Interview under caution

[jadeybags]

Don't be alarmed if they have bank statements already there hun. That can shock people sometimes.

[Drivingmemad]

Don't be alarmed if they have bank statements already there hun. That can shock people sometimes.

 

Really? Well it saves me a job lol are they likely to have his bank statements as well or should I take them just incase? When I go to the interview what else are they likely to have? Is there anything I should take? The guy on the phone said he doesn't need anything ATM but if he does need anything he will let me know after the interview. I told him obv I would rather be prepared beforehand and can bring any info he requires with me to save time. I have a feeling they will say that technically I am guilty as although he doesn't live here and we are not a couple technically this is used as his main address as he gets his post sent here (well bank statements) and driving licence come to here. I hope they will take into account everything I have said here and will be saying to them when I go but I am assuming they won't as I suppose they don't really car about the complexity/workings of it and they do not care if we are "in a relationship". What do you think?

 

I am thinking that although I am "not guilty" of a crime here that it will be viewed as such and I will have to take the punishment regardless, I find it really irritating that I have always been a Dudley do right and still manage to land in the you know what.

 

Hannah thanks for the message, it's a very hard situation to be in. Do you feel up to telling us about it so the guys can help? The suppor is invaluable and coming on here has helped me immensely so I a really grateful for the help from everyone thanks xxxx

[Drivingmemad]

Also JB if you don't mind me asking will tis be to do with IS also or can I expect another interview from them? X

[Desperate Daniella]

Hi DMM,

 

I'm really glad you feel we are helping you.

 

Hannah, if you want to start a thread we'll try and help you too. If you do start one please put a link to it here so we can find you.

 

DDxx

[Drivingmemad]

Thanks DD, do you think dwp will be there also or just HB/ctc xx confused!

[id6052]

Thanks DD, do you think dwp will be there also or just HB/ctc xx confused!

 

If the suspected fraud only relates to HB/CTB, the DWP are unlikely to be there.

 

However if the suspected fraud relates to IS, the DWP may or may not be there.

 

Nobody here can be certain, and they would just be guessing.

[jadeybags]

Really? Well it saves me a job lol are they likely to have his bank statements as well or should I take them just incase? When I go to the interview what else are they likely to have? Is there anything I should take? The guy on the phone said he doesn't need anything ATM but if he does need anything he will let me know after the interview. I told him obv I would rather be prepared beforehand and can bring any info he requires with me to save time. I have a feeling they will say that technically I am guilty as although he doesn't live here and we are not a couple technically this is used as his main address as he gets his post sent here (well bank statements) and driving licence come to here. I hope they will take into account everything I have said here and will be saying to them when I go but I am assuming they won't as I suppose they don't really car about the complexity/workings of it and they do not care if we are "in a relationship". What do you think?

 

I am thinking that although I am "not guilty" of a crime here that it will be viewed as such and I will have to take the punishment regardless, I find it really irritating that I have always been a Dudley do right and still manage to land in the you know what.

 

Hannah thanks for the message, it's a very hard situation to be in. Do you feel up to telling us about it so the guys can help? The suppor is invaluable and coming on here has helped me immensely so I a really grateful for the help from everyone thanks xxxx

 

If I try & see it from their point of view, I get where they are coming from when they remove all emotion & finer detail. It must be a devil of a job to sort the genuine from the not. But yes I know what you're saying about being honest. You could have knocked me over with a feather when I had a compliance officer here 2 years after I came off IS & started working part time, to check all details were correct. And it became obvious quite quickly that they had based my housing benefit on a wrong income. She did see the look on my face & said she could see I was oblivious to it & after probably one of the worst couple of weeks of my life, it was all over & I just had to pay back an over payment. But I didn't think for one minute it had all gone wrong as I had given them everything they had asked for when I started working including a works contract with hours & pay on. I didn't even have to start working, my youngest was still under the age when I needed to! I thought I would be better off financially.

That was where life went a bit crud tbh, I didn't do debt before I turned 40. I hadn't even ever had a credit card. So I do have a certain amount of distaste towards my LA, probably always will have. The whole thing ended up scaring me enough to quit claiming, neglect my children & take on extra hours at work getting up at 3am so I could get home in time to take them to school. Just so I didn't have to have anything to do with housing benefit.

I did that for over a year before I couldn';t afford it anymore because of the rise in the cost of living & my rent going up. So I started claiming again last April.

But even now, I have under estimated my weekly income, I am now self employed. And keep it that way because I would rather stick red hot needles in my eyes than go through another IUC & have to pay back £1600. Because the next time it may happen I will not be able to afford to pay it back. I took out a loan to pay that one back. Because I had cancelled my housing benefit claim in the end they wouldn't accept less than 100 quid a month to pay the over payment back, the loan was only 35 a month so I opted for that. Interest was better than 65 pounds less than a month to live on.

So the only thing I would say is if you genuinely haven't done this, don't bow to them like I did, fight them...

[Drivingmemad]

If I try & see it from their point of view, I get where they are coming from when they remove all emotion & finer detail. It must be a devil of a job to sort the genuine from the not. But yes I know what you're saying about being honest. You could have knocked me over with a feather when I had a compliance officer here 2 years after I came off IS & started working part time, to check all details were correct. And it became obvious quite quickly that they had based my housing benefit on a wrong income. She did see the look on my face & said she could see I was oblivious to it & after probably one of the worst couple of weeks of my life, it was all over & I just had to pay back an over payment. But I didn't think for one minute it had all gone wrong as I had given them everything they had asked for when I started working including a works contract with hours & pay on. I didn't even have to start working, my youngest was still under the age when I needed to! I thought I would be better off financially.

That was where life went a bit crud tbh, I didn't do debt before I turned 40. I hadn't even ever had a credit card. So I do have a certain amount of distaste towards my LA, probably always will have. The whole thing ended up scaring me enough to quit claiming, neglect my children & take on extra hours at work getting up at 3am so I could get home in time to take them to school. Just so I didn't have to have anything to do with housing benefit.

I did that for over a year before I couldn';t afford it anymore because of the rise in the cost of living & my rent going up. So I started claiming again last April.

But even now, I have under estimated my weekly income, I am now self employed. And keep it that way because I would rather stick red hot needles in my eyes than go through another IUC & have to pay back £1600. Because the next time it may happen I will not be able to afford to pay it back. I took out a loan to pay that one back. Because I had cancelled my housing benefit claim in the end they wouldn't accept less than 100 quid a month to pay the over payment back, the loan was only 35 a month so I opted for that. Interest was better than 65 pounds less than a month to live on.

So the only thing I would say is if you genuinely haven't done this, don't bow to them like I did, fight them...

 

Aw JB I am sorry for everything you have gone through and glad that you have sorted everything out. Like you I have done the right thing all my life, it's horrifying to think. Might have done something which can be construed as illegal. I have worked hard my entire life, even when it was killing me financially and as you say children were suffering all so I could say I work. When I got a tax credits Overpayment in 2010 of 8k (their error not mine and super long story but nothing to do with living with a partner btw!) and they started to take it back at an extortionate rate we were living off £20 a week by the time I had paid my child care I just couldn't go on like that. I rang them, wrote to them, emailed them, time and time again, appealed twice never acknowledged, requested previous awards everything and in the end it was just we have overpaid you, you owe it. It Made my life a misery, I struggled on but it was so difficult. Tax credits said the only way I could get the over payment taken back at a lesser rate wold be to pack in my job and claim benefits, which I did. It was the only way. I loved my job, it broke my heart to leave but financially we just could not survive with the TC overpayment so that was that. I hope things are much better for you now.

 

I am just confused as to the dwp/HB thing, as it was DWP who requested I fill the form in again (Sa2 I think) then 1 week later I received this letter regarding IUC from HB. It's so frustrating not knowing exactly what they want but i understand it's the system. I have got most of my bank statements together and will be requesting the rest when I get round to ringing telephone banking. I am going to go through all my letters, bills etc and and get everything together to show its in my name and take those as well. anything else you think might be useful?

[jadeybags]

The only things I can think of that you need to take along are every little bit of proof you can lay your hands on to show he has been living somewhere else because they really do dig their heels int. The court thing & them still saying you're a couple are totally separate things. Someone can be found not guilty in court & still be expected to pay back what they see as an over payment. Yep, for real. Probably not something you need to look into at the moment though.

[EagerElephant]

The DWP will not be there unless the letters says they will.

 

Do we know for sure it is about the partner - did they confirm this?

 

The fact it is HB/CTB only implies that maybe there is a problem with the tenancy - who is your landlord?

Or maybe they are going to treat your ex as a non-dependent (someone above said this) which is why they haven't involved DWP.

[id6052]

The DWP will not be there unless the letters says they will.

 

The letters do not usually indicate whether the DWP will or will not be attending, although this may vary from LA to LA.

 

Also even if DWP does not attend, LA based investigators have the power to investigate alleged DWP fraud, in the same way that DWP based can also investigate alleged LA fraud.

[id6052]

Do we know for sure it is about the partner - did they confirm this?

 

DMM has previously stated

 

Hi, I received a letter from HB/CTB to say I had to attend an interview under caution. I rang and spoke to the person who sent the letter and he said it is because they think I have someone living with me

[Desperate Daniella]

Hi DMM,

 

I know this may be the last weekend your ex is around so I hope you will go out and have fun with your children somewhere. Doesn't have to be an expensive treat, just some fun and games in the park.

 

You'll know what it's about by this time next week, and I always think it's better to get it over with (in any situation) rather than worrying.

 

Please enjoy this weekend as much as you can.

 

DDxx

[Drivingmemad]

Hi, when I rang them he did say that it was regarding a partner living there which I didn't understand why HB/CTB would be more concerned than dwp about this. I got an initial form from dwp the week prior to this asking me to fill it in correctly and send it back, there was a written note on the bit where they ask you about money saying please fill this in fully, which I did. I don't work or have any other income or savings etc so wasn't too worried. Exactly one week after returning the letter I received the letter from the HB/CTB department for the IUC saying that they believe I may committed offences. Didn't say in the letter what it was about, just offences? Does this mean more than 1? It doesn't say anything about the dwp attending so should I expect to be interviewed by them next? My mother is my landlord, which happened as she bought a house and had a tenant ready to move in, tenant let her down and my landlord had kicked me out, I obtained all the relevant forms from the HB including one for my mother to fill in, which she did, they know she is my mother. Anyway I get my HB paid into one bank accountof mine (aleays beenpaid into this acount and have no card/net banking to draw it out. I always transfer it to my own and pay my mother in cash as that is how she likes it. I usually pay her every week/2 weeks then when my HB comes in use it for bills, but as LNG as she is getting paid it shouldn't be a problem right?

 

Xx

[Drivingmemad]

I have a rent book xx

[Desperate Daniella]

It's very confusing. There is no way your mother should be keeping you (if they are implying you don't have to pay her rent),and no reason why she shouldn't be your landlord.

 

If the first letter said it was about a partner living with you I think it's likely that they think you have been getting money from him, but you can prove you haven't.

[id6052]

As long as you declared up front that your mother was your landlord and you can demonstrate you have been paying your rent, it is unlikely that there would be any issue with your tenancy.

 

You might want to check that your mother has been declaring rental income to the tax office, as HMRC and LAs will sometimes carry out data-matching exercises on landlords and rental income.

[BanditQueen]

Rubbish! The worst thing that can happen is that they now treat you as a couple and they make a couple of wrong assumptions. As long as you can show that he does not have an income and is not on other benefits it is very clear that these people at the DWP will have to re-instate your benefits. It may take a few weeks, but instead of wasting time on here, go and get correct welfare benefits specialist legal help: there are a number of them out there. Take someone from there with you and find out what they have on you. They will not tell you unless you go down to an interview. If you want to consult more: find out what they have then postpone the rest of the interview and get counter proof. Take copies and when you go back with your rep take the evidence that he does not have income and then they will have to re-consider their response. I am confident it will work out. It does not matter that you have someone living with you. It matters that you attempted to conceal the fact or not and if the person is on any income. I am married and as I have no income we can claim benefits. My sister was able to claim even though her partner moved in as she could show he had no income. You need to be three steps ahead of these people and inform them of any changes. That is what has made them suspicious off you; someone with a grudge has rung the benefit fraud line and reported your partner staying over. You need to sort this out or they will come to your home and his and search it with the police. Do not mean to frighten you, but you cannot sit, winging on a consumer forum and hope this goes away. It will not!

 

Get help from a proper welfare advisor and show them all the documents. On here we do not know your full story and can only guess what it is. You need to be completely honest at this point with anyone who will represent you. If you just forgot to tell them someone had moved in then admit it. If you believed him staying over every so often was not constituted as living together and it was not something you needed to report to the DWP, then say so. Get the appointment moved to a time and date you can bring a representative and do not go unless you have them with you. But do not just put it off. This is serious. Fraud is a crime and the fines and imprisonment are harsh. I know you are not committing fraud but at this point this is how the DWP see it. You will need to go to an initial interview with your rep and find out what they have on you and why they believe you are living together. Then explain your side of things and if you have any proof then show it to them. If you need more time to provide them with proof, ask them to halt the interview and postpone it to an agreed later date and ask for time to get the proof. If you need extra time then write again to them and inform them you are still waiting for the information and to arrange the interview for another time. Push your spouse to get the proof and if he does not then throw him out and stop living or staying with him as he is putting you and your kids in jeopardy from the DWP and council tax people. They can and will stop your money and take the matter further, even to court if you do not show them that your partner has no income. He may have to be the one to get the proof. If there is no other way to prove it they will ask him and you to make a statement on a special form that you have no income except these benefits. This will be under oath on the form and is a serious matter if you lie on this form. If he has hidden savings or something tell him to declare them. They can and will find out! Sorry to sound so dramatic but having been through the process and won, I know something about it. It has changed since 2005 in that they now involve the police if you do not co-operate with them. At this point you will need a solicitor but it does not need to get that far. Follow the steps above and make sure you co-operate with them and get correct advice. If your partner will not co-operate then do not let them into your home unless he does. At that point you are no longer living together. From what you said before it sounds as if he will not be a problem. It is important that he gets what proof he has or fills in the declaration as soon as he can and you go down with it. The sooner you both do this; the sooner this nightmare will be over.

 

Try not to worry too much; I am sure that with the right help and co-operation from all parties: you, partner and DWP plus welfare help, you will be able to resolve this in a few weeks. They have made assumptions that they clearly have no right to make: but they are a law unto themselves, they can be over turned and you can win this. You do have rights and if the only problem is that they think he is living with you, as long as he does not have enough or no income that can affect your benefits I do not see what the problem is. They may be annoyed you did not tell them of his staying over, but you have a good argument to state that you did not believe this to be important or you simply forgot as he did not have any income you did not see a problem. I think that will then be case closed: benefits restored and back dated. If not, throw him out and claim as a single parent.

[Desperate Daniella]

Hi BanditQueen,

 

DMM is going to the interview with her solicitor so she has specialist legal help.

 

I don't think she or anyone else with benefits problems is wasting time coming here. She has been getting advice, from you and others, and she has been getting support. Some very fragile and frightened people come to this forum and even if people can't provide specialist help -and sometimes they can - one of the important things is that they know they are not alone. You sound very punchy - that is a compliment! - but many people don't feel they can take on the fight and are falling apart so the people on here try to give them the courage to fight, and the support while they do it.

 

As DMM's partner may be going to prison this week, or very soon, I can understand why she is letting him spend so much time at her house. I did suggest he shouldn't stay over, but I can completely understand why she doesn't want to do that right now.

[foolmum]

hi bandit queen

 

having been through an investigation myself..this forum helped me so much...as you must know it is a scarey experience...i felt alone and didnt even know where to start...knowing that others had been through it saved my sanity....throughout i was adviced to seek help through cab .. but what these legal representatives cannot give is the emotional support...

 

i fully understand your points....and your intentions are truely unerstandable..

 

i hope you understand why i had to jump in sorry if i have annoyed anyone xxx

[Desperate Daniella]

I'm sure you haven't annoyed anyone.

[Drivingmemad]

Rubbish! The worst thing that can happen is that they now treat you as a couple and they make a couple of wrong assumptions. As long as you can show that he does not have an income and is not on other benefits it is very clear that these people at the DWP will have to re-instate your benefits. It may take a few weeks, but instead of wasting time on here, go and get correct welfare benefits specialist legal help: there are a number of them out there. Take someone from there with you and find out what they have on you. They will not tell you unless you go down to an interview. If you want to consult more: find out what they have then postpone the rest of the interview and get counter proof. Take copies and when you go back with your rep take the evidence that he does not have income and then they will have to re-consider their response. I am confident it will work out. It does not matter that you have someone living with you. It matters that you attempted to conceal the fact or not and if the person is on any income. I am married and as I have no income we can claim benefits. My sister was able to claim even though her partner moved in as she could show he had no income. You need to be three steps ahead of these people and inform them of any changes. That is what has made them suspicious off you; someone with a grudge has rung the benefit fraud line and reported your partner staying over. You need to sort this out or they will come to your home and his and search it with the police. Do not mean to frighten you, but you cannot sit, winging on a consumer forum and hope this goes away. It will not!

 

Get help from a proper welfare advisor and show them all the documents. On here we do not know your full story and can only guess what it is. You need to be completely honest at this point with anyone who will represent you. If you just forgot to tell them someone had moved in then admit it. If you believed him staying over every so often was not constituted as living together and it was not something you needed to report to the DWP, then say so. Get the appointment moved to a time and date you can bring a representative and do not go unless you have them with you. But do not just put it off. This is serious. Fraud is a crime and the fines and imprisonment are harsh. I know you are not committing fraud but at this point this is how the DWP see it. You will need to go to an initial interview with your rep and find out what they have on you and why they believe you are living together. Then explain your side of things and if you have any proof then show it to them. If you need more time to provide them with proof, ask them to halt the interview and postpone it to an agreed later date and ask for time to get the proof. If you need extra time then write again to them and inform them you are still waiting for the information and to arrange the interview for another time. Push your spouse to get the proof and if he does not then throw him out and stop living or staying with him as he is putting you and your kids in jeopardy from the DWP and council tax people. They can and will stop your money and take the matter further, even to court if you do not show them that your partner has no income. He may have to be the one to get the proof. If there is no other way to prove it they will ask him and you to make a statement on a special form that you have no income except these benefits. This will be under oath on the form and is a serious matter if you lie on this form. If he has hidden savings or something tell him to declare them. They can and will find out! Sorry to sound so dramatic but having been through the process and won, I know something about it. It has changed since 2005 in that they now involve the police if you do not co-operate with them. At this point you will need a solicitor but it does not need to get that far. Follow the steps above and make sure you co-operate with them and get correct advice. If your partner will not co-operate then do not let them into your home unless he does. At that point you are no longer living together. From what you said before it sounds as if he will not be a problem. It is important that he gets what proof he has or fills in the declaration as soon as he can and you go down with it. The sooner you both do this; the sooner this nightmare will be over.

 

Try not to worry too much; I am sure that with the right help and co-operation from all parties: you, partner and DWP plus welfare help, you will be able to resolve this in a few weeks. They have made assumptions that they clearly have no right to make: but they are a law unto themselves, they can be over turned and you can win this. You do have rights and if the only problem is that they think he is living with you, as long as he does not have enough or no income that can affect your benefits I do not see what the problem is. They may be annoyed you did not tell them of his staying over, but you have a good argument to state that you did not believe this to be important or you simply forgot as he did not have any income you did not see a problem. I think that will then be case closed: benefits restored and back dated. If not, throw him out and claim as a single parent.

 

Thank you. Sometimes we all need a firm hand! I seriously hope they will see things for what they are but also very much doubt it. He doesn't claim anything as his bank statements will show no income, I am going to gather what I can of his statements tomorrow, I have got most of mine (one blooming month I can't find!) I honestly and truthfully didn't see a problem, I would never claim benefits I wasn't entitled to purposefully. I can show I have been trying to get work for the last month before I got my letter for the IUC so that I can be in full time employment when my daughter goes to nursery, I am not a [EDIT]. I am really upset with myself for being such a wally I really dont get the whole benefits system, it was more of a stop gap for me, never permanent. I have a good solicitor (well I don't know about good but experienced with benefit fraud etc and recommended by cab so hopefully that will be a help.

 

I will do all of the things you say, my ex will cooperate with anything they ask for, he is a decent fella and will help me.

 

Thanks again for the kick up the rear sometimes it's required! Xx

[Drivingmemad]

hi bandit queen

 

having been through an investigation myself..this forum helped me so much...as you must know it is a scarey experience...i felt alone and didnt even know where to start...knowing that others had been through it saved my sanity....throughout i was adviced to seek help through cab .. but what these legal representatives cannot give is the emotional support...

 

i fully understand your points....and your intentions are truely unerstandable..

 

i hope you understand why i had to jump in sorry if i have annoyed anyone xxx

 

 

Hi foolmum, you haven't annoyed anyone! Do you have a post I can read as you say you have been through this and it would be nice to know what you're experiences are. Thanks again xx

[jadeybags]

Hi BanditQueen,

 

DMM is going to the interview with her solicitor so she has specialist legal help.

 

I don't think she or anyone else with benefits problems is wasting time coming here. She has been getting advice, from you and others, and she has been getting support. Some very fragile and frightened people come to this forum and even if people can't provide specialist help -and sometimes they can - one of the important things is that they know they are not alone. You sound very punchy - that is a compliment! - but many people don't feel they can take on the fight and are falling apart so the people on here try to give them the courage to fight, and the support while they do it.

 

As DMM's partner may be going to prison this week, or very soon, I can understand why she is letting him spend so much time at her house. I did suggest he shouldn't stay over, but I can completely understand why she doesn't want to do that right now.

 

Well said

[Drivingmemad]

Hi BanditQueen,

 

DMM is going to the interview with her solicitor so she has specialist legal help.

 

I don't think she or anyone else with benefits problems is wasting time coming here. She has been getting advice, from you and others, and she has been getting support. Some very fragile and frightened people come to this forum and even if people can't provide specialist help -and sometimes they can - one of the important things is that they know they are not alone. You sound very punchy - that is a compliment! - but many people don't feel they can take on the fight and are falling apart so the people on here try to give them the courage to fight, and the support while they do it.

 

As DMM's partner may be going to prison this week, or very soon, I can understand why she is letting him spend so much time at her house. I did suggest he shouldn't stay over, but I can completely understand why she doesn't want to do that right now.

 

Hi DD, thanks again for your post and your perseverance in reading through all of this and sticking with the thread. It is nice to have some support and to know that other have been through this and come out the other side. We did have a good weekend with the kids, they all played football on the field while I watched as I have damaged my spine (long story). My ex did say he will do what it takes to show them he has no money/income and cooperate with anything they asked for.

 

I am going back to the gp tomorrow as with all the stress I am buckling. I went a few months back (I have been off the meds for approx 2 years now which is great but I should never have come off them) This is a new gp, I have lived at my address for 18 months and only registered with new gp a few months ago as I was too afraid (my old go was my entire family's gp and had been in my life for 27 1/2 years) so clearly this was difficult. I explained I was feeling down and my history and he did the test for depression and said I was severely depressed and referred me for counselling. I was gutted. I can't talk about my feelings face to face so I didn't go. I am back the gp tomorrow (booked before I had my IUC letter) to discuss with female new gp will be difficult but I really cannot cope ATM. I feel like a failure. I hope she helps me. I just want my old gp. Last night I am ashamed to say i felt like blowing out. I haven't touched booze (not an alcoholic but had issues with drink) for 7 years except 1 occasion, but the urge was compelling to just damage myself. So now instead I am picking my skin. Anyway sorry about all that it's quite irrelevant, but I hope that by getting it out to someone will help. I can't discuss with my ex, I don't want him stressing out.Again apologies for the TMI.