Full Time Carer: We are reviewing your benefit claim

[shifnal]

Hi! I received a letter this morning from the DWP headed "We are reviewing your benefit claim." They want to interview me at my local job centre in early October. They also want me to provide copies of my bank statements and some other financial information. They state that it is so that they can:

talk about any changes which could affect your benefit... we need you to provide us with the information on page 2 of this letter so we can make sure you are getting everything you should.

 

I am confused as to why they need to do this as I am a full time carer looking after my Mother who is in her 70s.

 

I currently claim Carers Allowance and Carers Premium (which is basically Income Support). I did have a small part-time business which I ran from home for around 6 months, and which the DWP were informed about, and which didn't affect my benefits. When it closed I again informed them.

 

Is this just a random check, or is it because they will be moving Carers onto Universal Credit shortly? I have always been honest and open with them and am confused as to why they need to check me.

 

Thanks in advance!

[neword]

All benefits are normally reviewed at one time or another.

 

I suspect that due to you having that self employment which you gave up that they are just checking that you are not getting payments into your bank account which you may not be declaring to them. It has been known that people have claimed benefits and have still been working but have declared they are not.

 

As long as they can see everything is has you have told them there should be no problems.

 

I have a friend who went to one of these reviews and he ended up about £35.00 a week better off because they told him about a benefit he could claim.

 

And we have just recently posted back out PIP award review questionnaire which came the other week.

 

No doubt there will be several other people on the forums who will tell you they have also had reviews of their awards from time to time.

 

As for it being done wrt uni credit this is apparently going to be a long process still some reports are it could well be 2022 before it is rolled out for everyone.

[antone]

Agree with neword - this is a Compliance interview and is not generally anything to be concerned about.

 

The plan is that eventually IS claimants will be moved on to Universal Credit, but as far as I have heard it will be some time (years, I would think) before this actually happens.

[banksarggg]

hi shifnal ,

 

my carer also had the same letter , and even though is stated on the letter at home or jobcenter ,

this lady knocked our door twice while family were down and my carer had been told his nan had died ,

this lady didnt care , so i rang her and her phone was so i left a voicemail to say how rude she was etc ,

 

so he had to go into the jobcenter by 9.30pm the following morning

 

he said he was asked a lot of questions but it was due to him trying a work trial to see if he could juggle caring with a part time job

they reckon they didnt recieve the letter off him ,

so now he has to send in 6 months bank statements and pay back any over money due

 

i dont ever think these letters are for what they say they are ,

"We are checking to see if you are geting the right amount of benefit" as if its from the goodness of there heart ,

 

if it says on top "Compliance Officer" then they have allegations against you ,

but dont be bullied by these people

there not worth it

[shifnal]

Thanks everyone!