another compliance officer visit -** RESOLVED **

[hollowman 51]

I have a compliance officer visiting on thursday .no idea why and as far as i know no reason for one .

basic standard letter ,no mention of circumstances etc .

 

 

my wife has known for a few weeks and hidden the letter ,she only showed me it today ,i understand why as i am a natural born panicker .

 

 

im already scared to my wits end and ive only known about the letter around 2 hours max, i dont know what ive supposedly done wrong ? but its like your already guilty before they even speak to you .

 

 

my wife hasen't told me for the simple reason i suffer from epilepsy and already had a heart attack this year and i panic over anything . im so nervous im shaking like a leaf . how can i try to avoid this anxiety .

 

 

they recently paid us £3,500 approx as they had forgot to pay us for our oldest daughter for 2 years, this was only pointed out when my wife phoned for a completely different reason. they only paid us 1 year back and paid us until 28/08/15 as this is when our oldest daughter goes onto her 3rd year at college so benefit stops for her .

 

 

im just a bag of nerves .

[SabreSheep 917]

First of all

 

A Compliance interview (Unless someone corrects me) Is more to do with making sure you are claiming everything you should be and that the process has been carried out. Sometimes these are carried out randomly as well.

 

What you are worrying about is an Interview under caution which is completely different.

 

Just make sure you have all the info related to your claim(s) available etc for them to see if asked.

 

Others with more in depth knowledge should be able to better explain what will happen.

[Shoelover 1,244]

What SS said... It's a compliance interview so almost certainly nothing to worry about.

[estellyn 3,192]

Most compliance interviews are just to check on the accuracy of the claim processing depts - it's how they get their internal error rates. If something was missed before then your claim may have been referred to check there wasn't anything else missed.

 

If it was about fraud it would be an interview under caution - a compliance interview is a totally different and benign thing.

[Andyorch 10,464]

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?425374-Just-had-a-DWP-compliance-meeting

[LazyToucan 1]

First of all

A Compliance interview (Unless someone corrects me) Is more to do with making sure you are claiming everything you should be and that the process has been carried out. Sometimes these are carried out randomly as well.

 

Not to worry the OP unduly, but I would suggest that in the majority of cases anyway that what you suggest is not the case.

 

I think that is just the line that they try and push. In fact prior to my visit, that is exactly what they claimed it was for. However, this was clearly not the case...or in other words, it was a lie.

 

More likely, some doubt about your claim(s) will have been raised by somebody. Either someone at the DWP, a third party connected to the DWP, a nark, or possibly an automated process triggered by your circumstances.

 

Not to say that you should be unduly worried however, but be prepared for them to grill you about your circumstances.

[hollowman 51]

me and my wife have been sat all day me racking our brains to why they would be visiting us , ive had to take extra meds to try and keep myself calm, just impossible to do.

 

 

i have no idea at all what its about and yes i am panicking ,the post above is correct as they send a letter out and you seem to have to fill in the blanks .

 

 

there also very nosey ,not that i have anything to hide ,but seem very judgemental if you have a nice clean house etc . i suppose its like them saying well as your on benefits you should be living like a tramp .

 

 

we have no savings left as we had to buy a new car (used) as the old one was costing more in repairs than was economically sound.

 

 

and the only thing we can think of is our daughter turning 18 and losing benefit for her . which if so i will be furious about ,as they didnt notice a 2 year glitch to the fact they hadn't paid us anything for her ,then paid us 1 years back money ,which we were grateful about only to stop it in august this year 4 weeks later.

 

 

ive had at least 15 seizures today think over this, as they seem to be brought on by concentration .

 

 

I feel so degraded by it . it does want to make you feel like telling them to shove it were the sun isnt shining . although unless we have a nice lottery win we cant .

[SabreSheep 917]

Does worrying about it change the outcome in any way? If the answer is NO then relax.

 

You can "what if" untill the cows come home. As per that linked thread AND the majority of people who post ot this site will testify, most of these are just due process. There is a high likely hood that *nothing* has triggered this.

[obiter dictum 250]

That link posted was me

 

I spent a whole week worrying about this compliance interview the same as you

 

They said if they really believed i had been naughty they would have me in under a taped interview

 

It is about time the DWP reworded these letters, or have they been designed that way to cause maximum distress??

[LazyToucan 1]

Does worrying about it change the outcome in any way? If the answer is NO then relax.

 

You can "what if" untill the cows come home. As per that linked thread AND the majority of people who post ot this site will testify, most of these are just due process. There is a high likely hood that *nothing* has triggered this.

 

I agree that worrying about it is not the way to go, and that if your claim(s) are legitimate then you should have nothing to fear...however, I can attest from personal experience, the reason they claim they undertake these interviews is not the real reason. The only reason I believe they visit people in their homes is to investigate personal circumstance because they have doubts (referred by somebody specifically or not) about your status in one way or another. So, be prepared to be questioned about those doubts.

 

Approach them like they approach you, with a level of suspicion.

 

Be polite, be courteous, but do not be fooled into thinking they're coming round for a cup of tea and a chat. They are there to do a job, what that job is, is up for debate!

It is your job to protect your social security....but, yes...do relax too

Edited September 9, 2015 by LazyToucan

[SabreSheep 917]

I agree that worrying about it is not the way to go, and that if your claim(s) are legitimate then you should have nothing to fear...however, I can attest from personal experience, the reason they claim they undertake these interviews is not the real reason. The only reason I believe they visit people in their homes is to investigate personal circumstance because they have doubts (referred by somebody specifically or not) about your status in one way or another. So, be prepared to be questioned about those doubts.

 

Approach them like they approach you, with a level of suspicion.

 

I appreciate you may have personal experience. However the combined experience of this forum (and also personal experience of mine and previous and current housemates) suggests normally they are routine. IF fraud is suspected, an interview under caution is done.

 

Please do not worry the OP any more than necessary.

[obiter dictum 250]

I agree having been through it myself

 

These interviews are routine

[LazyToucan 1]

I appreciate you may have personal experience. However the combined experience of this forum (and also personal experience of mine and previous and current housemates) suggests normally they are routine. IF fraud is suspected, an interview under caution is done.

 

Please do not worry the OP any more than necessary.

 

Do not want to worry the OP or anyone, just saying that it is always wise to be cautious where something may affect your means of support.

 

I do not have a problem with the DWP seeking to confirm my or anyones current circumstances. It is the way in which they do this that I have a problem with in general.

Routine to the DWP it may be, not routine for claimants to have them rock up on your doorstep!

[SabreSheep 917]

They are not rocking up, they are making an appointment.

 

And we are telling the OP to make sure they have everything to hand.

 

Scaremongering, is counter productive

[LazyToucan 1]

They are not rocking up, they are making an appointment.

 

And we are telling the OP to make sure they have everything to hand.

 

Scaremongering, is counter productive

Clearly we're not going to agree on this, but that's ok

 

What I was trying to highlight is that it is not routine for the claimant to have a DWP representative knocking on your door, appointment or not.

 

I'm not scaremongering, merely representing an experience that does't completely sit right with me, even though I came through it, like you mention others have too, without any issues.

[Andyorch 10,464]

Lets agree to disagree:-D...all opinions are important and should be considered by hollowman.

 

Regards

 

Andy

[obiter dictum 250]

It is routine through Quality of service

 

A section of claimants in the geographical area are randomly selected to make sure they are claiming all the benefits they are entitled to.

 

I received that direct from the horses mouth, not all visits have ulterior motives

 

I could not sleep for a week when i got my notification

 

Now please stop this scaremongering

 

It is not helpful

[estellyn 3,192]

I agree that worrying about it is not the way to go, and that if your claim(s) are legitimate then you should have nothing to fear...however, I can attest from personal experience, the reason they claim they undertake these interviews is not the real reason. The only reason I believe they visit people in their homes is to investigate personal circumstance because they have doubts (referred by somebody specifically or not) about your status in one way or another. So, be prepared to be questioned about those doubts.

 

Approach them like they approach you, with a level of suspicion.

 

Be polite, be courteous, but do not be fooled into thinking they're coming round for a cup of tea and a chat. They are there to do a job, what that job is, is up for debate!

It is your job to protect your social security....but, yes...do relax too

 

There are now two parts to the compliance section, one checks on claims where there has been an allegation made, but there is no evidence for fraud - they have to do a check anyway. If they suspected fraud it would be a taped interview under caution. The second part is where random claims are selected by computer in order to check on accuracy rates of processors, in addition claims where there has already been an error may be rechecked to be sure that there was nothing else missed.

 

Please don't try to worry and scare someone who is in poor health with anxiety issues!

[LazyToucan 1]

It is routine through Quality of service

 

A section of claimants in the geographical area are randomly selected to make sure they are claiming all the benefits they are entitled to.

 

I received that direct from the horses mouth, not all visits have ulterior motives

 

I could not sleep for a week when i got my notification

 

Now please stop this scaremongering

 

It is not helpful

As mentioned, I am not. Merely giving my opinion based on my experience.

[LazyToucan 1]

Please don't try to worry and scare someone who is in poor health with anxiety issues!

Again, I am not attempting to scare anybody. Just giving my views on the subject, based on my experience.

[hollowman 51]

thanks for all the replies , they support both sides of the dwp ideas of compliance interviews , only up until 4pm to wait tommorow then at least we will know why the visit . ive read alot of views on this some good but more negatives than positives across the board .

 

 

gonna take a few extra tablets to help me sleep some as last night i was still awake at over 4 am .

[Andyorch 10,464]

Im sure it will be fine...try to relax.....this time tomorrow you will wonder what all the fuss was about.

 

Regards

 

Andy

[honeybee13 4,450]

I hope it goes well, hollowman. Please let us know how you get on.

 

HB

[hollowman 51]

well jonathan (complaince officers name ) came out to see me wasn't here very long at all , said they had received a malicious phone call that i was working ,he then asked if i knew anyone who would report such an allegation . i said yes there is a couple of neighbours who some time ago a freind of mine upset (which he did ) . asked if we had any bank accounts etc i said only isa which you know about . and that we are withdrawing the money to buy a car as our old one is buggered .

he replied with "its always the neighbours" then jotted a few things down and asked me to sign it stating that if they get any more phone calls within 6 months they have to disreard them ,unless of course they have photographic evidence .

he then took my isa statements for update and off he went .

 

 

i did mention that my brother owns a garage which he does own a big independant audi garage . that seems to click with them as in that was the reason for the report.

[Nystagmite 1,122]

he replied with "its always the neighbours" then jotted a few things down and asked me to sign it stating that if they get any more phone calls within 6 months they have to disreard them

 

I was told similar recently. It's generally obvious to them when someone is just phoning up to cause trouble, rather than making a genuine allegation of fraud.