unfairly being interviewed for benefit fraud

McKneff

Did he stay overnight with you at all.

luceno1

Caz3121 wrote: »

Does he have his own address where he is registered on the electoral role, pays rent?

yes his parents house

luceno1

McKneff wrote: »

Did he stay overnight with you at all.

i'll give you some background info about me and the father of my children as i think it might be relevant to my current circumstances,
my eldest child was unplanned and i fell pregnant when i was 20
my mother wasnt happy about it so i moved out and i stopped for a while with the father. I started to feel that the father wasnt taking my pregnancy seriously so we split up and i stayed with my friend, who was the fathers sister for a while till i got a flat of my own. i was working as a croupier in a casino at the time but i had a very traumatic pregnancy so had to quit my job and claim income support.
After my daughter was born the father started coming round to the idea of being a dad ( we were very young) and after a while we started getting close again but took things really slowly, without him living at my flat (dating etc.) Because we were so in love with my daughter we sort of unofficially decided it would be nice to try again and have another baby.... so i became pregnant again (two years after my first child was born)......but almost straight away i started to feel that he wasnt treating this pregnancy seriously again we and broke up.
I had the baby and nothing has changed since then, he hasnt stopped over and we havnt "dated" since then. I went to an interview at the job centre after my youngest was born because they were suspicious about the cirmumstances but they were really understanding and appreciated life isnt black & white.
Im maybe thinking that that has something to do with my recent interviews but that was 4 years ago and i though it was all settled.
as i say my relationship with the childrens father ended there and everything since has just been us being amicable for the children.
Iappreciate people may think badly of me for this, but i was very young and completley honest.
and sorry for the personal content but i felt it was relevant

sundays

They cannot hack your phone, but before tommorow id def take someone with you to listen as well.

want-it-all

Hi OP,

It sounds to me as though your initial interview may have been a ‘compliance’ interview, whereas this next interview may be an interview under caution (there is a difference, please check your letter, as it’s a very good idea to seek legal advice, or at the very least bring along someone for moral support, where IUCs are concerned. Anybody not qualified to represent you, though, would not actually be allowed to speak for you during the IUC).

Anyway, try not to panic. IUCs are called upon the basis of ‘evidence’ that you have committed some wrongdoing (i.e. someone has ‘bubbled’ you, or there is other evidence such as surveillance of your ‘partner’ visiting your home, and so on). However, mere evidence is not proof that you have committed wrongdoing.

The Local Authority (and DWP) official line is that an IUC is your ‘chance’ to explain and put across your side of the story when potentially fraudulent situations have come to their attention. However, in reality, ‘confessions’ of ‘guilt’ are highly desired by interviewing officers, not least because it makes their job of ‘catching’ people so much easier.

Therefore if it is an IUC, expect it to be challenging. You may be asked sensitive and personal questions, many of which may be asked repeatedly, and any and all of your responses to which will be used as part of their decision as to what to do next.

Please don’t panic, but if you don’t have nerves of steel, you really need somebody with you. As said, only a qualified representative can actively assist you (and obtaining such advice/representation is always the best strategy), but at the very least you should bring along a trusted ‘witness’ to the interview, if you don’t feel as though you can go it alone.

Calm down, have a breather, and remember that whilst there are a lot of malicious people out there who’ll report just about anything to the benefit agencies, a great deal of these interviews/investigations result in no further action.

Have a look at this guide, it’s very useful: http://www.advicenow.org.uk/advicenow-guides/problems-with-benefits/how-to-handle-an-interview-under-caution/what-will-the-interview-be-like-html,660,FP.html

[FONT=&quot]If you have nothing to hide, don’t worry. [/FONT]

Bangton

I'm so sorry...I don't have advice but having read the thread wanted to wish you good luck.

I do agree that you shouldn't worry. How can any action be taken if your honest and have nothing to hide?

karlahine

luceno1 wrote: »

hi,

Anyway, 1 month later i recieved another lettter to attend another interview, which is tomorrow.
Now Im totally paranoid and a nervous wreck! its almost as if im being set up and i have no idea what allegations they are going to throw at me tomorrow.
I would just like to know if anyone else has been through this, and if this is normal? seems a very sick state of affairs if it is
thanks for taking the time to read this. x

Hi there, you poor thing, they cannot do this, they should at least be able to provide you with information as to what the meeting is about, if they do not disclose this then you are unable to provide any kind of defence. If I were you I'd make my excuses and ask to re-arrange the appointment, in the meantime get in touch with your local MP who can issue a letter directly from the offices of parliament requesting that you would like information as to what these meetings are for as no explanation has been given etc, they then have approx 48 hours to respond. By which time you'll have some kind of justification and the ability to explain or alternatively an apology. Good luck :-)

Dunroamin

karlahine wrote: »

Hi there, you poor thing, they cannot do this, they should at least be able to provide you with information as to what the meeting is about, if they do not disclose this then you are unable to provide any kind of defence. If I were you I'd make my excuses and ask to re-arrange the appointment, in the meantime get in touch with your local MP who can issue a letter directly from the offices of parliament requesting that you would like information as to what these meetings are for as no explanation has been given etc, they then have approx 48 hours to respond. By which time you'll have some kind of justification and the ability to explain or alternatively an apology. Good luck :-)

Why should you need to prepare or sort out a justification if you're telling the truth and haven't done anything wrong?

real1314

karlahine wrote: »

Hi there, you poor thing, they cannot do this, they should at least be able to provide you with information as to what the meeting is about, if they do not disclose this then you are unable to provide any kind of defence. If I were you I'd make my excuses and ask to re-arrange the appointment, in the meantime get in touch with your local MP who can issue a letter directly from the offices of parliament requesting that you would like information as to what these meetings are for as no explanation has been given etc, they then have approx 48 hours to respond. By which time you'll have some kind of justification and the ability to explain or alternatively an apology. Good luck :-)

When you say "they cannot do this", are you speaking from a position of knowledge of the legal procedures involved and the relevant legislation or are you just "guessing". It doesn't help people if posters "guess" or give advice on things that they don't know enough about, it raises false hope and misunderstandings.

The content of the first interview sounds inappropriate, but, for example; asking "does he ever sleep over" can mean different things to different people.

As for the maintenance, afaik (and my knowledge is a bit rusty) any payments from the father would be treated as maintenance and are disregarded, although these may be the source of the the query as this has to be confirmed. :cool:

luceno1

thanks everyone, i'll just try to represent myself as well as i can.......and keep the faith ha :cool: