All government departments have this problem. Of course grudges are held. It may be just as simple as making life a little bit harder for some and not others. I did it! There were some members of the public that deserved 'special attention'. I was lenient with those that seemed honest and made life a lot more difficult for those that tried it on with me. I used to 'help' some but make it difficult for others. Of course I had my pet 'customers' - the ones that I would put through the mill at regular intervals. I doubt any civil servant if they were honest enough would say that they didn't go the extra mile for some and make it difficult for others. The same happens with every level of authority - see where you would get if you were to make life difficult for a particular civil servant.

In my case the DWP knew my address too. But for some obscure reason they sent the letter to an address that I last lived at 2 years prior! By the time I realised that it had been sent and to the wrong address, I put in an appeal. This appeal was thrown out as the DWP had carried out their duty to send it to the 'last known' address which unfortunately was the wrong one. I was only a matter of weeks outside the 4 week limit but the Tribunal ruled that the DWP were right - just one of those things I was told.

Unfortunately that won't work. Been there and got the teeshirt! It was adjudged at the Tribunal that the DWP only have to show that they posted the letter to the last known address. If that address was an old one - it doesn't matter. The regulations are quite clear on this. The letter will be deemed to have been received whether you got it or not!

I can only reiterate what happened to me. I refused to attend. A short while later I had the police at my front door in the early hours of the morning. I was arrested by them and interviewed by them. The DWP/Council had handed the case to the police. What would have been a failure to notify a change of circumstances which is what the DWP would have gone for, I was instead charged under the Fraud Act. Any attempt to obtain money by deception - which is one of the charges they laid against me has a 10 year prison term attached. The reason the police became involved was because I refused to co-operate with the DWP and they had nowhere to go. Because the police were now taking the action that is why they turned our house upside down looking for anything and everything that could be used as evidence in the theft of benefit money as well as to delve into what else I might have done in the past that they knew nothing about. During the search they found a letter from our bank that I had bounced a cheque. I was charged for that offence as well. They even went as far as to contact our mortgage provider to find out what we had put on the application form years earlier especially income and employment details.

I agree, but being in the Support Group there is no 12 month limit as there is in the 'Work group' to work up to 16 hours and earn no more than £100 a week. Many that are in the Support Group continue to work for their employer albeit on reduced hours and/or reduced income. It's a sensible way to increase your benefit income especially if you are in the Support Group.

I can confirm that that is correct!! I refused to go to an interview at the Jobcentre. A week later I had a 5am 'knock' and about 10 police officers barged in. I was arrested & cuffed and put in the back of their van. The rest turned the house upside down. My wife was hysterical.

To be dealt with by a Magistrates Court. I pleaded not guilty and requested a trial by jury, hence Crown Court.

Anybody that is in the Support Group of ESA is entitled under the 'Permitted Work' regulations to work up to 16 hours a week and earn up to £100 a week with no time restrictions (year in, year out). Being in the Support Group does NOT mean that 'you are severely ill that you cannot do any work'. What it actually means is that you have gained more than 15 points from the various descriptors and that you have received the maximum points in one of the Support Group descriptors. This has nothing whatsoever to do with being ill.

I worked and claimed and didn't declare the income. I earned peanuts to be honest, just something extra to put a bit of jam on the table every now and then. This period of working and claiming covered a period of 15 months. I also claimed Council Tax Benefit as well. In total the amount that they said that I owed was just over £12,000. I elected to go to trial at Crown Court and received a 6 month prison sentence, with 5 months of it suspended for 1 year. I actually only spent 2 weeks of the 1 month in prison. On top of that they wanted the £12,000 back - I still have £3500 to pay back. If that isn't paid by the end of this year, I have been told that I will have to go back to court and could very well be sent down again. I had a clean record and had never been in trouble before with anything. So yes you can and could go to prison for £15,000 - I did for £12,000!!!

Surely for those that are claiming JSA, a job is a job. It doesn't matter how much they get paid or how many hours they work, it's still a job. And if you work less than 16 hours in a week and earn less than what you would have got under JSA, you can claim a top up of JSA. Isn't the answer to keep on with the JSA claim, take the zero hours job whilst looking for a better one - you are guaranteed still to bring home your JSA money as long as the hours don't exceed 16. Even if they do and you have to sign off, you can always make a rapid reclaim when the hours drop. I just don't understand what the problems is. Why is everybody so fixated on how the employee will cope? What about the poor employer that if the employee was on a 40 hour contract they would have to be paid that irrespective if the employer hasn't got any work for them to do.

Was that directed at me? If so why? If you don't agree to something just say so and why - there is no need to be obnoxious!

That is a fact of life. It is far far easier to replace an employee than it is to replace say the Finance Director or all of the shareholders. Employees are expendable always have been. We are all still living in the world of union dominated workplace. We got rid of that years ago - do you remember how they nearly crippled British industry? If an employee is so highly valued for his/her skills than that employee will be 'looked after'. As for the rest of the minions, they are simply there to do a job as instructed by the employer - they certainly shouldn't be given the same rights as the 'core' employees.

Yes you are totally correct - daft rule really considering that you have paid into it as well make NIC contributions. I had the option of taking all my pensions, but only took enough that still kept me below the limit

Good grief!!! What is this world coming to. If they do that how would you log toilet breaks, meal times - not forgetting the 10mins every hour - fag breaks!

To make things easier for you - I do hope you kept a copy of the last claim form?