Investigate for Fraud by Jobcentre Plus!

[weezypoos]

Please can someone offer some advice!

 

I have worked for my Company since 2012 and as a single Mum, have been in receipt of housing benefit since that time. Last month, I had a conversation with my local council who told me that I have an overpayment of housing benefit totalling almost £4,000! This, I admit is my fault as I failed to inform them of a change of hours in my job.

 

I was told that I would no longer receive any housing benefit until the overpayment was paid off. I supplied the council with wage slips and P60's for the last 3 years and thought that was that.

 

The company I work for is small and this morning I have opened the post and there is a letter enclosing an EQ1 form which basically implies that I am being investigated for fraud! Can anyone please offer some advice, I've gone into meltdown!

[mikeymack2002]

If you failed to notify a change of circumstances within a reasonable time then an overpayment may occur.

 

Second question why is the LA writing to you at work? If you feel that the LA has not had your letters then this could be why you have had an overpayment. Is there anymore information you can add? Are there any other benefits involved?

 

If they did receive them and failed to adjust your benefits then it may make a difference.

 

If on the other hand you failed to tell them then again a different kettle of fish.

[Mr.P]

Second question why is the LA writing to you at work?

 

I suspect that this letter may be addressed to the company rather than the OP seeking to confirm hours and wages for the period in question.

[weezypoos]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I admit that the overpayment is down to me and failure to inform them of a change in my hours at work. I told the officer at my LA this and she informed me that I would no longer receive any HB until the overpayment was cleared. The LA didn't write to me personally at work, they wrote to the Company asking that they complete an EQ1 form which details my pay/hours etc.

 

I am confused now at having re-read the letter. It has come from JobCentre Plus and says it is investigating benefit claims. Would DWP become involved with HB overpayments?

[mikeymack2002]

This is why we ask for more information. What benefits were you in receipt of at the time of the overpayment?

[weezypoos]

At the time of overpayment I was in receipt of housing benefit (£30ish per week). I also received and still do, working tax credits on a weekly basis. These are updated directly by employer though with any changes to wages or hours.

 

The agreement set in place with my LA was that I now will only receive 50p per week HB until the overpayment is cleared. This was November 2015.

[Shoelover]

The investigation of HB claims has gone to the DWP on a rolling programme over the last year, so in short yes it would be DWP. The company can be prosecuted if they fail to provide the information, so you need to bring it to the right persons attention.

[weezypoos]

Thanks, I have passed the form onto our payroll officer. My concern is when repayments have already been arranged with the LA why now are they investigating? Can I still be prosecuted?

[Shoelover]

Yes. The letters probably use the phrase "without prejudice" which means that they still can.

 

Reading between the lines it sounds as if RTI has picked up your pay rise. As RTI (that's real time information from the tax office) but as RTI is only available back to 01/04/2013, they are confirming what your wages were before then.

 

Again, this is only supposition on my path, they may well interview you.

If the payrise does predate April 2013 it's possible the overpayment will go up.

 

Sorry, that's probably not what you wanted to read. There's no point replying and not being honest with you.

 

Please don't panic though.. It's possible that they may just correct it and there not be any action.

 

Again all of that is supposition on my part.

[weezypoos]

Many thanks again.

 

The payrise was the end of 2014. Paying back the overpayment isn't a concern as it's already in progress, my main concern is that they think I've been intentionally dishonest and go to prosecute. I've googled this (perhaps unwisely) and found that people are quite often invited for an interview under caution which would send me into meltdown!

[weezypoos]

My employer has just called the investigating officer to let them know that I have read the letter and am now worried sick. She has asked if they can provide any further information to which the answer was no. I have also called them and got the same answer.

 

The officer said that I shouldn't have caught sight of the letter as I am not meant to know but as they failed to address it to the relevant person or write private or confidential, I have opened it. Standard practice should be for them to call and find out who to address it to before sending out.

[Shoelover]

Don't torture yourself.

if you do get invited in, you can cross that bridge then