Benefit Checkers Warning

[Michael Browne]

It seems that some claims management companies not satisfied from earning fees from PPI claims have now come up with a wheeze to make money from benefit claimants as well

 

mybenefitschecker and checkmybenefits offer to check what benefits you are entitled to and then charge fees of up to 50% of the total arrears of benefit payable to succesful claimants.

 

Please do not be tempted to use any of these firms

.

 

 

There are plenty of ways of doing this yourself for free:

 

Citizen Advice:

http://www.citizensadvice.co.uk/getadvice/Benefit-Calculator/

 

Debt Advice:

http://www.debtadvicefoundation.org/debt-tools/benefit-entitlement

 

Turn2us:

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx

 

Directgov:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/diol1/doitonline/doitonlinebycategory/dg_172666

Edited May 9, 2012 by Michael Browne

[45002]

And

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?160-Benefits-HMRC-and-Minimum-Wage

[Nystagmite]

I'm sure there's one on the HMRC website. (for tax credits)

[caledfwlch]

Surely the DWP would refuse to even deal with these companies as a matter of course?

[ErikaPNP]

The DWP cannot refuse to deal with any representative chosen by a claimant. As long as a claimant has given consent, the DWP have no choice but to liaise with them if the claimant requests it. They are not allowed to interfere in the private relationship between a claimant and their chosen rep - the only time they can intervene is where an appointee has been selected by the DWP to deal with an incapable claimant's affairs, if there is evidence that the appointee is not acting in the claimant's best interests.

 

Unfortunately, companies who charge for representative services often know that all too well. They sicken me as they prey on vulnerable people, and usually participate heavily in scaremongering in order to draw people toward using their services.

 

Some sites have been shut down in the past but this has happened because they have mislead people into believing that they were official government sources when in fact they were not. When they are open about who they are, very little can be done about them unless they break the law. Taking large sums of money from people who can ill afford it isn't illegal - but it bloody well ought to be.

[Michael Browne]

Posted on 'a site that cannot be named':

 

Good Evening,

 

I have noticed I am now on a thread on your site regarding checkmybenefits.co.uk

 

 

We do have a team ready for business and we did think the idea up after our funding was cut at various non for profit organisations. Saying that, the site was put up too soon and plugged on a number of websites by someone and it should not have been. The terms and conditions were not ready and the fee too high. We do not have any links with the CAB and do not claim to, and any inference that we do is purely accidental and co-incidental. We apologise if anyone thinks this was the case.

 

 

That being said, we had a poor response to the website being put up anyway. We have not done any business at all as of yet, and as soon as we received negative feedback we took the site down. The site will not be going back up, and we do not intend to pursue this business.

 

 

Apologies to anyone and everyone and I hope you can see the genuine mistake in this.

 

 

Thanks.

1 down and 1 to go !!

[ErikaPNP]

We do have a team ready for business

The site will not be going back up, and we do not intend to pursue this business.

 

Which is it?

[sillygirl1]

I think that is the checkmybenefits site, I had a look on it and they wanted 75% of the amount claimed for you, didn't state if it was a one off payment or proportional over the life of the benefit - daylight robbery.

 

I for one am glad that these sites are being picked up on - the claims management people are now suffering under their own lack of success!

 

I always tell people to use turntous or entitledto to check that they are getting the right benefits and do a printout and take it to the DWP when claiming.

[Tiger Lily]

If these rogues did obtain form of authority to deal direct with the DWP on behalf of these vunerable people, and managed to obtain benefit arrears that may be due to them.

The rogues would not be able to collect the said arrears. All the money due would still have to be paid directly to the customer to their account. Unless the Rogues were made Appointee for the customer and then they could have the benefit paid direct to them, but of course this would mean they could collect all the customers benefit not just the arrears won.

So unless the customer gave the rogues their commission from the arrears voluntarily , then it make me wonder how they would go about collecting it from them. Not good

Edited May 10, 2012 by Tiger Lily

[Nystagmite]

Don't the local councils have benefit checkers? Also, some charities do. I know RNIB will do a benefit check for blind and partially sighted people and their carers.

[antone]

Don't the local councils have benefit checkers? Also, some charities do. I know RNIB will do a benefit check for blind and partially sighted people and their carers.

 

Yes, many do - I know mine does (South Lanarkshire Council, in Scotland - any inmates of SLC reading this should go to Q&A at Hamilton, EK, Lanark, Cambuslang or Rutherglen). There is no good reason for people to pay for this sort of service.

[frank_begbie]

Its just like all those payment protection insurance claims I keep hearing adverts for on the radio.

 

Abloluteley no need to employ a firm when, you can do it yourself for free.

 

Plenty of people fall for it though.

 

 

[Old Cogger]

What a country (government) we have allowing fraudsters to operate under a licence, (makes governments monies), that is all it is. anybody who operates a scheme saying we do a letter for you but you pay us 28% etc are thieves,.

[debt4get]

expect this type of thing to keep reoccuring..when private companies are advising and i use the term loosely on benefit reform..then anywhere they see a buck being made they will go for it...

[count orlok]

Isn't it illegal under the social security act to give the money to a claims management company; social security and tax credits are only allowed to be used for the benefit of the claimant.

[sillygirl1]

Apparently a couple of these sites have already been closed down - the best site for benefit checks i

 

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx

 

as it is completely free, gives good answers and if you go to the benefits office armed with the printout it gives you the upper edge with them as to what you are entitled to.

[ErikaPNP]

Isn't it illegal under the social security act to give the money to a claims management company; social security and tax credits are only allowed to be used for the benefit of the claimant.

 

Nope. A claimant can spend their benefit money pretty much any way that they see fit, and rightly so - I think it would be a grave infringement on their basic rights to dictate how they spent it. Even if it were illegal the type of outfit that would charge a welfare dependent person for such a 'service' would argue that they were acting with the authority of the claimant in a representative capacity and providing a service in the interests of the claimant. In reality the type of company who would charge a high sum to a welfare dependent person not in proportion to the service received only has one interest, and I had better shut up now before I get myself banned. Can you tell that I strongly object to the practice of people dependant on welfare being charged for service that is freely available from other organisations?! It's something I really do despise.

[RaeUK]

I know people have mentioned local Councils providing a benefits checking service, there is also another group of people doing this. My local Housing Association provides a person dedicated solely to ensuring their tenants are getting the benefits they are entitled to and assisting where possible ...

[Nystagmite]

For older people, Age UK do a benefits check I think.