Compliance Officer Visit today

[stardust1]

I am not happy I had a CPO visit today (by appointment from a letter) and when she came, she accused me of being divorced since 2006, and thats what they have on their records.

 

never once have I told them - or anybody - that I have been divorced.

 

She then pulled my life to bits, I gave her bank statements and she kept picking holes in one amount on my bank statement which then escalated into her wanting all my children's accounts and if i didn't comply she would apply for them herself!!!

 

Turns out that someone made a malicious online report that my ex-husband moved back in in last year which I furiously defended. She asked why he wasn't on electoral role and I said the form had been filled out with just mine and my kids names and she admitted sometimes electoral role info is lagging (very true in my case).

 

Anyway long story short they have dug up a load of stuff on me, majority of it not true anyway and it just goes to show that Income Support/Job Centre/DWP do indeed make mistake and then innocent people like me are picked to bits.

 

If I can help anyone who has a visit coming up I'm happy to help or give you advise from my visit (which was an hour and a half). Oh yessss I kept her in my house for the sake of it, she wanted info off me and i sure got info out of her.

[honeybee13]

Hello there and welcome to CAG.

 

Thank you for sharing your experience with people here. You seem to have handled it well and I'm sure people will value your advice.

 

My best, HB

[ohheck]

know completely how you feel- i too had a visit today, a false accusatiopn of living with someone, a man i have been dating under a year.. and now i have been given a month to move in together or split up, seems barmy to me that they can dictate that you have to move in with someone. his parting shot to me was well of course if its a mallicious call then if you dont move in together you will get a lot more of these visits as there will probably be so many more calls!

 

I was talking to a friend who worked out that given his statements as regards to definition of a couple that i should infact be supported by her & her husband as they spend more time with me... cook me meals, take me out (usually to hospital visits) etc.. so i have to try & find out what to do next.

[honeybee13]

Hello ohheck. That sounds awful, did they really give you an ultimatum? And are they going to confirm that in writing?

 

My best, HB

[stardust1]

I was told by CPO i can have a boyfriend but it can't get serious. She said even lot living with a partner you can still be classed as a couple!!!!

 

The CPO also said she was not a fraud investigator but the Fraud Department pass them peoples info for the CPOs to deal with. The Fraud people had dug up a lot of stuff on me and my estranged husband.

 

They are very clever and make out they are your friend when they are not. One CPO visit a friend had they opened her fridge and inspected the bathroom.

[seanamarts]

What do they class as serious. ??

When does the line get crossed with regards to seriousness.

You can have a serious relationship but not live with that person.

[42man]

I can't believe I am reading this !! so now even though you aren't living with somebody, this can be classed as a couple ??

 

This takes the biscuit....."i too had a visit today, a false accusatiopn of living with someone, a man i have been dating under a year.. and now i have been given a month to move in together or split up," - I really think you should email/talk too your local MP (or local newspaper)

[jadeybags]

This seems to be quite common these days. It's getting crazy. I had my little brother stop with me for 2 months when he had nowhere to live years ago whilst I was on IS & HB & the housing officer from the council visited him at mine before offering him a flat as he had been on the list 5 yrs, yet didn't bat an eyelid! They are going all out now to claim back over payments.

[ErikaPNP]

Hi ohheck. What the others are saying is absolutely correct.

 

The DWP can make a determination about whether or not a claimant is living with someone as husband and wife based upon the information gathered - but they absolutely cannot dictate to someone that they must move in with a person that they are dating or end the relationship, far less give a timescale in which to do it. Nor can they as someone else posted, dictate to you that you are not allowed to less the relationship progress to a 'serious' stage. To dictate such matters is not acceptable. (I had similar from tax credit a while back, and boy did I let them know I wasn't going to let it slide).

 

I would urge you and anyone else who is advised of such nonsense by a compliance officer to send in an official written complaint - preferrably via your local MP.

[stardust1]

Yes she said to me that you have to inform them of the seriousness of the relationship - her words, not mine.

 

I know, the whole thing has left me very bitter indeed.

[stardust1]

I can't believe I am reading this !! so now even though you aren't living with somebody, this can be classed as a couple ??

 

This takes the biscuit....."i too had a visit today, a false accusatiopn of living with someone, a man i have been dating under a year.. and now i have been given a month to move in together or split up," - I really think you should email/talk too your local MP (or local newspaper)

 

Yes i agree. The CO said you have to inform them if the relationship is serious and that you don't have to be living together as husband and wife to be regarded as a couple. She also said the 3 night thing is rubbish, not even one night is allowed. but then she said, you are allowed to go out though, you have a life but if it gets 'serious' you must tell them.

Edited February 9, 2012 by stardust1
Spelling error

[stardust1]

What do they class as serious. ??

When does the line get crossed with regards to seriousness.

You can have a serious relationship but not live with that person.

 

According to my CO - no you can not. You have to inform them if you are in a serious relationship.

Edit - that was answering your third question!

Edited February 9, 2012 by stardust1
missed a line out

[jadeybags]

They don't actually count the amount of toothbrushes in the house, that's how my sis explained it to me anyway, but she hasn't worked in DWP overpayemnts for many years now! So I don't think they have done that for a long time, there is far more to it now than there has ever been. I seriously think there is no easy way of being on single persons benefit anymore if you are actively dating. Just never have anyone else registered at your address, having any post delivered to your address in anyone elses name but yours, or stopping over more than once a week. If you adhere to those points, it'll be hard for them to prove otherwise. If you split from a long term partner, remove any trace of them from your home asap...

[seanamarts]

There is nothing stopping you from having anyone staying over night, however you need to tell them who and when, this does not only stop at people who you date, this could be your aunt, brother, mother or just a friend.

 

This was told to me by a CO just last week when I fired off some questions to him. Even if you have a carer, you must inform them when they stay over night.

 

According to my CPO - no you can not. You have to inform them if you are in a serious relationship.

Edit - that was answering your third question!

You should of asked them to define a serious relationship.

 

The CO that you saw, I think is a little too jobs worthy.

[stardust1]

Seanamarts Yes, maybe I should have done, I think I fired every other question I could have done. She said seeing as council tax and housing benift is paid no one can stay over. I had to tell her everyone who stayed over the odd night last year and give her names. And she wrote them in the statement too.

[seanamarts]

Seanamarts Yes, maybe I should have done, I think I fired every other question I could have done. She said seeing as council tax and housing benift is paid no one can stay over. I had to tell her everyone who stayed over the odd night last year and give her names. And she wrote them in the statement too.

**Thats absolute rubbish, they cannot tell you you cannot have no one to stay. If that is the case what about those who have over night care, who are on benefits. They will be saying next that you cannot go and stay at a relatives house or be allowed to go into hospital. They forget that people on benefits are human beings and need to be respected and not be treated as if they are owned and be told what they can and cannot do. Yes we all have to respect certain criteria but there is a limit. As I said she is being rather jobs worthy.

[stardust1]

**Thats absolute rubbish, they cannot tell you you cannot have no one to stay. If that is the case what about those who have over night care, who are on benefits. They will be saying next that you cannot go and stay at a relatives house or be allowed to go into hospital. They forget that people on benefits are human beings and need to be respected and not be treated as if they are owned and be told what they can and cannot do. Yes we all have to respect certain criteria but there is a limit. As I said she is being rather jobs worthy.

 

Very interesting indeed!!! I think she was trying to scare monger me to be honest, thinking on it. She left me feeling like no one could stay over night. She said when you pay your own housing benefit and council tax you can have who you like. Whilst it is being paid for you - you can't.

[seanamarts]

I would report her.

[ohheck]

Sorry thanks to everyone for their responses- i just found it amazing- by there scale i worked out I have at least 6 people who should be 'finacially responsibe' for me.

Truth is in hindsight i have so many things i could have said but just think i was so shell-shocked that i just didnt know what to do- nobody likes being on benefits , i def know i dont but unfortunately having worked all my life - my health & life experiences have now put me in that position- what i didnt like was the kind of vailed but basically saying look if you dont do it we are going to hassle the hell out of you!!

i dont want to be called in all the time & he even said "you could end up with people watching you 24hrs a day" surely there must be bigger fish to fry!!

i must admit though i told my kids about it (they are grown up) & thursday night i fell over outside- my daughter quick as a flash said i do hope they got that on film mum we can send it to you've been framed.

so we are still able to laugh but the pressure is intense.

[seanamarts]

This is border lining insane.

 

I think they are just picking easy targets to get their numbers up. These people arent trained, they are brainwashed.

 

I would certainly get a complaint fired off asap and get one off to your MP as well.

[MIKEY DABODEE]

a one month review is put on a case to check if after that period you have decided you may after all move in

 

but if you dont move in together then no, it not the case you have to finish your relationship.........

 

perhaps it may be reviewed again in six months maybe

 

but if you are living apart then there is no worry or problems

simples

[Nystagmite]

She also said the 3 night thing is rubbish, not even one night is allowed

 

I was told that the number of nights is irrelevant and there's nothing to stop you having your boyfriend stay over for a few nights a week.

 

It does seem as though they are trying to do anything they can to chuck people off benefits.

[antone]

I was told that the number of nights is irrelevant and there's nothing to stop you having your boyfriend stay over for a few nights a week.

 

It does seem as though they are trying to do anything they can to chuck people off benefits.

 

There's no specific number of nights, that's true. The general guide to who is or isn't a couple is in the link below. It's complicated by the fact that there is no specific legal definition of a couple.

 

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/dmgch11.pdf

[jadeybags]

It hasn't been based on the amount of nights someone stays over for yeeeeears, has it ever? What if I had a boyfriend that worked away from home all week but only came home weekends, which was when we went shopping for food, which some of he took with him when he went back to work sunday night. Can I claim as a single person then? Of course not. I can't see how it could ever have been based on the amount of nights tbh...

[ohheck]

a one month review is put on a case to check if after that period you have decided you may after all move in

 

but if you dont move in together then no, it not the case you have to finish your relationship.........

 

perhaps it may be reviewed again in six months maybe but if you are living apart then there is no worry or problems

simples

 

 

I was told i must ring next week- to advise him if we are discussing the issue, re:moving in etc... but what worries me is the whole if you dont then you could be called in lots & have people watching your home- i dont have anything to worry about but really hate the idea of being watched & called in all the time. We are not living together and i was told that him staying over would make things difficult- maybe i just had the misfortune of having an over-zealous officer.

i just find it all so distressing like i just have no choice to put up or shut up basically.

i wish i'd seen this site before maybe i would have been armed better for the interview.