Notification of local service compliance office interview.

[parislove00]

Please help! I'm very new to benifits, this is the first time ever I have made a claim for Income Support. I have been in receipt of IS since the end of May this year (2015). Yesterday I received a letter asking me to attend the above interview. I tried to ring the number on the letter today, to maybe get some idea of what it was for. However I got the answer phone of the man conducting the interview. The answer phone message made me feel even worse, as he said 'you have reached the answer phone of ****** fraud and error complience officer! FRAUD! Jesus I'm totally at my wits end. I really can't deal with this stress, I have a 16 month old daughter to look after. I'm thinking of ending my claim, and getting a job. That was my plan, and i do have a job to go back to if I want, but I really wanted to be with daughter for a little while longer. I spent yesterday frantically getting together as much paper work to support my case as possible. But is £92.00 a fortnight really worth all this stress? I'm thinking NO.

[Shoelover]

They work within the fraud and error service. It genuinely could be just a review

[parislove00]

I've read mixed things online, some saying it is just a review, other saying when they arrived they were accused of fraud. I've also read that it is common practice to re interview someone, who has only recently split up. The letter itself isn't too disturbing, just the header....'notification of compliance office interview'. Then I googled it, big mistake. I have nothing to hide, but because we are recently split, may something has flagged up that still links him to this address. Two weeks I have to wait , it's going to do my head right in. I understand why they have to do there checks, but still they should do the interview sooner, they must know how much stress then can lead to for some people.

[Shoelover]

Ring up & ask if they can see you sooner.

 

It probably is a recent separation interview

[parislove00]

I did try and phone up, which is where I got the answerphone message. The message also said that they can't not discuss the case over the phone, or change the date unless they deem it exceptional circumstances.

[parislove00]

I really should stop reading the thing on the internet!

[Shoelover]

I really should stop reading the thing on the internet!

 

Yes!!!

 

Honestly, I think it will be a routines recent separation appointment

[estellyn]

OK, this department deals with two things, error and fraud.

 

The most likely scenario is that your claim was picked at random by computer to be assessed as part of the DWP's error monitoring - basically their method of checking on how many mistakes the staff processing the claims make. As I said, it's totally random and it's to assemble error statistics for the DWP.

 

The other possibility is a check due to an allegation of some type of fraud. If it's just an office interview and not an interview under caution, then it would mean they don't really think there is fraud but they have to check it out.

 

Unless you have some reason to think you may be suspected of fraud, then it is most likely just that your claim was randomly picked for review.

[parislove00]

Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately I am renowned for making a mountain out of a mole hill. When I first read the letter it didn't bother me, I knew that I might be seen again, being I'm a pretty new claim. But after reading some things on line and then hearing the word 'fraud' on the officers answer phone, i set into panic mode. It hasn't helped that i was in a car accident Saturday, and the bloke involved, first admitted fault, and now he's claiming it was all my fault. That was what I was worried about on Saturday/Sunday, now my mind is being taken over by this. I know on the day of the interview, I will be composed and confident, in that I haven't done anything wrong, but you do tend to question every little detail, and thing you may of done to trigger a red flag. I will give them what they ask for , A bank statement, and utility bill, and also my passport. As I write this i'm thinking, You've really nothing to worry about' then I remember a post I read about someone being interrogated.

If they decide I've mislead them , whatever they think, I've only been claiming since the 29th May 2015, and in total I've had just under £500.........still not convinced myself lol

[estellyn]

I understand the anxiety thing. However, as long as everything you've told the DWP is the truth, even if they made a mistake, you wouldn't be liable for the overpayment as it would be official error. So as long as you've been truthful you really have nothing to worry about. As I said it's most likely a random check.

[parislove00]

So I haven't slept, and haven't eaten now for two days! I was up at stupid o'clock , and can't even manage a coffee. I am terrible for worrying. I wish I'd never claimed IS now. I always said that I wanted whatever money went into my bank account to be mine. It's always been that way since I left school back in 1996! I can't go through this for another 12 days, I will be really ill. I have a beautiful little girl I want to enjoy, and this is just hanging over me like a black cloud. I'm really thinking about cancelling my claim, and getting in touch with my old boss today, and excepting my place back. I'm feeling worse as the days go by and by next week, if I continue not to eat, I will be very ill in deed. How dare thay make people feel like this, it's awful. Especilly since I am a first time claimant ever in my life.

[Guest]

I know exactly how you feel....I am a major sufferer of anxiety. I do know of someone who had one of these letters, she was baffled. she fretted for days until the appointment, and it was really just a check on the details of her claim. A random check. If it were me I would try to bring myself back from the anxiety a bit by reminding myself I have done nothing wrong and it will just be a routine spot check type thing. still hard on the nerves but you will be fine.

 

A few years back i had a knock on the door to find a compliance officer from housing benefit/council tax benefit standing there wanting to discuss my claim.....I was in shock but let her in as had nothing to hide. It was all fine. I think they usually let you know but in my case i think someone made a maliscious report. Whatever the reason I had done nothing wrong and all was fine.

[unclebulgaria67]

So I haven't slept, and haven't eaten now for two days! I was up at stupid o'clock , and can't even manage a coffee. I am terrible for worrying. I wish I'd never claimed IS now. I always said that I wanted whatever money went into my bank account to be mine. It's always been that way since I left school back in 1996! I can't go through this for another 12 days, I will be really ill. I have a beautiful little girl I want to enjoy, and this is just hanging over me like a black cloud. I'm really thinking about cancelling my claim, and getting in touch with my old boss today, and excepting my place back. I'm feeling worse as the days go by and by next week, if I continue not to eat, I will be very ill in deed. How dare thay make people feel like this, it's awful. Especilly since I am a first time claimant ever in my life.

 

It is not worth making yourself ill over this as that will not get you anywhere. Get an urgent appointment with your Doctor. Not sleeping and eating, can quickly get out of hand, making you worse than you are now.

 

If you have done nothing wrong, you have nothing to worry about.

 

Don't rush at decisions, like cancelling the claim. Wait until your mind is clear and you are healthy.

 

If you go onto Youtube, there are some excellent videos on Mindfulness, including meditation excerises. Give it a try. Many people use it these days,as a way to free the mind.

[estellyn]

So I haven't slept, and haven't eaten now for two days! I was up at stupid o'clock , and can't even manage a coffee. I am terrible for worrying. I wish I'd never claimed IS now. I always said that I wanted whatever money went into my bank account to be mine. It's always been that way since I left school back in 1996! I can't go through this for another 12 days, I will be really ill. I have a beautiful little girl I want to enjoy, and this is just hanging over me like a black cloud. I'm really thinking about cancelling my claim, and getting in touch with my old boss today, and excepting my place back. I'm feeling worse as the days go by and by next week, if I continue not to eat, I will be very ill in deed. How dare thay make people feel like this, it's awful. Especilly since I am a first time claimant ever in my life.

 

cancelling the claim wouldn't make a difference - they would still want to do the interview. So don't do anything rash. Try phoning again to see if you can get through to a real person.

[Shoelover]

If they really believed you had done something wrong you would not be just seeing a compliance officer. Stop worrying

[New york new york]

I've tried to enjoy my day today with my daughter, left my phone at home so I don't Google anymore about it.

[parislove00]

Are you in a similar situation New York? Have you also received a complience letter?

[silverfox1961]

Hi

I have just unapproved two posts. Can I ask users to not respond to silly comments and just report them so we can deal with as soon as possible

[parislove00]

Good morning everyone, some news. I had a phone call from a very nice compliance officer this morning. Apologizing for not being able to answer my calls. I explained how worried I was about the interview, and that I'd got myself in a right state. He stayed on the phone for 20 minutes trying to reassure me that it was nothing serious. He didn't know my exact details, as he didn't have a computer with him, however his main job was just to review benefits, not investigate any fraud. He believs that due to the time scale of my claim, that mine will be the standard review of new separation claims. Until that confirmed I will still be a little nervous, but he's going to ring me back this afternoon, and conduct the interview over the phone! Result. I'm now going to eat my breakfast, the first food I've eaten in 4 days. He was genuinely a nice man, his advice in the future for me......NEVER GOOGLE!

[Shoelover]

Am I allowed to say I told you so??

 

 

Glad it's all ok & that you can stop worrying xx

[parislove00]

I would just like to add for future people who may read this post, that once you have claimed IS you could have up to 3 reviews a year, two of those with the job center, and one with the actual benefits team. I thought these were one and the same, but apparently not. That's one of the reasons I got myself so upset, as the job center said I wouldn't be seen for 6 months, but that's the job center, not actually DWP. If you are a new claimant, as I am, then it's pretty scary and confusing. Now I'm off to eat my breakfast.

[parislove00]

Am I allowed to say I told you so??

 

 

Glad it's all ok & that you can stop worrying xx

 

you most definitely are

[parislove00]

So he called back. It was to check my circumstances hadn't changed, as I'm a new claim. All done over the phone. Really nice man, really. We laughed about how serious and scary his voicemail is, feel very very re-leaved, and a bit stupid for getting in the mess I did, I've actually lost 11lb in 4 days!!! Thank you everybody who replied, you were all very nice.

[Shoelover]

Two compliance chaps sit behind me at work. They are both lovely chaps & I often hear them on the phone. I have never heard either of them be anything other than pleasant to anyone. Their job is to review claims.

I'm a fraud investigator & we don't bite either... For every horror story on the internet there are hundreds of interviews where folks are treated well. It's not at all uncommon for people to say after their interview (including interviews under caution) that it was nothing like as bad as they expected.

With no disrespect to you or anyone else, people read the horror stories then their minds work overtime.

If it's any help I do understand how you feel- I worry to Olympic standards too.

Chin up Mrs - you are obviously having an awful time of it.

[telemark]

I remember getting one of these and having big anxiety problems the letter really stirred me up.

 

 

It all turned out to be over an old abandoned savings account that had come out on an HMRC report or something. They just needed a copy of the closing statement for the account confirming it was empty and that was basically it. The guy saw me much earlier than the appointment on the letter when I told him about my anxiety problems and he was nothing but nice and constantly tried to put me at ease throughout the appointment/interview.

 

 

 

 

Glad you got it all squared away parislove00