Help Please: Interview with DWP Compliance Officer

music_lad

Hi, I really need some good advice. I have been on JSA for over a year now while actively seeking work. I recently got a letter in the post asking me to attend an interview with a DWP Compliance Officer to check whether my circumstances had changed. Does anyone know what I should expect? Has anyone here ever been to one of these?

The reason I am so anxious is because I took up employment for a couple of weeks yet still signed on for JSA at the beginning to help tide me over financially as I had no other means of income until the end of the month. Unfortunately, the job did not work out as my manager seemed hell bent on trying to make my work life impossible...the job and the environment seemed to make my health/disabilities worse (I have been living with a long term terminal illness in addition to severe depression and anxiety for some time now).

I left the job after a few weeks although the employer still paid me at the end of the month. I now feel like I did a stupid thing unintentionally in the midst of the insecurity of not knowing whether the job was going to be conducive to my health. I simply did not know whether the job was going to work out for a number of reasons and it turned out that my intuition was right! Can anyone offer any advice or guidance? I would be extremely grateful!

Vader123

It could be a routine chat to talk about your circs.

Or it could be that you worked whilst claiming JSA and you have been dobbed in.

I would have thought if you health/disability issues then delclaring at the time would have been best so as to avoid the worries of being caught out.

How did you sign on when you were working?

Vader

music_lad

I did tell the DWP and the employer that I considered myself to have a disability. I was able to sign on following a medical appointment I had within the second week of employment.

Vader123

I was able to sign on following a medical appointment I had within the second week of employment.

So you nipped out of work to goto a medical appointment, then went and signed a peice of paper saying "I am not working, I need money" then went back to your job?

Hmm, its hard to offer constructive advice. You consider yourself disabled yet managed to

1) Work
2) Leave work to go to a medical appointment
3) Then go to the JC and sign on
4) Then went back to work.

If you are disabled, why not claim DLA or ESA? Or have you tried?

You have basically committed fraud and had no problem with this until your compliance appointment came up.

It maybe a routine chat and you have got away with fraud, or something more sinister.

The only advice I can offer is to be honest with your dealings.

Vader

paulofessex

I would say that honestly will have to be the best policy. Your tax records may have flagged up the extra income, hence why the contact.
Your post is a little conflicting in respect of work/money. I would have thought that the DWP would be mainly lookng at this in respect of the total amount earned i.e. the income for a 4 week period, however not forgetting that for 2 weeks you were not available to seek employment thus this could render you JSA claim void.
Hold your hands up, admit you made a mistake, l feel the most they will do will be to demand repayment of the overpayment, however don't forget this will also mean you may have an overpayment with both CTB and HB if your claiming them. To be truthful l really don't know if they can close you claim and not allow you to resign, although l would have thought they cannot leave you penniless, hopefully somone with better knowledge will pop along soon.
You mention '(I have been living with a long term terminal illness in addition to severe depression and anxiety for some time now).' has this been diaginosed by the GP, do you suffer at such a level that you should be claiming incapacity instead? This way you may be able to gain support to return back into the workplace so it does not effect your health.

As l said at the top, be honest, mistakes happen, offer to repay the overpayment and request during the interview that you are open to any advice they can give you.

Best of luck with it, please let us know how you get on (subscribed)

music_lad

I admit that I did make a foolish mistake. I had ongoing physical health problems for which I attended hospital prior to starting at the new job. At the time I had so much going on that my mind was a muddle. I dismissed myself from the job before they made any payment to me.

And yes, I have a disability for which I receive routine treatment for every 3 months with a specialist consultant...my G.P. is aware of my physical/mental health...I have also seen a psychologist for treatment. My intention has always been to live as normal a life as possible, to not use disability as an excuse, to get back in to the daily working routine and contribute to society...but...my experience is proving that I am just not able to cope at this precise time. My physical/mental disability IS a problem for me! Yes, I am sorry for being a dumb !!! when handling the situation...but I am only human and I sometimes make stupid mistakes...the guilt of which does not improve my situation. BTW, I tried to claim DLA on 2 seperate occasions in the past which were refused.

Vader123

music_lad wrote: »

. At the time I had so much going on that my mind was a muddle.

Not that much a muddle!

You managed to work, goto medical appointments, go sign on.

Don't use the "muddle" argument as you clearly were not!

My physical/mental disability IS a problem for me! Yes, I am sorry for being a dumb !

No one has called you "dumb", don't be a victim.

The fact is you committed fraud whilst trying to use the "muddle" excuse.

I re-iterate the advice given and be honest and be up front. If you are in a "muddle" you will eventually contradict yourself or get such a web of lies going you will slip yourself up.

Being ill and living with being rumbled for committing fraud can't be good for you.

Vader

music_lad

Vader123 wrote: »

Not that much a muddle!

You managed to work, goto medical appointments, go sign on.

Don't use the "muddle" argument as you clearly were not!



No one has called you "dumb", don't be a victim.

The fact is you committed fraud whilst trying to use the "muddle" excuse.

I re-iterate the advice given and be honest and be up front. If you are in a "muddle" you will eventually contradict yourself or get such a web of lies going you will slip yourself up.

Being ill and living with being rumbled for committing fraud can't be good for you.

Vader

Thanks for your judgement, empathy and support Vader. I hope you never have any difficulties similar to my own.

Vader123

music_lad wrote: »

Thanks for your judgement, empathy and support Vader. I hope you never have any difficulties similar to my own.

Where my answers not what you wanted?

You have committed fraud = FACT
You organised your day to go to a medical appt and then sign on = FACT

I don't think you were in a muddle.

If you really need me to say what you want to hear then hows this?

There there. You committed fraud, its not your fault. You needed the money. How can you expect to not commit fraud when you are in a muddle and disabled. I think its shocking that the DWP are investigating.

Does it change much? I don't think it does.

Vader

music_lad

You don't understand the full extent of what happened. All I said was that I wanted to resume a normal working life...do you fully understand what it's like to cope with more than one disability at a time in addition to the emotional distress this can cause? I was not going to get paid by employer until end of the month...in the meantime I signed on *once* in the meantime to make sure I was not destitute as my intention was to stay in employment. My health/disabilities had a huge impact on the entire situation which inevitably led to me leaving. You make it sound like I should be hung, drawn and quartered for making a stupid mistake. At least I admit to mine. I don't see you admit to being an over judgemental person with bloodlust for punishment.

Vader123

All I said was that I wanted to resume a normal working life...do you fully understand what it's like to cope with more than one disability at a time in addition to the emotional distress this can cause

Yes.

was not going to get paid by employer until end of the month...in the meantime I signed on *once* in the meantime to make sure I was not destitute as my intention was to stay in employment

Its still fraud. You signed a piece of paper to say you were not working and seeking/available for employment. Having a disability and stress does not exclude you from these obligations.

What you should have done was speak to the DWP, there are "run-on" benefits and "back to work" incentives that could have helped. Plus there were loans you could have taken. Instead you chose to sign on and commit fraud.

My health/disabilities had a huge impact on the entire situation which inevitably led to me leaving

Then get some support. You don't mention what your disabilities and health conditions are, but there is support there.

You make it sound like I should be hung, drawn and quartered for making a stupid mistake

Your being a victim again.

You did make a mistake, you committed benefit fraud.

A mistake you have made no effort to rectify since you made it, only a compliance visit has made you stop and think about what you have done.

least I admit to mine

Have you? Only on here. From what I have read you have not admitted it to the DWP. Thats who really count, not my opinion.

don't see you admit to being an over judgemental person with bloodlust for punishment

Your the victim again?!

Look. You have been given advice on here (not just from me) to be up front and honest. Your mitigating circumstances might work in your favour.

Vader