compliance officer visit

[immysarchlor]

Ii, I recieved a letter yesterday to say I am having a visit on friday from a compliance officer this friday. I called due to having a doctors appointment first thing on friday, I asked if somebody has reported me and she said yes. I just wondered howmmuch information they need to act on the report. I am a single mum to 3, youngest 19 weeks. I am on IS and have been since june 2011 after my maternity leave ended on my now 2 yr old. Do they visit for just recent or old issues? I am just worried has I dont know what they can be coming to see me for. Also do you kjow how many days a week you can have somebody stay with you, has my mum sometimes stays at weekends to give me some rest, has my youngest 2 childrens dad doesn't see much of them, and her place is too small to have them there. Any help would be appreciated, as I am a worrier, and scared incase they stop my benefit,0.

[antone]

The DWP are required to act on any report, but if they're sending a Compliance Officer this suggests they don't really think you've done anything wrong. There is a separate department, known as FIS (Fraud Investigation Service) that would be dealing with things if they were actually interested in pursuing you for a fraud allegation.

 

So, some Compliance visits are random and routine, some are in response to reports that the DWP isn't taking seriously.

 

Do they visit for just recent or old issues?

 

It could be a recent issue, an old issue, or no real issue at all. As I said, FIS investigates things where they actually think there's a fraud case to answer.

 

Also do you kjow how many days a week you can have somebody stay with you

 

There's no limit. The only issue is whether or not you're in a relationship with the person who stays with you and, for obvious reasons, you can't be deemed to be in a relationship with your own mother.

[immysarchlor]

Thank you for your reply. I have never had any dealings with this department, so was unsure. They did say somebody had reported me so for me it iz the fear of the unknown.

[jackieandwayne]

Hey, don;t worry - I had one of these in July. If you know you've done nothing wrong, no worries. The guy was really nice, he was just an information gatherer, he took what documents he wanted, and then telephoned me about 10 days later to assure me that all was in order, as far as he could see, and a few days later I had a letter from DWP just to confirm what my ESA allowance was - no changes. He also recommended I speak to the Tax Office as he said he thought my tax code wasn't right - and he was right again - I'm apparently due a small refund!

 

And I didn't ask him if someone had reported me, he told me that they had!

 

Good luck for tomorrow, and don't worry over it.

[immysarchlor]

Thank you. Cant wait for it to be over with.

[Nystagmite]

Jackieandwayne does make a good point - they also check if you're getting the benefits you're entitled to.

[immysarchlor]

The lady came and 2 people have reported me for having a partner living with me which is far from the truth. My childrens dad harsly ever sees them, if he comes visit it is maybe 45mins -1 hrs max. The lady thought I was guilty before even sitting down. Basically said to me out of the 6000+ cases she sees with same circumstances as me, majority close there cases dowm within 3 days, amd her words were we will just wait and see what happems with you.

I asked her questions and all she said was I cant answered that. I domt even know what the procedure is next.

[jackieandwayne]

Well, you are NOT guilty, so you hang on to that and if the worst comes to the worst and you find that you lose your money over this, then the experts on here will help you with that. One step at a time, and stay calm. Its quiet on here over the weekend, so try not to ruin your weekend with worry - and start sorting this out on Monday.

 

I do know from other posts on here, that if your ex can show a financial responsibility somewhere else, like his own rent or benefit in his own right, then they really won't have much of a case against you.

 

So, no more worrying until Monday, easier said than done I know, but nothing bad is going to happen tomorrow, cos its Sunday, and that's how you got to look at it. X

[immysarchlor]

Thamk you. I was more bothered has I knew from my phone call to her what she would be like, so I should of gotten somebody to sit iin with me. I know for next time if it happens. I know I am not guilty and somebody is either doin it out of spite to get to me or just because they feel like it has my ex is very rarely at my place to see our children, which we have loads of arguments over. The woman said that the dad should pay for them, take care of them etc, I cant make him do it. I wish he would. She wasnt a nice person at all and sorry for my wording but she was an itch with a capiral B. Currently writing my letter to complain about her behaviour. I am a pretty stable person but after she left I felt terrinle. If it woild of been somebody unstable, I think she woild of caused them to do harm to themselves.

I just hope my letter of complaint doenst go against me but she shouldnt be allowed to talk to people the way she did.

If there ways of intelligence is that good, wouldnt she be able to see that nobody lives with me.

[antone]

Your letter of complaint can't be used against you. Even if there is a suggestion that you may have done something wrong (and I agree that you have not) you are still entitled to be treated courteously.

 

As to the dad paying for his kids, well, yes, he should and I suppose you could approach the CSA about that if you haven't already done so. But still, it does not sound like there's any evidence against you.

[immysarchlor]

I agree 100% that he should pay but how can I physically force him to do it, thats what annoyed me about her. She was tellingme thst I should be making him. I have tried everything possible.

[antone]

I agree 100% that he should pay but how can I physically force him to do it, thats what annoyed me about her. She was tellingme thst I should be making him. I have tried everything possible.

 

Agreed, if the CSA can't get the money out of him then what are you supposed to do? Show up at his house with a shotgun?

 

In any case, it's not actually any of this Compliance Officer's business as it doesn't affect your IS entitlement.

[abc123def]

immy, have the CSA tries to obtain child maintenance for you?