Tribunal 'partial victory' placed in WRAG.

[Bazooka Boo]

OK, I've just had a call on my 'other' mobile (one I give to companies/businesses etc) from a withheld/private number and a woman claiming to be from the DWP Visiting team?

 

Now I have never heard of them, so was understandingly abrupt and coy with her, she said she wanted to come and visit me tomorrow, to which I replied that she would need to make the appointment in writing, and that I do not discuss personal details over the phone especially when the caller has hidden their number.

 

Having googled about, it does seem that there is such a team but there are varying reasons for them wanting to make a personal visit?

 

I am on IB and receive a very small sum, in the tens of pounds, toward my 3 figure rent.

 

I understand that there is a shake up of the benefits system, but am curious as to why now? And why hide their number?

 

Miffed yes, and paranoid very.

[pocketstapler]

NEVER give personal details to unidentified callers. DWP do visit in some circumstances but would normally write. Best wait & see if you get a letter or you could callthem to find out if call was genuine or a [problem].

[Bazooka Boo]

Yes I am very conscious about giving personal details out over the phone, having served in the Military for 18 years you become accustomed to questioning people and their motives.

 

Thank you for replying, I will wait for the letter, and if it hasn't arrived by Monday I will be giving the DWP a call.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Boo, these teams are not out there to just invetigate compliance matters,

they also most of the time look to help those who may in fact be eligible

for more help and assitance I've had dealings within my field of work and

they have been most helpful.

[MIKEY DABODEE]

They usually notiify a visit in writing, giving a contact number to ring if you are unavailable so you can rearrange.

[Guest amianne]

Boo, these teams are not out there to just investigate compliance matters,

they also most of the time look to help those who may in fact be eligible

for more help and assitance .

 

Are you being serious?

 

I have yet to meet anyone from that department that is able to give impartial advice and help in claiming benefits that they see that people qualify for!

 

I and my family have had three such visits. The first (from the Pension Service) came to help mum and dad claim, wait for it - claim Council Tax Benefit! No sooner had he sat down that he then realised that they should have been claiming Pension Credit! So out came the relevant form when dad asked him if it would cause a problem with his ESA - Income Based claim. Err yes he said, it would. Then back went the Pension Credit form into his case and he left telling dad that he was already getting his full entitlement from ESA. That was in June 09.

 

In December 09, someone else called at their home from the Pension Service. Seemingly they thought mum and dad should be claiming Pension Credit. Once again dad pointed out that he was already in receipt of ESA - Income bacsed and told him the story about the last guy that came out.

So with that he packed his bag and left and apologised for troubling them mentioning that dad was getting his full allowance already.

 

The third time was in early 2010, when someone from the 'Carers & Disability Service' turned up at the house. He understood mum was having difficulties filling out the Attendance Allowance claim form.

It took all of 20 mins to fill in, mum signed it and off he went.

At the Tribunal Hearing the Judge criticised the fact that the claim form contained no information and was of no real help (only the boxes had been ticked). Claim refused!! the Judge found it hard to believe that the DWP had filled it in to help mum out. I'm sure he thought we were lying.

 

The Visiting Team, in my opinion, should concentrate on befriending OAP's that don't normally see anybody on a day to day basis for all of the help that they are!

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Yes very serious!!!!

[Guest amianne]

They usually notiify a visit in writing, giving a contact number to ring if you are unavailable so you can rearrange.

 

Not always it seems. The first two visits mum and dad had were arranged over the telephone. They telephoned and said that they were coming to see them on ***** would that be alright?

 

The third was as a result of mum telephoning the Benefit Help line.

[pocketstapler]

It seems u r getting some rather dubious advice here. If u r unsure what to do next phone CAB or other advice agency for help and advice.

[MIKEY DABODEE]

Compliance do go out and find that people are owed benefit, lots of benefit sometimes,

recent case I did a payment of arrears SDP from 2008 customer had no idea, was a fair sum, work that out at over £50 per week.

but of course they do find overpayments on their visits

 

If the OP gets a letter about the visit from compliance then it was a genuine phone call, and why is the advice dubious then ?

But CAB are helpful

[pocketstapler]

They also do visits to investigate perceived fraud!!

[Guest amianne]

Yes very serious!!!!

 

I respect that you then may have had a totally different set of visiting people. There are good and bad in all things - the bad seem in this case to be centred around our area!

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

I can only speak as I find, and the contact

I have for the people I help.

[MIKEY DABODEE]

They also do visits to investigate perceived fraud!!

 

and GMS scans that flag up extra entitlement and

Appointee visits.

not always bad news

[Guest amianne]

It seems u r getting some rather dubious advice here. If u r unsure what to do next phone CAB or other advice agency for help and advice.

 

Not that I think so?

 

You cannot claim ESA - Income Based and Guaranteed State Pension Credit at the same time. Besides which I am satisfied that mum and dad are getting their full entitlement after looking at all of the various on-line benefit calculators. They would not receive anymore income under one or the other type of benefit.

 

They will move over to Pension Credit when dad is 65 in two years time. Until then he is claiming ESA due to his ill health. Incidentally I did query this a while back and was told that you cannot swap one benefit for another.

[Bazooka Boo]

I am only concerned as they rang from a withheld number which I find strange, but have seen from doing my own research that they do indeed sometimes find that you are owed more benefits, as well as having been overpaid.

 

CAB are out of my league unfortunately I probably know a lot more than they do when it comes to dealing with Govt. departments.

 

I simply find it bizarre that they would conduct themselves in this way, which makes me think that they are up to no good, anyhow, I will wait and see if a letter does turn up, and if they do indeed come to my home, I will record the whole event.

[Guest amianne]

I am only concerned as they rang from a withheld number which I find strange, but have seen from doing my own research that they do indeed sometimes find that you are owed more benefits, as well as having been overpaid.

 

CAB are out of my league unfortunately I probably know a lot more than they do when it comes to dealing with Govt. departments.

 

I simply find it bizarre that they would conduct themselves in this way, which makes me think that they are up to no good, anyhow, I will wait and see if a letter does turn up, and if they do indeed come to my home, I will record the whole event.

 

An excellent idea!! Something that everybody should do when dealing with people of that nature.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

I have found in many years of dealing with government departments

that the most jaundiced view of the activities of all the many departmants

governmental or quasi govenmental come from those who have fallen foul

of legislation and or regulation,within the community that I am privilaged

to help those in need I have found that the attitude of the individual influences

the response that is given, human nature certainly but one cannot take a jaundiced

view of every single situation.

[Bazooka Boo]

You would be very correct in your summation Brig, I have been on the wrong end of the Govt. stick on to many occasions, hence my very guarded and dubious reaction.

 

But this is, unfortunately, a sign of the world we live in, I have learned to mistrust these Govt. agencies as they are very apt at bending and being economical with the truth. They made their bed, and I always question 'authority' because of it.

[flumps1976]

I used to be part of a visiting team and was a visiting officer, am I not helpful on this forum? Please do not tar all DWP staff with the same brush just like I don't do with staff in shops where I've been given shoddy treatment and others who shine like a star!

 

All numbers are withheld from the phones at JCP where I currently work but we do have the option to lift with withheld and display the number we are calling from however this is not usual and the withheld nuimber is the first option.

In addition to compliance there are some review teams currently visiting and calling people in for interviews to check current circumstances, we have a team in our regional area at present so getting a lot of calls to confirm if the team is legitimate.

If in doubt call you JCP office to confirm if thee is anything noted on your records regarding a visit.

[Bazooka Boo]

Cheers flumps (used to love watching them) I try not to tar all with the same brush, but just recently I have had my fill with the DWP & JCP, and it is a yearly conflict which they seem to start, I am currently going through the DWP's complaints process YET AGAIN regarding a fabricated overpayment they claim to have made.

And as for JCP, they seem to enjoy sending out other peoples info to me regarding benefits I've never claimed...!

 

It just beggars belief and is not what I expect from a company who has thousands of private confidential info on people.

 

I expect that it is just a review team, but the method of contact is so antiquated that they surely must realise calling from withheld numbers is not winning them any favours, they should have the common decency to write or not hide behind a withheld number.

 

Now I'm off to find the Flumps on youtube!

[Guest amianne]

I too as well as my family have had enough of the so called 'we are here to help' department - DWP!

 

My personal problem is that if I spend the time to write a letter, I expect, no sorry, demand a reply within a reasonable period of time. Then by the 5th or 6th reminder that is sent out every 3/4 weeks, I think I am quite entitled to 'blow my top'!

Considering that they (in this case, the DWP) expect to have a reply from me within 1 month or they 'terminate the claim'!!

 

Currently I have my current complaint with the Parliamentary Business Unit, which is being overseen by my MP.

 

And this has been a similar problem that I have experienced since my first involvement with them way back in 1995.

 

Of course I have no faith in them and yes I am always waiting for the next time that they ignore me.

[Bazooka Boo]

I definitely condone contacting your local MP, they more often than not will be able to speak direct to those concerned.

[Guest amianne]

I definitely condone contacting your local MP, they more often than not will be able to speak direct to those concerned.

 

Thanks

 

We will see what happens. No doubt they will find some excuse or other reason, as they always do, that really the problem lies with me! They are very adapt at 'passing the buck' onto the claimant.

 

I had one instance way back when I received a letter from them demanding that I supply information, obtainable only from a third party, within 1 month or they were going to close the claim.

Obviously I wrote back and told them that it may be difficult getting the info, but I would try my best. Sure as eggs are eggs, they closed the claim exactly 1 month from when they sent the letter to me, completely ignoring my reply!

 

Would they re-open it? Not on my life! They told me to re-apply which directly lost me in excess of £2000 of benefit payments.

[Slatted]

First of all I thought Flumps were marshmallow sweets....

 

Secondly I think the likes of those who work for DWP and JCP, but also take the time to comment and help on this site, are the exception rather than the rule (not just because of their activity on this site but because they do genuinely care and do what they can to understand).

 

I am sorry that Flumps and Mikey and all those others are feeling tarred with the same brush. I have noticed this trend on many threads...but the problem is the majority of the time we get the runaround and spoken to like .......so the overall impression is not easy to shake when commenting on the organisation as a whole.

 

Personally I would like to say that no comments are meant about an individual and I am sure there are those who work for JCP/DWP etc who are still able to maintain sympathy, empathy and compassion (and hopefully their sanity despite what they must deal with daily) but it is not a quality emphasised in their conduct in general.