I suffer from Mental Health Issues and this is the first step for me after initial help from Invicta Advocacy Group, my psychotherapist, my social worker, my psychologist and my psychiatrist. Having been driven to almost suicide and being a heartbeat away from being sectioned or imprisoned due to the extreme stress these incompetent and dithering people at the DWP have put me through, I have decided to record what's been going on. Having collated all my paperwork, all letters, telephone contact notes etc, I found a really good solicitor from extensive internet research that might take my case. Below is a copy of the email I just sent them. I have blocked out personal items but you get the gist. I will be back when I get their response. Fingers crossed. Dear Sirs RE Department of Work and Pensions and Dartford Borough Council Complaint. I have been advised to seek your help in the above matter due to your excellent record in dealing with the state and its errors. To make it easier and less time consuming I have constructed a time line of events. • January 2006 Income Support with Disability Premium. • Sept 2006 - June 2007 - North West Kent College Access Course. • Sept 2007 - June 2008 - 1st Year Greenwich University - Special Support Grant from the Student Loans Company. • Sept 2008 - June 2009 - 2nd Year Greenwich University - Maintenance Grant from Student Finance England. * Student Loans Company changed name and logos to Student Finance England , and it was here the mix up began...I thought the original Special Support Grant had now also changed to being called a Maintenance Grant, it was the same amount of money after all. • Sept 2009 - June 2010 - 3rd Year Greenwich University - (interrupted studies due to personal problems with younger brother and a cancer care patient I was caring for needing my time and energy). • Sept 2010 - June 2011 - Final Year Greenwich University - Maintenance Grant from Student Finance England. • ******** April 2011 - DWP Payment of £164.48 received. (Income Support with Disability Premium) • ******** April 2011 - Next payment due, but not received. I did not notice until Thursday 5th May due to period of extreme stress with degree studies, brother and cancer patient's heart problems. • Attended Dartford Job Centre on ******** May 2011, was told no-one could tell me anything ("we cannot and will not discuss this with you, you must speak to the Fraud Investigation Officer in charge of the case"), asked to use their telephone to do so, (this was done with extreme reluctance on the part of the staff), whereupon M-Female, the Fraud Investigation Officer informed me over the phone that my benefit was suspended due to my being in receipt of student loans while on Income Support and that she would not discuss the matter further with me until the Fraud Investigation Interview (under caution) which would not be until ******** May 2011 at 10am. • Last Exams on 12, 18 and 20 May 2011, unable to travel/revise/print due to zero income, and the extreme stress of DWP situation, had to borrow money from cancer care patient. • **** May 2011 - Fraud Investigation Interview - my legal rep (organised by ***** ****** Solicitors, Dartford) was lost on route and 45mins late, M-Female explained to my legal rep that the interview would have to be rescheduled, (for *** June 2011 as M was on annual leave) and gave her details of the matter to be discussed. • **** June 2011 - Taped Interview, my legal rep was very concerned at how I was being spoken to and she felt that I was being unfairly treated and also that DWP were 'moving goalposts' in relation to their interpretation of law. I informed M that I had emailed P-Male the Student Finance Assessor from Student Finance England myself and found out why this situation had arisen. (See taped interview). Had to apply there and then by the Job Centre telephone for ESA, after a lengthy interview with ESA they said they would be sending out a form for me to fill in and sign. Also applied for a Crisis Loan of £60.00. • **** July 2011 - Letter received from DWP, I was not entitled to ESA (no reason given) so they were sending my claim sent back to Income Support to re-open. • **** July 2011 - Spoke to Ms D from Income Support. They need to speak to Fraud Team and will get back to me by phone early next week. • **** July 2011 - Phoned Income Support from the Jobcentre. Someone will get back to me tomorrow. • 14 JULY 2011 - O -Male FROM DARTFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL HAND DELIVERS A NOTICE SEEKING POSSESSION DUE TO NON PAYMENT OF RENT AND COUNCIL TAX DUE TO STOPPAGE OF BENEFITS IN ERROR EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE BEEN FULLY INFORMED SINCE OUTSET OF PROBLEM IN PERSON AND BY TELEPHONE AND IN WRITING AND ALSO BY MY MP GARETH JOHNSON. • Fri 15 July 2011 - Ms D from Income Support phoned me. Income Support claim is now re-opened and backdated to **** May 2011, roughly £1,***.** to be in my Post Office account by 5pm today. Email sent by Income Support to Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit departments at Dartford Borough Council. Account checked and £1,***.** was paid in by DWP. • **** July 2011 - letter dated **** July 2011 sent to me by DWP telling me that I am not entitled to Income Support. I telephoned the number on the letter at 12.24pm and spoke to P_Male from the Income Support Contact Centre who informed me that the letter was sent by the Processing Unit and someone would get back to me in about three hours. H-Female from Jobcentre Plus called back to inform me that my Incapacity Benefit credits had ceased and that, again, someone would get back to me in about three hours. Incapacity Benefit called back and informed me that my claim was now reinstated, and Income Support to call back to confirm that all is OK. No call from Income Support that day or next. • ******** July 2011 - I called Income Support at 11.12am, spoke to S-Female, who informed me that an email was sent to Incapacity Benefit, to which there had been no reply, the claim was closed with no reason given on the system, claim to be reopened, and Income Support would call me back today with payment details. C-Female from Income Support called at 1.18pm to inform me that both my Incapacity Benefit credits were reopened together with my Income Support claim and I would get my payments as usual every 2 weeks on Thursdays. • Written confirmation that I am not entitled to ESA received dated **** July 2011 and that notes that my Incapacity Benefit and Income Support claims were closed in error and are to be reopened. • AUGUST EXAM RESITS, BUT NO EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES GRANTED AS COULD NOT GET THE FORMS (10 PAGES) PRINTED OUT AND POSTED IN TIME DUE TO ZERO INCOME SO ALL RESULTS CAPPED AT 40%. (Obtained a disappointing 2.2, instead of the expected 2.1) • Letter received dated **** November 2011 from DWP informing me that they are collecting an overpayment of £9**.**!!! Z (social worker) called them on **** December 2011 at 10.45am and T-Female from DWP informed her that this money was due to my being in receipt of student loans and that if I disagree I must write into them explaining why I think they are wrong. • **** Dec 2011 at 10am - Senior Benefits Advisor S-Female (0845 345 0310) calls at my home to help, very disgusted with DWP, although my case not the worst, she takes photos of my documents and lodges an appeal on my behalf. • **** Jan 2012 notification from DWP that they have received my appeal application. • **** Feb 2012 - letter from DWP informing me that they will look at the decision I am appealing against. • **** April 2012 - letter from DWP informing me that they have now decided that the overpayment is not recoverable and that I do not have to pay it back. How very nice of them!!! It was NOT an overpayment in the first place!!! I am now terrified to open any letters from DWP just in case this whole mess, or indeed a new one, starts all over again. Even without mental health issues this situation is absurd and highly stressful and surely contravenes both the Mental Health Act and the Human Rights Act. I have ALL my paperwork, in order, ready for your information, should you choose to take this case. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP!!!

Try telephoning the Benefits Advisory Group, independent of the DWP, they came out to my home when DWP did the same fraud interview **** with me, took photos of my paperwork, lodged and appeal, which I won. 0845 345 0310. good luck. ps, ALWAYS get legal advice when attending an interview under caution., they are pressuring her to plead now as they know they are in the wrong here. Dont give up, or they will mess you around and give you a criminal record for the rest of your life!! xkx

Contact the Benefits Advisory Group on 0845 345 0310, they came out to see me at my home and helped me kick the DWP's ass. Make sure your paperwork is all ready and in order as they are pushed for time and need to see lots of people, make their job a bit easier. Hope this helps, xkx:madgrin: