Under investigation for fraud!!!

celticfc

I recieved a letter this morning telling me that I have to go for an interview under caution in regards to a council tax benefit claim.

Following an examination of my circumstances relating to my claim I am now under investigation for fraud, and governed by the Police and criminal evidence act 1984 I will be interviewed under caution and it will be recorded. I am assuming it will be as though I have been arrested and taken to a Police station and questioned.

I rang and asked why this is happening and was told by a smarmy, rude woman that I have failed to notify them of a change in circumstance and that my income had changed. My only income is IB, once a fortnight.

I went sick from work in Feb 2005. In Sept 2005 I was sacked as my sickness was not regarded as genuine. In October I had an MRI scan for which I paid £630, and it was found I have problems with disc's in my lower back. Three degenerating and one prolapsed pinching the left and right root nerve causing sciatica down both legs. I am awaiting surgery.

On November 2nd 2005 I applied for benefits, the first time I have ever done so. Whilst the chap was taking some information from me his system crashed and he told me he would have to send me the forms for me to fill in. Five telephone calls and four months later I recieved the forms. I filled in 3 forms, IB, IS and council tax benefit. IB has been sorted out, council tax benefit was awarded about 6 weeks ago, then today I received a letter to say it has been suspended, and as yet nothing has been done about IS, in spite of my calling them several times. IS would allow free school dinners for my 3 children, and maybe help with my mortgage.

I am amazed at the incompetence of the benefits system. From the time of my first application to present date I have had 1 problem after another. I feel I have been put under a microscope and scrutinized from every possible angle. This letter today is the final straw, I am furious that I have been accused of fraud!

When I spoke to the woman this morning she said she could not hear me, I replied "I don't want to talk any louder as that would be shouting and I don't want to offend you". Her reply," Oh, I won't be offended, not much offends me". I asked if because I am being spoken to under caution should I bring a solicitor, she replied I could bring a friend if I liked!

I have rang a solicitor and am waiting for a call back. I am just, furious and amazed that the past 10 months has been handled so badly by the benefits sytem, especially when there are people claiming benefits willy nilly with no genuine entitlement.

Fran

Ask the Jobcentre for their complaints procedure. I would suggest writing to an area office as you have already tried to get things sorted locally.

Get help with this straight away by going to your local Citizens Advice Bureau with all the paperwork you have. They will be able to negotiate on your behalf while you are there if necessary and some CABx may be able to attend the interview with you. They will be able to work out what you should have been receiving too so you will know where you stand.

celticfc

Fran wrote:

Ask the Jobcentre for their complaints procedure. I would suggest writing to an area office as you have already tried to get things sorted locally.

Get help with this straight away by going to your local Citizens Advice Bureau with all the paperwork you have. They will be able to negotiate on your behalf while you are there if necessary and some CABx may be able to attend the interview with you. They will be able to work out what you should have been receiving too so you will know where you stand.

Fran, I live in Newport and somewhere in the town centre is a welfare office? welfare rights? I wonder if you know where this is, being as you too are in S Wales. Or is CAB the better option?

Fran

I can't find any doing a "google" search and I don't know what is available in Newport. CAB would be able to tell you of any other help available so they would be a good starting point.

barnabee

I would definately seek advice from the Citizens Advise Bureau as you are being investigated for Council Tax Benefits. The Newport office is at:

8 Corn Street
NEWPORT
NP20 1DJ

Telephone:
01633 265688


The following information may be relevant to you:

You may commit benefit fraud if you deliberately give incorrect or misleading information when you apply for Council tax Benefit, or fail to report a change of circumstances. Even if you are not committing fraud, you can cause an overpayment which will have to be repaid. Your circumstances can be checked at any time while you are claiming and fraud officers can also get information about you from other government agencies and from your employer, bank or utility companies. Benefit fraud is a criminal offence and you can be prosecuted or asked to pay a penalty. Your benefit may be reduced if you are convicted more than once.

If you are worried about whether you might be suspected of fraud, you are under investigation or you have been convicted, or if you have been asked to repay an overpayment of benefit, you should consult an experienced adviser, for example, at a Citizens’ Advice Bureau.

Bossyboots

You are entitled to take a solicitor with you to this interview. However, you will have to pay for it yourself as the cost is not covered by legal aid.

celticfc

barnabee wrote:

I would definately seek advice from the Citizens Advise Bureau as you are being investigated for Council Tax Benefits. The Newport office is at:

8 Corn Street
NEWPORT
NP20 1DJ

Telephone:
01633 265688


The following information may be relevant to you:

Thanks for that. Just rang them, there are only people there Mondays and fridays and there is no one there for me to talk to, just a machine.

november

Community Legal Services Direct list the following agencies in Newport for welfare benefits advice.

edited to add rats that link didn't work

Try here http://www.clsdirect.org.uk/index.jsp?lang=en Click on The Directory in top menu (not anything that will appear in menu below that), enter your postcode or Newport, Gwent in 1), pick Welfare Benefits in 3). Search button is at the bottom.

More info given for each organisation as well if you follow the links. There are a couple of CAB's listed there and a couple of other advice centres.

Good luck

looby75

When do you have to go in to see the council? I'm pretty sure you can ask them for reasonable time to arrange for someone to come with you. That might give you chance to talk to someone at the CAB.

neenaw_4

hang on, your income hasn't changed at all yet you are being investigated for fraud due to a change in circumstances? apart from all the advice already about going to the CAB I would ring again and ask them for details about this change in circumstances. i too would be furious!

Anthillmob

what might have happened is the council have received a HBMS file that maybe shows you as still working and thus when the datamatch is done on your file you have been called in as a result of this.

sometimes these datamatch files are completely wrong because someone somewhere at the tx office or DWP hasnt done their job properly.

try not to worry. you can take a solicitor with you or a friend.

these interviews have to be done under caution and whilst they have the powers to caution you they have no other powers without a police presence.

please try not to worry. take all your documents relating to your claim.

data matching files are mass produced. they come about when there is a discrepancy and probably 6 times out of 10 the discrepancy either doesnt exist or can be rectified without any change to HB or CTB. most of the ones we get are thos informing us that someone is receiving tax credits. if they are on IS then we dont care as long as we have proof of IS as everyone is entitled to CTC if they have a child/children. its when you see they get WTC that you would suspend a claim. but suspension of a claim is down to the individual officer, or at least it is where i work. we use our discretion as necessary.

HTH