Letter from DWP, Compliance department

[Ghost00]

Hi, I'm on UC, the non-full service one. I'm single and living by myself.

 

Received a letter 5 days ago from the DWP, Local Service Compliance department. It has FESL2Tv2 at the bottom right. It says:

 

We're reviewing your benefits and circumstances. You must come to an office interview. We need to talk to you about some changes that may affect your benefit payments.

I'm latching on the fact it says "about some changes" rather than saying "about any changes". This seems to suggest they're referring to some definite changes they know about? Unless it's just poorly worded.

 

Obviously there's some major changes happening due to the transition over the next 5 months from gateway UC to the full UC (the full version of UC will be implemented by September). Might it be about this? Or is it the wrong department?

 

Alternatively, perhaps it is badly worded and they're checking out any possible changes in my personal circumstances. One possibility is that I do voluntary work at a charity shop. I'm not sure if my work coach put it down as official or not.

 

Or maybe it's just a random interview? It's not under caution. But I do have to take in various identification and my latest bank statement. Appreciate any thoughts.

[Mr.P]

It is a fairly routine sort of thing. Nothing to get worried about. The DWP regularly send out poorly worded letters that have the unintentional effect of generating anxiety in the recipient.

[Ghost00]

Yes, saying "about some changes" rather than "about any changes" is kinda more worrying.

[trebormoinet]

It is a fairly routine sort of thing. Nothing to get worried about. The DWP regularly send out poorly worded letters that have the unintentional effect of generating anxiety in the recipient.

You had me all the way until unintentional, but then diplomacy has never been my strong point

[Ghost00]

Just had a thought. Looking at my latest bank statement there's a £300 credit paid in by my parents in January (a combined xmas and birthday present). Could they know and want to question me about that?

[Mr.P]

It is unlikely that the compliance team would know about any deposits in your bank account. It shouldn't be of interest unless it took you over the £6,000 savings threshold.

[Ghost00]

There's a tel number on the letter. When I ring it, I simply hear a pre-recorded message saying to leave a message, but only if I want to change the time/date of the interview.

 

Is it not possible to speak to someone who can tell me what the interview is about? Googling around it seems no-one else is experiencing any such difficulty. What does this imply?

[honeybee13]

Hello there.

 

I suspect that a lot of people are experiencing the same thing. All we can tell you is what we've seen on the forum time after time. I know it isn't easy if you have anxiety issues.

 

HB

[dexev]

This is pretty standard and you have nothing to worry about as long as the circumstances you have declared on your claim are correct. Have you kept them up to date of all changes in your circumstances since you started the claim?

 

A compliance interview could be for any number of reasons ranging from an internal data mismatch to suspected fraud. You won't be informed of what it's about until the interview because of this.

 

If you have no idea what this is about then it will probably turn out to be something simple and is nothing to worry about - if something does come up that you aren't expecting just be honest with the interviewer.

 

They shouldn't have any interest in a £300 gift from your parents or have been able to know about it anyway - so I doubt it's that.

[Ghost00]

They've left a telephone number on the letter that is repeated several times. They specifically state to ring this number for advice if you're unsure what documents to bring. I need to communicate with them about what constitutes proof of identity, what changes have occurred, and a couple of other issues.

 

On ringing up there's merely a recorded message stating only to leave a message if the caller wishes to change the time/date of the interview. I left a message anyway. They haven't rang back!

 

Does their sheer incompetence admit of no limits?

 

I am intrigued to find out what they know about my life that I do not know myself...

[Ghost00]

How can I complain about this letter??

[Nystagmite]

Complain about what?

[tomtom256]

They've left a telephone number on the letter that is repeated several times. They specifically state to ring this number for advice if you're unsure what documents to bring. I need to communicate with them about what constitutes proof of identity, what changes have occurred, and a couple of other issues.

 

On ringing up there's merely a recorded message stating only to leave a message if the caller wishes to change the time/date of the interview. I left a message anyway. They haven't rang back!

 

Does their sheer incompetence admit of no limits?

 

I am intrigued to find out what they know about my life that I do not know myself...

 

That will be what the interview is for. To discuss what ever issue if any has arisen or to review the claim as per the wording of the letter.

 

As for ID driving licence, passport, utility bill, council tax bill, bank card, bank statement etc the list goes on but anything generally that has you're name and address on it.

[Ghost00]

It might be helpful to read my previous post!

[Ghost00]

But why not simply specify what the change is in the letter?? If they know about some change, what the heck is there to discuss??

[BazzaS]

It might be helpful to read my previous post!

 

I can't see what you think people haven't been reading, and you aren't quoting posts, so I don't know which post / poster you are referring to.

 

But why not simply specify what the change is in the letter?? If they know about some change, what the heck is there to discuss??

 

 

This has been addressed by previous respondents. They may not know about a change, but there might be the suggestion of a change from data matching.

If there is no change, you are fine. If there has been a change, but there is an honest explanation for it, you are fine.

The only way there can be an issue, is if there has been a change, and someone isn't honest about it when questioned. For this reason they don't suggest what it is they are looking at in the letter, as:

a) honest people who are upfront when questioned are fine, and

b) anyone less than honest can't start to construct a false defence in advance .....

[Ghost00]

//we need to talk to you about some changes//

 

This is a defitive assertion that changes have occurred. If it is possible that no changes have occurred, then they are lying.

 

So either

 

a) They are lying

b) They know more about my life than I do myself

c) The changes they refer to are not regarding my personal circumstances.

[Bazooka Boo]

//we need to talk to you about some changes//

 

This is a defitive assertion that changes have occurred. If it is possible that no changes have occurred, then they are lying.

 

So either

 

a) They are lying

b) They know more about my life than I do myself

c) The changes they refer to are not regarding my personal circumstances.

 

This is why they (DWP) have a complaints procedure, granted it's as much use as indicators on a submarine, but you involve your local MP also, remind them of the continued persecution and democide of the sick and disabled in the country.

[Ghost00]

Right, OK. I'll know in a week's time anyway what it's about. I shall update a week today to let people know what happened. Might be useful for people googling this same letter.

[Ghost00]

Best to wait until after the interview before deciding whether to complain or not.

[Ghost00]

The interview is tomorrow. I left her a message around a week ago on her phone asking about the documents I need to bring. She rang up this morning while I was at the shop and left a message. I note she said I need bank statements (in the plural). I can only find my most recent one, and that covers the period from the 8th Nov 2017, to 14th Feb 2018. All the older one's I'll have thrown out. Will this suffice?

 

Maybe at the jobcentre I could access my online bank account from there and show her?

[Ghost00]

Hmmm . .even online I note I can only access the previous 6 months of transactions. If she wants further back then I'm screwed.

[Bazooka Boo]

Hmmm . .even online I note I can only access the previous 6 months of transactions. If she wants further back then I'm screwed.

 

If the clown didn't stipulate EXACTLY how many statements to take then take what you have, and I wouldn't lose a wink of sleep over it.

 

However, three months is the usual that anyone asks for, so just take three months worth, IF YOU HAVE them.

 

And 'reframe' your statement, if they want more than six months worth, (which they won't) then it is they who are screwed, not you!

[Ghost00]

I've come back from the interview. Someone had reported me for working whilst claiming benefits. She asked me why do I say I'm self-employed on facebook and twitter. Umm . .forgot all about that . .I neglected to alter them. I have an account on twitter, but haven't used it for months. It looks like it was someone on facebook who's reported me. I get into arguments about politics on there, including the disgraceful inequality in modern western societies. Couple of people pestering me about what work I do and that I must be on benefits. They might well have said this before I went on benefits -- I can't remember. So I suspect it's some stranger on facebook that's reported me.

 

The bank statement I had wasn't sufficient apparently. I have to send further bank statements off in an envelope. Hopefully everything should be ok.

 

So, in a nutshell, someone on facebook doesn't like my political views, suspected that I was on benefits as I didn't tell him what I do for a living, and has used the info on my facebook profile to report me.

[Ghost00]

I telephoned yesterday my bank for 2 bank statements, and the lady said they would be sent out. No mention of a charge. Anyway, I thought I'd make sure they will definitely be sent out by messaging them on their site today. Just got a reply saying they'll deduct £10 for the 2 statements and if I respond agreeing, they'll send them out.

 

Ok, so this is confusing. Do banks charge for old bank statements, or don't they? The compliance officer said they won't charge me, but I expressed my scepticism towards her. As I thought, she was talking bollox.