Benefits stopped whilst investigate telephone-based alegation of fraud ....innocent until guilty no longer the rule?

[flumps1976]

In all the years of working for the Benefit Agency, DWP and now JCP I have never known a case suspended on the assumption of working whillist claiming benefits and failing to declarethe employment.

[Slatted]

On the subject of FP they could not offer or allow it for any reason last Thursday....the chap was most apologetic but something was afoot and he could not even say that it could be done Friday instead!!

 

And again if they have already sent the money, albeit late, they will not be "able" to recall it......believe me I have had the "simples" talk every fortnight and each time the outcome differs......

 

Maybe telephone accusations suffice as "evidence" to some Decision Makers now?

[MIKEY DABODEE]

And again if they have already sent the money, albeit late, they will not be "able" to recall it......believe me I have had the "simples" talk every fortnight and each time the outcome differs......

 

A payment can be recalled right up to 11.00 the day before its due to credit, later if you phone bank liason. I am sorry as you seem to be getting the runaround,

I just cant understand why some people make life hard for themselves (processers) , if a customer is due a payment then they are due, recall it if its late and FP it.

A FP now can be a clerical payment, the new system is ace compared to the old

[Slatted]

This is off topic a bit now....but relevant as to payments....I hope that things are okay for my friend tomorrow...here's hoping.

 

My problem is that I ring the day the money is due because that is the day it doesnt reach my account and is the first time I know it to be late. Other times the "three hour" slot seems to be a problem as money seems "mysteriously" to suddenly be on its way to my bank.... and I suppose the hassle of a recall...it isnt them that needs the money after all! I would not be able to call "bank liaison" would I?

 

I know not all the same but even when I ring in advance and told all okay and pay will be on time it still happens and my phone bill is reflecting all those lovely 0845 calls.

[Tiger Lily]

Assumptions yes, I even got it written on a peice of paper from the DWP for my own case.

 

They based their entire case against me on an assumption. We also have the fact ESA medicals are based on assumptions as well in regards to using wheelchairs.

 

I never said it was fact that they used assumption in her case tho, I just said what my view was that it was possible.

 

Can I ask what did they assume? Was it a living together.

I sincerely hope it wasnt a work allegation.

[Slatted]

I think that whilst an investigation is being undertaken the only thing that can be used is an assumption.

 

But I am also saying that the assumption should be based on something more than word of mouth should it not? Would it not be necessary to prove income somehow?

 

And even if not my point is about how income is stopped entirely, with no Hardship payment or anything, whilst the investigation is undertaken, thus punishing prior to knowing the outcome.

 

It is not sufficient to say the money will be repaid if all okay because you cannot live on fresh air in the hope that you will get food later.....and remember no one is denying she is ill and undoubtedly this will not have helped that......

[kk3852]

Have they said who is 'investigating' this allegation?

 

If it is the fraud section then usually benefit remains in payment until firm evidence is obtained and a person is interviewed. If someone fails to attend for an interview and does not contact them then their benefit would more than likely be suspended.

 

I cannot imagine any scenario where a fraud investigator would suspend benefit without first obtaining evidence. It just isn't right and not the way that they work.

I am beginning to think that an over zealous benefit processor has not followed the correct procedure.

 

I must admit that I have got a bit lost in this thread as to who has been spoken to but a telephone call needs to be made to either find out the fraud investigator who has suspended the benefit (and that should be shown on the system) or speak to a supervisor and ask who has authorised the suspension of the benefit.

[MIKEY DABODEE]

There would have to be a benefit processor and EO involved here at least, the processor has no power of suspension and would have to give it to the line manager to apply the suspension.

Fraud do ring up and ask the EO to suspend a claim but we have to note this in the notepad and theres is always a direct line telephone call number for the fraud officer put in the note pad when we do this. If the customer rings we give them the number to ring...

I know fraud will suspend a case if they cant get in touch with the customer ie they will not attend an interview, but the OP has had an interview.

Its not the way compliance works as well, its a mystery

[Slatted]

I am not sure what is going on but I do know my friend was called in to the local Jobcentre for an interview after her first payment was stopped and the Law Centre rep was there too.

 

I wish I had been well enough to see her and the letter but that is life...I will see it soon and she has agreed to let me help with a complaint so that is something.

 

She has not had any money until today and, guess what?, she has only been paid £120!!! she doesn't know why and is waiting for a callback (good old three hours again). All her calls have been to the BDC in St Austell as far as I know.

[worried33]

Can I ask what did they assume? Was it a living together.

I sincerely hope it wasnt a work allegation.

 

Basically I didnt get a letter for a medical assessment, I then missed that assessment, I was then found fit for work.

 

Whan I appealed and asked for reconsideration I found out the basis of their decision was they could assume on probability that I had actually recieved the letter and as such I didnt have good reason, I did eventually get it overturned tho after a lot of work. It wasnt easy and I did have evidence of other letters with wrong postcodes on and such including my MP as a witness.

[Slatted]

She has not had any money until today and, guess what?, she has only been paid £120!!! she doesn't know why and is waiting for a callback (good old three hours again). All her calls have been to the BDC in St Austell as far as I know.

 

And now it is six hours and she has heard nothing so is going to have to ring them again..she only has a mobile phone but at least pays a bit extra to have 0845 included in minutes but she only has so many....

 

I have every sympathy for the staff at BDC because I can only imagine how busy they are but having to keep calling them is costly and when short of money or, in the case of my friend, having no income, it just takes the mick....

[MIKEY DABODEE]

She has not had any money until today and, guess what?, she has only been paid £120!!! she doesn't know why and is waiting for a callback (good old three hours again). All her calls have been to the BDC in St Austell as far as I know.

 

And now it is six hours and she has heard nothing so is going to have to ring them again..she only has a mobile phone but at least pays a bit extra to have 0845 included in minutes but she only has so many....

 

I have every sympathy for the staff at BDC because I can only imagine how busy they are but having to keep calling them is costly and when short of money or, in the case of my friend, having no income, it just takes the mick....

 

This makes me so mad

How do they get away with it, we are shot if we miss the three hour dead line.

Ring back ask for an Esculation call you will be rung back in less then an hour

[flumps1976]

Mikey we are the same if we miss the 3 hour call back.

[RaeUK]

Excuse my ignorance, I've probably missed it and it's something glaringly obvious, but what does FP stand for? ...

[flumps1976]

I think it's Faster Payment it's part of the office IFEP (Internet Faster Electronic Payment)

[worried33]

They have always made the 3 hours with me although 90% of the time its right before 3 hours mark.

[RaeUK]

Thanks flumps. Not heard of it before, so worth tucking away in the back of my mind should I need it! ...

[Slatted]

The problem is that we now have to wait so long to speak to anyone to ask to escalate the call that we have to keep giving up! No one recognises how much money we spend on calls to the BDC over things that are not our fault and how long we have to hear that piggin classical music!!

 

I have a landline to which I pay an extra £3 a month to allow up to three hours (I think) of calls to 0845 and 0844 numbers. My friend has already used almost all her minutes for the whole month and spent ages just trying to speak to someone to start the process again!

 

Escalation is okay except that she has a GP appointment in the morning and you know how sods law will work!

[benidorm60]

I know this probem, not on benefits now but made umpteen calls about a jobgrant, have just had my phone bill it is enormous. I deal with St Austell and to be fair always got a call back but it was always a different answer to my question. I found out on here I wasnt getting the Jobgrant thanks to Flumps. Wished she had been dealing with my claim could have save a lot of money, heartache and grief

The trouble is they dont think we have anything better to do then wait in, two phone calls equates to six hours of your life. And another thing a bit off topic just had my car quote now I am working it has gone down two hundred pounds. Apparently less of a risk now everything costs more money when you are out of work and havent got it.

[MIKEY DABODEE]

And another thing a bit off topic just had my car quote now I am working it has gone down two hundred pounds. Apparently less of a risk now everything costs more money when you are out of work and havent got it.

 

is this common place amongst insurance companies then? not heard of this before

Edited May 30, 2012 by MIKEY DABODEE

[Slatted]

Yep...there was an item about it on the tv yesterday...cannot remember the name of the prog..the one with Gloria Hunnyford, Angela Rippon etc .....".......Britain".....my memory is getting worse..not age just stress I think!

 

...and also moneysavingexpert mentions it along with some further information. Apparently more time on hands, less money means more insurance fraud risk and "driving to interviews" mean more risk to cover!!

[Slatted]

getting back to the original thread...my friend chased this morning and they just said they are snowed under with work and mentioned the redundancies that have taken place....typical planning on behalf of Govt....start the conversions from IB and then reduce staff because, of course, no one was going to complain if put in WRAG if had been on long term IB because unable to work!

 

I don't think they apologised for not having called back though

 

They promised to phone this afternoon after her appointment....she is waiting....but is not holding her breath.

[Tiger Lily]

Basically I didnt get a letter for a medical assessment, I then missed that assessment, I was then found fit for work.

 

Whan I appealed and asked for reconsideration I found out the basis of their decision was they could assume on probability that I had actually recieved the letter and as such I didnt have good reason, I did eventually get it overturned tho after a lot of work. It wasnt easy and I did have evidence of other letters with wrong postcodes on and such including my MP as a witness.

 

Glad you won your appeal, see this a lot

[MIKEY DABODEE]

getting back to the original thread...my friend chased this morning and they just said they are snowed under with work and mentioned the redundancies that have taken place....typical planning on behalf of Govt....start the conversions from IB and then reduce staff because, of course, no one was going to complain if put in WRAG if had been on long term IB because unable to work!

 

I don't think they apologised for not having called back though

 

They promised to phone this afternoon after her appointment....she is waiting....but is not holding her breath.

 

Groundhog Day again then I take it.

[Slatted]

And today she had to ring them again to be told they had no information for her and that she would have to wait until after the Bank Holiday. She has also been told her Tax Credit will not be paid until then...she normally gets on a Monday....I thought Bank Holidays had to be recognised and payments due paid before?

 

She has no money to survive over the long weekend.....she had to use all she got for repaying debts....