DWP demand access in your home & documents

[antone]

Maybe I should serve the dwp with a refusal to implied right of access. Then if they knock my door I will phone the police as they have to enter my land to do so.

 

Why on Earth would you do that?

[tomtom256]

Maybe I should serve the dwp with a refusal to implied right of access. Then if they knock my door I will phone the police as they have to enter my land to do so.

 

 

If you want your benefits stopping thats definately the way to go.

[estellyn]

Good grief people, get some perspective! This is only in the regs so that spot checks can be made in cases of suspected fraud, now that compliance and fraud are combined in one section. I sat next to a compliance officer for several years while at the dWP - she never made unannounced visits unless she had tried and tried to get in touch with someone to no avail - then she'd swing by the house to see if the person was actually living there or had moved. she even had people turn her away when she'd made an appointment - and she would leave, making an appointment for another time.

 

Some of these sites do run some scaremongering stories.

[marcus6]

I think way to many are going about this all wrong, like some have said i would not want them knocking on the door at the weekend! any day in the week is fine by me, i'm not sure why so many are getting upset over this, its been going on for years.......and if you ask me, if you do what ever it takes to stop them, it just makes it look bad in there eyes even if you don't have anything to hide, then just let them do what they have come to do/see and they will be on there way.

[dyfed]

If you want your benefits stopping thats definately the way to go.

 

Nope I dont think so my friend. In my case I live in my partners house and she dont owe them nothing. So if they decide to "swing by" then, well lets just say they wont make the same mistake twice.

Edited July 12, 2014 by honeybee13

[dyfed]

I think way to many are going about this all wrong, like some have said i would not want them knocking on the door at the weekend! any day in the week is fine by me, i'm not sure why so many are getting upset over this, its been going on for years.......and if you ask me, if you do what ever it takes to stop them, it just makes it look bad in there eyes even if you don't have anything to hide, then just let them do what they have come to do/see and they will be on there way.

 

I for one am outraged that the snoops would even have the cheek to check up on claimants. Invading their RIGHT to privacy. I take it that HMRC dont swing by tax evaders mansions asking for bank statements and the like.

I for one wont roll over for them. If they want to see me then write a nice letter and I might swing by their office.

[marcus6]

I for one am outraged that the snoops would even have the cheek to check up on claimants. Invading their RIGHT to privacy. I take it that HMRC dont swing by tax evaders mansions asking for bank statements and the like.

I for one wont roll over for them. If they want to see me then write a nice letter and I might swing by their office.

 

yes that is your right! to turn them away!

 

HMRC is a hole new ball game mate.

[antone]

Nope I dont think so my friend. In my case I live in my partners house and she dont owe them nothing. So if they decide to "swing by" then, well lets just say they wont make the same mistake twice.

 

No, indeed, they won't make the same mistake twice. They'll just insist that you bring the documents to them, in most cases.

[antone]

I for one am outraged that the snoops would even have the cheek to check up on claimants. Invading their RIGHT to privacy. I take it that HMRC dont swing by tax evaders mansions asking for bank statements and the like.

I for one wont roll over for them. If they want to see me then write a nice letter and I might swing by their office.

 

I'm not sure if HMRC conduct home visits, but they certainly have extensive powers to pry into one's financial affairs.

 

As far as the DWP goes, well, you have to do what you feel is right, of course. I just need to note for the lurkers that taking this "scorched earth" approach to routine Compliance visits is likely to be counterproductive. By claiming benefits you do, in fact, accept a level of scrutiny that wouldn't apply otherwise. It's not totally unreasonable. I mean, I'm fairly left-wing as these things go, and am entirely in favour of extensive social safety nets. But if you're asking for public funds, it's not too much of a stretch to understand why there are a few checks here and there.

[matt v atos]

There was no obligation to allow them entry to your home, and there is nothing on the gov.uk page to suggest that they have the legal authority to enter.

 

Close the thread.

[antone]

There was no obligation to allow them entry to your home, and there is nothing on the gov.uk page to suggest that they have the legal authority to enter.

 

Close the thread.

 

Correct - they don't have any authority to enter your home. They never have done. There are enough real problems with the DWP and benefits system without people getting outraged about this stuff.

[tomtom256]

Nope I dont think so my friend. In my case I live in my partners house and she dont owe them nothing. So if they decide to "swing by" then, well lets just say they wont make the same mistake twice.

 

If its not your property she would have to refuse them access then. I don't get the owe them anything reference though.

 

If your not claiming benefits then the DWP wouldn't visit.

[Madamfluff]

Nope I dont think so my friend. In my case I live in my partners house and she dont owe them nothing. So if they decide to "swing by" then, well lets just say they wont make the same mistake twice.

 

 

I don't understand this statement, if you are claiming benefits ( and looking at your other posts you do) and these benefits are means/income based tested, then your partners income has to be taken into account if you are living together, so its not case of 'she don't owe them nothing' but more of a case of having to prove that your household income ie her earnings or benefits don't exceed the amount the law says you can live on.

 

 

It certainly does not matter how many years you have worked or how much you paid into the system when I was in a JSA couples claim with my Husband I had worked for 43 years and he had worked for 41 but we still had to prove we had no other money coming in by producing bank statements etc.

 

 

Now as I have said before he draws his state pension and that is not means tested so the fact that I now work is nowt to do with the DWP however if he wanted to claim means tested benefits like pension credit or council tax relief then I would expect to have to show proof of earnings.

 

 

Although I certainly disagree with the DWP just turning up to someone's house and demanding ID and bank statements I don't disagree at all with anyone who claims income based benefits having to prove they are entitled to it by producing evidence of house hold income.

[Shoelover]

I think this is getting out of hand.

 

Although I do few home visits now, I have been making visits for 20 years. For the avoidance of doubt ;

 

* if the clm't says it's not a good time, then that's fine. I usually hand over my card & ask them to call to rearrange.

* never ever have "demanded" documents on an Unnotified visit. I have however left a list of documents that need to be supplied within 28 days.

* a person that claims benefits has a right to expect to be treated with respect - everyone does. So, how about you apply that to the staff making those visits? It's their job. You know what? Some of us are nice people that do stuff like come on forums and share our experience & knowledge off the clock.

* there is no right of entry & benefit staff will be never claim there is one. However there are regulations within benefit legislation that say you are required meet reasonable requests for information, if you don't your benefit will stop. That's the deal.

* do you really think the system should just pay money hand over fist with no checks whatsoever?

[Madamfluff]

As a matter of interest shoelover what is the list of documents that NEED to be supplied within 28 days is it this

 

proof of id

passport

driving license

 

proof of address

utility bills

rent agreement

mortgage statement

bank statement bearing name and address

 

 

If so how would you deal with someone like me?|

 

 

I have no photo ID like a passport or driving license (in fact that is no legal requirement for me to have any form of photo ID at all)

I own my own home out right therefore I have no mortgage statement (well not since 2008 and God knows where that is) and of course no rental agreement

As a married woman all utility bills are (of course) under my Husbands name.

So the only thing I have is a bank statement and I only get those a few times a year

.

 

 

Just interested to know

[Shoelover]

As a matter of interest shoelover what is the list of documents that NEED to be supplied within 28 days is it this

 

proof of id

passport

driving license

 

proof of address

utility bills

rent agreement

mortgage statement

bank statement bearing name and address

 

 

If so how would you deal with someone like me?|

 

 

I have no photo ID like a passport or driving license (in fact that is no legal requirement for me to have any form of photo ID at all)

I own my own home out right therefore I have no mortgage statement (well not since 2008 and God knows where that is) and of course no rental agreement

As a married woman all utility bills are (of course) under my Husbands name.

So the only thing I have is a bank statement and I only get those a few times a year

.

 

 

Just interested to know

If you havn't got it you can't supply it. One size does not fit all...

 

What ID do you use to open a bank account? Probably just the statement you do have plus your paper driving licence if you have one.

 

Homeless people often have even less documentation

[Madamfluff]

If you havn't got it you can't supply it. One size does not fit all...

 

What ID do you use to open a bank account? Probably just the statement you do have plus your paper driving licence if you have one.

 

Homeless people often have even less documentation

 

 

opened my bank account 40 years ago no id required then and I dont drive so no paper license

[Shoelover]

opened my bank account 40 years ago no id required then and I dont drive so no paper license

 

Do you have birth certificate and marriage certificate?

[goodatresearch]

Why do your utilities have to be in your husbands name Madamfluff? You do realise women have been emancipated?

[honeybee13]

A couple of posts have been removed.

 

Can we remind ourselves of site rule 1.8 please?

 

1.8 Bank and other company staff: Whether you like them or not, they are just doing their job. Please do not refer to these people in any personal insulting or offensive way. They are not the policymakers in their organisations and are only doing a job.

 

HB

[Madamfluff]

Do you have birth certificate and marriage certificate?

yes but I refuse to send the originals anywhere someone might steal the and use them to claim benefits and anyway they do not have my picture on and they are not on the list that a compliance officer says they 'need' to see

[Madamfluff]

Why do your utilities have to be in your husbands name Madamfluff? You do realise women have been emancipated?

and???????>

[Shoelover]

yes but I refuse to send the originals anywhere someone might steal the and use them to claim benefits and anyway they do not have my picture on and they are not on the list that a compliance officer says they 'need' to see

 

The list is the best evidence. However you don't have those so they would accept other items.

 

I don't blame you for not posting the documents. Far safer to take them in to be copied.

[honeybee13]

The list is the best evidence. However you don't have those so they would accept other items.

 

I don't blame you for not posting the documents. Far safer to take them in to be copied.

 

I agree. I would far rather take my documents to be copied and keep hold of them myself. When I really couldn't avoid that recently, I reluctantly sent them special delivery and they did come back, but I was worried until they arrived.

 

HB

[goodatresearch]

and???????>

 

You mentioned that utility bills are "of course" in your husbands name? It just seemed and strange thing to state in this day and age.

 

Back on topic, my passport is out of date and have no other type of photo id. When asked, I produce marriage and birth certificate and council tax bill. I certainly wouldnt post originals though.