how long does it take to get a letter for IUC? Help needed

[redrum3wins]

Hi, can anyone advise me how long it takes to get a letter from DWP for a IUC letter.

One of my friends is expecting one and is suicidal at present and I mean literally. I am trying to encourage her as best as poss, but I wonder what more I can do to help and have come here asking for any advice that could literally save her life - I have considered contacted a Mental health team as she is getting worse each day.

 

I personally think that she is too paranoid but cannot control or console in any way whatsoever.

She had been living with a partner and changed benefits etc very quickly and feels that she everything wrong and should have not been claiming for some 12 months and is desperately ill over this situation.

Her last contact with the DWP was 2 weeks ago and apparrently from what I've read on here, it can be months before they get their case together. She is desperate and has 2 children to look after, which she is doing to the best of her ability. (she doesn't know that it can take months to get a letter if she is going to get one) I have not told her as I am quite certain that she will seriously harm herself.

I feel so sorry for her.

I tell her that it will be ok as she hasn't heard anything from them. I had to actually lie to her to prevent her harming herself.

Does anyone know of any time limits when she can actually breathe a sigh of relief?

I can only encourage her so much as she is literally on the edge.

 

I don't know what to do that can help.

I would appreciate any positive comments and advice.

 

Thank you all in advance.

 

Best

[redrum3wins]

Hi, just as a p.s. to my original post. This lady has been putting all of her affairs in order in the last couple of weeks. Ie. she has sorted a will (even though she doesn't have a penny) and has mentioned that she would not like to die at home. I shudder to myself when speaking with her, I feel I need to come here first for some advice before I can even think of what else to do. I know for a certainty that she will harm herself, all the signs are there, even the one where she has said that she will not be alive to have her name spread in the papers etc. Talk about sorry..........................

She does not know that I am going to post her problem here, but for my peace of mind, I've got to ask the guru's here for info of how long it takes to get her details together to call her in. If as she thinks, they will. I am unsure as I have never been on her side of the fence.

[kk3852]

See next post- I managed to post it twice for some reason

Edited October 8, 2010 by kk3852

[kk3852]

Has she been told that she is being investigated or has she already had a first interview?

 

What makes her think that she is going to get invited for an interview. I'm trying to figure out how far along in the process they are.

 

I am assuming that she was claiming as a lone parent and then for a time lived with a partner. Has this partner now left? When did they leave? What income did they have?

 

I'm not sure what you mean about changing benefits too quickly...

[redrum3wins]

She went and changed from being virtually unable to walk, to going into full time employment. Albeit she will be working from home, but is now too distressed to do anything. She actually started before asking their permission. She is in such a state that it is impossible for me to reason with her. She has been throwing away older clothes and paperwork all day and I am absolutely certain she is planning what she has said and I know she is serious. I dread. I am at a loss as to what I can do, except to reassure her that no news is good news, but that isn't wearing very well with her.

I will ring her tomorrow to see how she is but I haven't got a magic wand figuratively speaking, but wish I did.

If it wasn't for her children, she would have done something by now, at least they are a saviour until or if that dreaded letter arrives. I would just like to be able to reassure her without being unrealistic that she has nothing to worry about. From what I have read on the forums it can take months for them to conduct their covert inquires, but I'm unsure about whether this is correct. She had made some money from clothes making and did not declare it and had paid into her bank by the company she made them for.

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

[kk3852]

But how does she know/what makes her think that she is being investigated?

 

There are far too many different scenario's to offer any proper advice....was she getting Incapacity Benefit? If she was then her work might be considered to be within the permitted work rules.....if it was disability living allowance (you mention that she was not able to walk) then she is allowed to work - the department would just look at whether or not the work suggested that she was not as disabled as she had declared.

 

If she doesn't even know that she is being investigated but just thinks that she is, do you think that it would put her mind at rest if she contacted them to let them know what has happened.

 

Its really hard to offer any constructive advice without knowing more fact

[sillysimmo]

This lady clearly needs professional help and I would be the first to speak to her doc. Hoping you are going to this.

 

Best Regards

Edited October 8, 2010 by sillysimmo

[kk3852]

If she has told DLA that she is now working full time I would lay odds that they are not investigating her. If they do anything it is more likely that they will just send a renewal form for her to complete so that they can get the up to date information about her disabilities.

 

If there is anything more solid which suggest that she is being investigated and she thinks that her DLA award is too high the best thing to do would be to ring DLA and ask them if her award can be looked at again. At least it would limit any further overpayment of her benefit.

 

It is unlikely that she would be aware that she is being investigated for disability fraud - the first a person usually knows about it is when they get a letter.

 

I know that you are worried about her mental state, perhaps the thought that she is being investigated is a part of her illness and maybe a call to the Community Health workers might be useful.

[jabba jones]

If there is anything more solid which suggest that she is being investigated and she thinks that her DLA award is too high the best thing to do would be to ring DLA and ask them if her award can be looked at again. At least it would limit any further overpayment of her benefit..

 

As has already been asked how does she know she is being investigated? Has she just done some work & is now due to her mental state is panicing about it?

 

I agree with kk3853 regarding her DLA, however if she was claiming I/S, I/B, ESA etc she should put what she has done into writing - dates, hours & earning & send it to the DWP. If she is not already been investigated an overpayment can then be calculated without any fraud department involvement or sanction. However if she just leaves it then she may find herself being investigated for real next time they do a data match.

 

If it turns out that she is being investigated & is invited for an IUC, her current condition would probably mean an "appropriate adult" would have to be present.

[redrum3wins]

Thanks everyone for replies

Yes, she did some work and did not declare and it was put into her account. She is so distressed that this is out of my realms of helping her. All I can do is offer some words of optimism. I fear that if I am too over optimistic, I may end up blaming myself a little and too under optimstic, may be that step too far. Does anyone know of any time periods that she can feel more safe. I can only relay what I think to her, but I will visit her with my wife later as she certainly shouldn't be left alone for long alone. She needs a little help keeping an eye on the kids while she is laying in bed. So sad.

[jabba jones]

So she doesn't actually know she is being investigated then?

 

I'm afraid there is no time scale. It could be months, years or even never. Like I've said above, the best thing she can do is put it all in writing (keeping a copy) & send it to the DWP. As long as there is no current investigation it would be dealt with by the processing section & not the fraud team. She would have to pay back any overpayment, but there should be no other comeback from the DWP.

 

It would also stop the need for any investigation should it crop up in the future.

[redrum3wins]

Thanks Jabba and others, I have been to see her this morning and she will not eat nor get out of bed. I have told her that as she has withdrawn claims for all benefits, she should not be investigated anyway. I reasoned on the point that it is more likely if she was making a claim. Don't know if this is correct, but I had to say something.

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh dear, what more can one do?

[redrum3wins]

Hi to all whom responded to thread, the overpayment we found last night amounts to less than £400 and tax was deducted at source. She has agreed to allow G.P. visit but will not get out of bed. We're just glad she will allow doc to come out as I think she needs hospital care at present.

Thanks to all.

[kk3852]

Were her earnings £400 for the whole period of her work? If they were any benefit overpayment will be considerably less - if she is claiming as a lone parent the first £20 of any weekly earnings do not affect benefit.

 

I really hope she gets the help that she needs from her GP.

[redrum3wins]

The money was earned in approx two weeks and she didn't declare it. It was paid into her account. On the positive side, her G.P. has visited and contacted the Mental health crisis team whom came out to visit her. They wanted to take her into hospital for a little while to stabilise her, but she can't and won't leave the two children. She is now on medication which is a good thing as it hopefully will help her to rationalise a little better. If she could put the money she earned in an envelope and post it back to the company she did the work for, then she wouldn't have earned anything at all. I don't know how that would stand.

[jabba jones]

The money was earned in approx two weeks and she didn't declare it.

 

For 2 weeks work there's a good chance it wouldn't be dealt with by the fraud section. They'd probably pass it onto the Compliance team to sort out.

[redrum3wins]

Thanks Jabba, I was thinking along the same lines as yourself, it is only a matter of time to find out if and when they do contact her. In the meantime, I thought it may be an idea just to send the two weeks payment back to the company whom she did the work for, then she wouldn't have earned anything.

In the meantime, the Crisis team said it will take a week for the meds to start to work properly. What a pickle over a small amount of money!

[kk3852]

There is no point in sending the money back to the company...she has still worked those hours and they would assume that she had been paid the minimum wage.

 

The very worst scenario would be that her benefit would have been overpaid for 2 weeks (depending on how much she earned) - they are not going to make a big deal out of a two week overpayment.

 

To be honest I would just hang on....unless you think it would make her feel better to have it sorted out and then the best thing to do would be to write a letter, give the dates worked and amount of money earned. No need to say why you are only just informing them now.

[sillysimmo]

Try and keep her feeling upbeat as time goes on, this should automatically happen when a person is feeling very down.

It would be good to ensure that in the initial stages she is given all the support she needs and more. Being around enough to help will certainly be a great aid not only keeping an eye on her, but also to offer some practical help like shopping etc.

 

How is her mental state today than that when she first so down?

 

Is she paranoid over nothing do you think? As KK mentioned, the DWP would not be going to go guns blazing over two weeks work.

I would be of the same mind as KK and just hang on. I don't know any timescales that the DWP have over these matters, but I don't think she has much to fear over two weeks work. But then again, I'm not the one suffering so I don't wish to minimise her suffering.

You are obviously one whom she can confide in, so keep that avenue open to her or she may feel that she has no one to turn to. If you can keep up that communication, that can and will be a major benefit to her at this time.

It is good that she has someone to speak to.

 

Hoping all of this fades into the wilderness and she is able to get her life together.

 

You could even check with the CAB regarding the time periods, they are sure to have a wealth of knowledge in this area as people come to them from a wider cross section of society.

Best for now

Edited October 14, 2010 by sillysimmo
added information