Income support and savings

[wendy-su loi]

I have received income support for about a year, and then I got a visit from an officer from the dwp who says its about the fact that the inland revenue have told them I have a bank account or savings which I havent declared. Apparently all the government departments tip each other off.

 

I told her that I havent, just my post office card account which the IS goes into which they know about. Halfway through the interview it dawned on me that I had an old income bond with £1,000 in it. I think this can only be what it is. I have also an account with a pound in it, I had to open it and used it only for when the dwp owed me a large backpay, as they sent a cheque instead of putting it into my PO card account. That account has remained dormant, so not been declared as such.

 

I said that I would like to take further advice on this allegation and would postpone signing anything until I have done. The officer did not seem keen on this, but I insisted that I would be happier doing this, I was unsuccesfully persuaded to change my mind a few times before she left after calling her office to ask what to do.

 

Now I am wondering, what will happen, will I be prosecuted despite the saving being under the £6,000 threshold?

[ErikaPNP]

No - but they might ask for historical statements backdated over the period of the claim to ensure that it's always been under the threshold.