DWP have lost all my personal bank details

Elvisia

I have been having endless problems with the JC as I have savings over 6k (I have declared all this, and my JSA is a little bit lower because of it) and I was called into a compliance meeting in Jan to discuss what money I had. On their records it says I am getting the full amount, and I thought this would be easy to rectify. My savings went up a bit last year as I got a few bits from family members, I went into the JC to declare this and was told not to bother. Now I see I should have asked them to put this in writing. So I was expecting a letter saying I had an overpayment.

Anyway they sent me a letter end of Jan asking for all my bank statements and details, which I posted to them. I kept copies of this, proof of postage etc. I was also asked to send copies to my compliance officer which I did. She also had copies of all of this in my compliance meeting.

I rang up the JC a week ago to ask what was happening as I hadn't heard anything back, they said on my file it said case closed and that was that.

Today I get a letter saying I hadn't sent them my bank statements. I'm furious because this whole situation which I thought was dealt with isn't, but also all my personal bank statements, my address, NI etc are now floating around somewhere which leaves me open to fraud. Are they always this useless? I don't know who to complain to. Also I have to send all this information off again, I have no idea whether to risk posting it again or taking it into the Job Centre by hand.

rogerblack

Taking it in by hand is not advisable - the jobcentre may not give you a receipt, and may not even accept it in some cases!
Send it recorded, or special delivery.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Jobseekers/ContactJobcentrePlus/DG_186391 - see the leaflet 'our service standards' for more information as to how to make a complaint.
In addition, you can get a complete copy of your JSA file, at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/privacy-policy/data-protection/

This is probably a good idea.

And regrettably, problems like this are not uncommon.

Read back through all the letters you got - it's not impossible there are two separate departments wanting copies of your bank accounts.

If you do resend the bank account info - probably a good idea - include copies of the proof of posting and delivery of the previous letter.

Elvisia

Wow thanks for this info, very useful.

I had two letters asking for the statements, one was DWP although to be sent to my JC, the other was from my compliance officer, to be sent to same JC address. I sent off two letters with two lots of statements. I've checked the new letter they sent me and it's the same address as where I originally sent them my statements, if this makes sense. I am surprised (although to an extent perhaps not really!) that since the compliance officer has all the statements why she has not put something on my file, or chased it up. When I got to the meeting with her I read my file notes upside down that she had, and they were wrong on a number of points regarding my finances, including saying I was on full JSA which I am not. I asked to have the corrections all written down in my statement. Too much to ask that they can actually sort it out I suppose!

Didn't want to send it recorded delivery as it's expensive when you're only on JSA, and I am already getting through my savings with no idea of when I'll be back in work.

Mrs_PepperPot

I always send recorded delivery, it only costs something like 80 p more. I would be annoyed if they lost my bank statements, I understand your frustration

real1314

Elvisia wrote: »

Today I get a letter saying I hadn't sent them my bank statements. I'm furious because this whole situation which I thought was dealt with isn't, but also all my personal bank statements, my address, NI etc are now floating around somewhere which leaves me open to fraud. Are they always this useless? I don't know who to complain to. Also I have to send all this information off again, I have no idea whether to risk posting it again or taking it into the Job Centre by hand.

You are unlikely to be any more open to fraud than you would have been if they had been filed correctly.
Assuming they got to DWP they will have gone astray somewhere in the system. That doesn't make fraud more likely.
:cool:

QuackQuackOops

Mrs_PepperPot wrote: »

I always send recorded delivery, it only costs something like 80 p more. I would be annoyed if they lost my bank statements, I understand your frustration

But what does recorded delivery do for you other than cost you money?

RD doesnt guarantee delivery, it can still get lost. Also it doesnt stop items getting lost within their own departments.

[Deleted User]

they would have to sign for it on del therefore you at least have proof that you sent it,its then their problem to locate it inside the system

uponahill

woodbine wrote: »

they would have to sign for it on del therefore you at least have proof that you sent it,its then their problem to locate it inside the system

Errr not so. All post goes to a central Post Office clearing house. It is opened by them and then re-sent by internal mail to the relevant DWP offices.

Being able to prove that it was received by the Post Office Opening Service is not the same as proving that it was received by the relevant DWP office. The DWP will NOT accept proof that it was received BY THEM unless they themselves actually sign for it which they don't. So Recorded Delivery or any other type of delivery is no better at at proving receipt by the DWP as is selotaping it to the backside of a cow and tieing it up outside their offices!!!!

Elvisia

I like the idea of getting a cow, preferably one who's in the mood for pooing, and just leaving it there for a while.

The original letter I got said I could also go in there with my statements, although this new letter says send by post, so I will go in there and ask to see someone. It's just a pain in the bottom, as it costs around £5 for the return bus fare unless I can find a neighbour who's going that way. The letter came with a prepaid envelope, so I assumed paying for recorded delivery would be a lot, I sent a parcel recorded which was tiny and it cost a bomb.

I am just concerned that my bank details are floating around, although I hope it doesn't mean anyone can access my accounts, I nearly had heart failure yesterday when my Santander account said I was trying to use an old debit card (it's reasonably new) but it eventually recognised it.

How much does a cow cost to rent for a few hours, I wonder.

[Deleted User]

uponahill wrote: »

Errr not so. All post goes to a central Post Office clearing house. It is opened by them and then re-sent by internal mail to the relevant DWP offices.

Being able to prove that it was received by the Post Office Opening Service is not the same as proving that it was received by the relevant DWP office. The DWP will NOT accept proof that it was received BY THEM unless they themselves actually sign for it which they don't. So Recorded Delivery or any other type of delivery is no better at at proving receipt by the DWP as is selotaping it to the backside of a cow and tieing it up outside their offices!!!!

maybe but it does act as proof of sending

uponahill

woodbine wrote: »

maybe but it does act as proof of sending

I agree, but the DWP do not accept proof of posting as being the same as proof of delivery!

The simplest of scams is to post an empty envelope to them, obtain proof of posting and then suggest that THEY have lost the documents. Doing this would, if they accept that type of proof, move the responsibility to the DWP to have to prove that they didn't receive the documents.

This scam and other similar ones have and are carried out regularly where for one reason or another you don't wish to disclose something but try to leave the DWP holding the can.

They are wise to this and will now not accept proof of posting as proof of delivery!

I have actually known this to happen when cash was sent (or not sent to be correct) and either a compensation claim was made or allegations of theft are made of the recipient or the Post Office.