wrong, but cant help thinking that this is not about working but about the settlement i received in 2016. Has anybody had anything like this happen to them ,i would like to know what is going on here please.

Hi all Back in february I had a call from DWP saying they'd received information that my savings had gone over the limit for income support and requested bank statements for the previous 6 months. Some of those accounts had been closed and it was a bit awkward to get statements, the bank however provided a closing balance that detailed the sums in the account between the dates they were asking for (backward from Nov 16 - present) It also stated that thee was a zero balance and the account closed in January. I'd heard nothing at all for three months and then this evening got a call from them saying I hadn't sent all the statements in which i have. On the letter they originally sent, there was also a line asking for statement for any other accounts dating back to Nov 2014. I didn't send any in because there were no other accounts, however, they are now saying they made an error in their original letter and that i should of provided statements for all accounts going back to 2014. I've complied fully without hesitation up til now but the fact that they've only just (allegedly) started looking at my case and to not even notify me of the delay then claim it's MY error is crap. and I feel that I no longer wish to be so helpful. I've had three months of worry and it's not fair. Now I've got who knows how long before they make a decision. What (if any) are my rights here? I'm guessing that they'll use the non-compliance line and just stop my (and potentially my daughters too) benefits? BTW, it did turn out that my savings DID go over the limit for about a week by a couple of hundred quid. As soon as i got off the phone to the DWP, i immediately checked my account and on going back about a month did find the problem. I also called the investigator back and declared this- and this was caused by a large backpayment of benefits owed to my daughter for ESA and my benefits going in on the same day and a large deposit from the council related to 6 months of expenses they owed me). I'm my daughter's full time carer and i manage her benefits in my account as she still lives at home - she has a severe mental disability. All of this information is clearly shown on the statements i sent in. I had assumed also that as we both get benefits in our own right that we are both entitled to the savings limits (6k each) Can anybody clarify this point. I've always been super careful not to go over the limits as i know this automatically triggers a notice to DWP. This often means that I end up having to buy stuff that is not really required just to stay under the limits - an absolutely ludicrous state of affairs. My daughter is now 20 and will soon be moving out into supported living and I have always tried to save a little money from her benefits to set her up in her own home when the time comes. If anybody has some info or hints i'd be much obliged Stool

Hi there, does anyone know if the DWP can refuse to allow you to audio record meetings with a work coach at a Job Centre Plus? I have contacted my local Job Centre Plus office to ask for permission to audio record all future appointments but they have refused . Is there anything i can do about this?

Well guys here i am again ... just search my posts. OK here we go ...... My son was on Universal credits and was hit with 4 sanctions 1 after the other for 28 days each with the final one being for 92 days due to the previous 3! He was under a "sick note" for 3 of them and the fourth was for not doing enough entries on hit work diary thing. I went to a routine meeting with my son and was met with what i would class as hostility. I am mobility impaired and on good days i can walk with a stick but i am in constant pain. So the first thing my son asked was if there was a chair for me me and his work coach said "your father can stand" Anyway after a lot of messing to get a chair and then to move from in front of her I got to work on why she sanctioned him for being unfit. A long conversation entailed with her constantly repeating that all was correct i left telling her that she was ignorant of the law and needed further training. If you had been there to see the way i was treated and also my son i am sure you would have not kept control. I helped my son get the sanctions lifted and then luckily he got a job as this one at the DWP was after him for sure!!! The problem now is that he was fired due to not being able to keep up with his duties. I am now very concerned that the DWP will do what they can to make his life unbearable. Is it possible to get permission to accompany my son and to speak on his behalf as he finds things difficult to understand at times and a lot of things just go over his head. Also is it possible to video record all appointments as they either lie or AS THEY SAY "IGNORANCE IS NOT AND EXCUSE" so they are lying to him or are ignorant to the law as i have proven on numerous occasions so i know they are after us!!! What can i do to protect my son and also myself from being targeted??

I am currently on ESA and get my rent paid by the DWP - and I am due to inherit 100,000 - now I know that my benefits will stop - and I intend to invest £70000 on a property - my question is what I do with the remaning £30000 -i have been told the DWP take a dim view of excessive holidays and will question my expenditure when I have to sign on again -does anyone know what is excessive expenditure - because after living on the bread line for over 8years I would like new clothes a couple of holiday and treat myself well for a change - but not at the detriment of the DWP to say when the cash is all gone - to say I am not entitled to any benefit . Thanks in advance for any info

Currently running at 87% of decisions same as original DM decision because.... This folks is why you should ignore the DWP and appeal! I'll give DWP DMs the benefit of the doubt here as although my last MR for DLA was refused.... the Mandatory Reconsideration DM actually didn't write against my new lower award but how I could win at appeal! Bizarre but true ! Reddit thread Rightsnet thread https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/11271/

HI Guys So i recieved a letter for a debt to DWP for £288.67. They have gone directly for a DEA on this one which is a pain, i cant really afford to lose 15% of my wages and i have raised a complaint less than 10 days ago to DWP about the debt itself. I suspect it is a Advance on UC which amount sounds about right from last year. Now I have some questions. A) Do DWP let you pay by card? B) Can i stop a DEA by sorting out an arrangement with them? Any advice would be appreciated.

I have an on going dispute with The DWP regarding a long outstanding balance on a Social fund loan they say I owe, I don't think I do. This loan dates back to 1998. I have replied to every letter they have sent asking for a statement of payments and a copy of the original loan agreement, to date I have received nothing. Today I received a letter stating that a direct earnings attachment letter had been sent to my employer. I telephoned and again requested proof that I owe this money. The person I spoke to was very unhelpful and sarcastic to me. I paid them the money on my CC as I didn't want my employer notified. I do not think I owe this money and they can offer me no concrete proof that I do. I feel like I'm hitting my head against a wall and getting nowhere. How are they allowed to get away with this.?? Can I pursue a claim through small claims court to be reimbursed?

I will try to make this short... ..20 years ago my husband went to court for none payment of overpaid benefits (i dont need to go into why but it wasnt his fault). He got given community service which he did and heard nothing more. Then in approx 2012 the dwp contacted him saying he needed to pay this £1600 back... .why did it take so long??? He never heard anything after the court hearing. As it was so long ago the citizens advice told us to get a copy of the court judgement, we never got this and all went quiet. Now he has a letter from them again wanting this money - what do we do? Surely the DWP should have dealt with this is 1996?!

My partner has had a letter regarding WTC. They are pushing her to open a bank account. She has been using a post office account for child benefit and wtc for many years now. Has anyone here had the same? is there a reason for it! usually is regarding dwp/hmrc. EDIT: Forgot to say we already have bank accounts but my partner has always liked using the post office one for budgeting etc. Tia