Interview Under Caution for Undeclared Capital.

neverdespairgirl

I've read transcripts of a number of similar interviews - where issues have been raised, and quite properly questions asked, and then answers given which show that everything is kosher. They aren't devils, honestly.

Glad you've got it all sorted, hope you get a better night's sleep tonight than you probably did yesterday!

Elvisia

I was the one who said they will be 'robust and challenging' because this comes from their own paperwork that is given to the officers who run these meetings. I posted up because I didn't want her to collapse if they were formal in their attitude, rather than being chatty. I had a similar meeting and someone had posted up a link to all the paperwork they follow, and I found it really useful to know what they were going to ask so I could respond accordingly.
I am very pleased it worked out well for you, even though it must have been pretty horrible having to find everything and have them go through all your accounts like that. I also think you utterly deserve to have a car, caring for disabled people definitely requires a vehicle so it's necessity not a luxury. So pleased you can move on with it all now, I hope it hasn't made you lose your faith in people.

princessdon

For me it shows a few things

a) how you never wavered - but were open to possibilities
b) how they were fair

Hopefully anyone else going through this can read and take heart. I want the DWP to ask questions to avoid fraud - a thread like this shows that when you have done nothing wrong - just go and tell them.

Hopefully you can bring support to others in similar circumstances in the future.

ceecee1

Aw, thank you for saying that I helped....

Although investigators are told to be robust, there really is no need to take that course of action if you are asking reasonable questions and getting proper answers.

Its only when its obvious that someone is lying that the interview might become a bit more challenging.

It sounds as if your bank account has been picked up on a data match and at first look you might have had either income or capital which would have affected your benefit. Add that to the fact that you are managing to pay the extra on your mortgage and hopefully you can see why the questions needed to be asked.

I'm glad it all went well for you. And I'm glad that the investigator realised how worried you were and phoned you.:T


And for the comments from Vax..I get really irritated when people who have no idea what they are talking about decide to 'give their advice' when it really doesn't help and just serves to scare people.
It might have been like that sometime in the olden days (I have no idea) but it certainly shouldn't be like that now. So unless people can really help I really wish that they just butt out

rosered1963

Trixiedog - I just wanted to say thanks for coming back and telling us what happened. It must have been a real worry, but it's great that they rang you to tell you no action would be taken. I wish you well in the future - you have your hands full with all your caring responsibilties - best wishes

missapril75

trixiedog wrote: »

They had copies of all my accounts going back to 2007 before I first started claiming.

ceecee1 wrote: »

It sounds as if your bank account has been picked up on a data match

This is the aspect in all this I find most puzzling.

Data matches were always about DSS/DWP records such as Income Suport records not showing a matching payment (or its existence) of another income paid by another part of that department and, presumably, HMRC now that they pay things the DWP used to pay.

There was never any cross checking of bank accounts. That could only be checked with the account holder's written permission - Form A42 IIRC.

I'm surprised they had copies of statements from before the claim. Unless right at the beginning they were considering deprivation of capital. But if that was the case and in awarding the benefit they decided deprivation did not apply, why on earth did anyone pick up the payment after all this time?

Or has it been decreed that government departments are now free to access people's bank records? Has anyone told The Guardian? :rotfl:

ceecee1

I think that the Guardian are well aware of the HMRC data matching which goes on with DWP - its has been up and running for a fair few years.

Interest bearing accounts are matched against means tested benefit claims. I assume that there is a limit input on the amount of interest earned which indicates a high amount of savings.

latakiahaze

I was in a very similar situation to you awhile ago. The most frustrating part was once the council had started the investigation they would not enter into any dialogue or explain why they had applied the suspension. Disregard anything anyone says about the police getting involved or anything so silly. You have not been charged with any criminal offence and the interview is usually just a fishing exercise. If you do not attend the council would simply make a decision in your absence. In the unlikely event this was ever put before a court you would still have a right to have your say and a criminal charge would have to be proven before the police could get involved.
In the letter you will have received the council no doubt told you their interview follows the police protocol for interviews under caution. This much is true, but it is not a police interview and the similarity ends there.
During the interview the council will read your application back to you and ask you if that is correct. They will then have to volunteer the information they think they have against you.
The council will have investigated all of your bank accounts and any other that are linked to you. If there is nothing hidden in these accounts and you do not own any other property you should have nothing to worry about. If someone has made a false allegation against you and there is no evidence to prove this, then it is simply their word against yours. You are innocent until proven guilty.
If you are not hiding anything, then don't worry.
The council often do random suspensions just to fill up a their quotas, save money and to appease the public relish for catching "benefit scroungers".
If you on a low enough income you can apply for criminal legal aid. If you cannot get a lawyer to assist you I would recommend taking a friend along to the interview for moral support. Let us know how you get on.

missapril75

ceecee1 wrote: »

I think that the Guardian are well aware of the HMRC data matching which goes on with DWP - its has been up and running for a fair few years.

Interest bearing accounts are matched against means tested benefit claims. I assume that there is a limit input on the amount of interest earned which indicates a high amount of savings.

How long? I was there (DWP) in 2004 and it wasn't something I'd heard of.

I like to keep up on these things and I've not seen anything in the news since I left. Was there no outcry about Privacy? Data protection?

ceecee1

missapril75 wrote: »

How long? I was there (DWP) in 2004 and it wasn't something I'd heard of.

I like to keep up on these things and I've not seen anything in the news since I left. Was there no outcry about Privacy? Data protection?

Is been a number of years - I've had a quick google and there are loads of posts but I haven't got time to find out the year...just look up 'generalised matching service' or GMS


Edited to add...they match lots of different data, not just bank accounts. They have looked at undeclared occupational pensions, credit applications etc