single mum, i have an interview with a "customer compliance" officer?

Squidge2009

god ellj thats awful, do some people have nothing better to do with their time saddo's.

glad you got it sorted xx

Squidge2009

just bumping again to see if any one has any more advice

i am still so worried and scared, been thinking about it all weekend

zoesmummy_2006

I had a home visit. My ex walked in sept 09 and me & the kids moved into a private rent in my home town in nov 09. I cant remember the date, but it was sometime between dec-feb that i got a letter stating theyd be calling to see me after a query had risen on my claim.

I was new to the whole single parent claiming and i did panic even though i knew id done nothing wrong, i was definately single-my ex moved another woman in with him within a few weeks!!!

The guy came round and was very nice, he just went through the details of my claim and i signed to say it was correct. That was it. The only thing i can think is that because my ex was seeing the kids for an hour every night after work as he worked nearby, and that was at my house, that someone decided we were still together and reported me

Try not to worry, i know its easier said than done, but you know youve done nothing wrong which is the thing to remember xx

Squidge2009

thanks zoesmummy

glad to hear it all went ok for you

i feel all paranoid that someone has reported me though, i have been convinced someone has. its not nice, i am suspecting practically everyone i know even though i know its silly

mumoftwo75

Hi, I hope you don't mind me asking but how did your interview go. I can understand your paranoia, words like 'complience' and 'integrity' seem to imply that you are doing something wrong.

I received a income support A2 form today from the benefit integrity centre. My circumstances are I have older children and have been claiming since last year as one of my children is disabled and a change in circumstances last year mean I am currently his main carer. So, I also receive carers allowence. I had never hear of this centre before and so my first reaction was paranoia! But, after doing a little research on the internet it seems the focus is checking claims to make sure they are accurate, chosen at random. I don't know. My advice would be to try not panic. No pearls of wisdom I'm afraid; but it is strange that for some of us our reaction is to worry about something there is nothing to worry about - I know, I do it all the time.

I hope it went well.

Best wishes

mumoftwo75

Doh! meant to say 'compliance'!!

jjj1980

Just to add to the 'try not to worry messages.

I have been a single parent since my ex husband left in March 2010. Around a year ago, I had letters from both the Benefits and Tax Credit compliance offices wanting to do further checks.

Turned out the Tax Credits letter was due to their operator putting my Income Support into the system as salary income!!

The Benefits team, as I later found out, had been told that I had a partner who visited every day and had been provided with photos. I was shown the pictures and can tell they were taken from the upstairs window of the house opposite mine. They were taken over a period of a week and show my dad getting to my house each day. At the time, he was on holiday from work and was helping do some repairs and redecoration in my house. He actually spoke to the person living in the house these are taken from, guy in his 50s who lives alone, while repairing a fence in my garden that had cracked.

It was all sorted quite quickly so as long as you have been upfront and provided all documentation available at the right time then you don't need to worry.

Squidge2009

hello

sorry to bump an old thread

but thought i would come back and let you know how it went, for anyone else that is in the same situation

basically, for all my worrying, it was just a standard interview to check all my circumstances were still the same. apparently they routinely do this now on new claims where there has been a separation.

and it was fine. i just confirmed everything was the same and signed a form to say that.

i definitely think they need to word their letters in a less intimidating way though :eek:

raven83

Squidge2009 wrote: »

hello

sorry to bump an old thread

but thought i would come back and let you know how it went, for anyone else that is in the same situation

basically, for all my worrying, it was just a standard interview to check all my circumstances were still the same. apparently they routinely do this now on new claims where there has been a separation.

and it was fine. i just confirmed everything was the same and signed a form to say that.

i definitely think they need to word their letters in a less intimidating way though :eek:

Thats good to hear But i do think its wrong that they write such intimidating letters when all they are wanting to do is check your circs :mad: