Interview Under Caution for Undeclared Capital.

pmlindyloo

trixiedog wrote: »

I have a mortgage and they pay the interest for my mortgage. I declared whatever savings I had when I first claimed and never updated because I didn't go over the £2,300. My husband and children have no savings. Vax2002..yes you did scare the hell out of me. I'm absolutely ill about this but can't understand why I have been singled out especially since it is an Interview under Caution. I honestly have no savings except just the £1,300 which is a joint account with my husband. My kids have about £150 in both their accounts. My mum is disabled and can be housebound. I recently agreed, at the banks request and my mums, to be a second signatory on her account for when she can't leave the house. Prior to this, the bank were happy with my mum signing withdrawal slips for me to pay her bills but the bank had me fill out a form. It is not a joint account and is not my money. I can prove this. I only have access to pay my mums bills or withdraw money on her behalf and continue to get her to fill out the withdrawal slips as before. Do you think this could be it? They maybe think her moneys mine. She will have more than £16,000 in the account.

I would be inclined to believe that your being a secondary signatory to your mum's account is the problem.

To be on the safe side I would be hotfooting it to the bank and checking that all is as it should be. Ask them to write a letter explaining that you have no access to the account without your mum's signature.

If the bank has mucked up and it is a joint account you will need them to write a letter explaining their mistake (don't leave until you get it - this is you under suspicion.

The only other thing I can think of is someone 'dobbing you in' for some reason.

No foreign holidays/new cars on the driveway (you get the picture, I'm sure )

mynameistallulah

From what you have said, you have nothing to worry about. I would go to the interview and see what evidence they have. If it is to do with your mother's account that will be easy enough to explain, the money cannot be used for your own benefit. Otherwise, it could be a mistake by HMRC, they may have someone else's account matched to your NI number. Again, you will be able to explain that it is not your account.

I don't think you need a solicitor to go with you. The interview will be recorded so everyone is protected, there is no doubt as to what has been said. What I would do is take all your bank statements with you, for your own reference as much as theirs.

Is the letter definitely from the local authority? IUC's are often conducted jointly with the DWP, but the letter would say so if that was the case.

trixiedog

pmlindyloo wrote: »

The only other thing I can think of is someone 'dobbing you in' for some reason.

But surely they still would need reason or evidence to follow this up as an Interview under Caution or do you think they think I've got money hidden under my bed or something? They'd surely need to have reason to think this. Sorry, don't know how these things work. Never claimed until this claim as had to give up work to care for my son and husband. This is the first time this has happened to me and I'm terrified. Could I be walking into this interview and they have no evidence whatsoever? I'd be annoyed at that altho relieved I imagine. I'd have thought no evidence would've warranted an informal interview

mynameistallulah

If it is the case that someone has reported you they will have gathered more evidence before doing an IUC.

trixiedog

mynameistallulah wrote: »

From what you have said, you have nothing to worry about. I would go to the interview and see what evidence they have. If it is to do with your mother's account that will be easy enough to explain, the money cannot be used for your own benefit. Otherwise, it could be a mistake by HMRC, they may have someone else's account matched to your NI number. Again, you will be able to explain that it is not your account.

I don't think you need a solicitor to go with you. The interview will be recorded so everyone is protected, there is no doubt as to what has been said. What I would do is take all your bank statements with you, for your own reference as much as theirs.

Is the letter definitely from the local authority? IUC's are often conducted jointly with the DWP, but the letter would say so if that was the case.

Yes, defo the local authority only but I have to admit, I was surprised that it was only for council tax as i'm allowed up to £16,000 in savings for them so if I've got £16,000+ savings hidden somewhere then DWP would be onto me big time.

Unfortunately I stopped bank statements a couple of years ago as have internet banking. I'd print them off but I don't know what year never mind month they're referring to. I will happily log into my account though and give them free range of my accounts as I have nothing at all to hide.

vax2002

Scare the hell out of you ?
have you come here for people to tell you it is all going to be OK.
I am very sorry, but the type of interview you are going to is a fraud investigation to gather evidence for a prosecution.
It's not a tea and cakes meeting to see how you are getting on.
If you have done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear.
But not preparing yourself and putting your head in the sand wont help you.

If you are sure you are in the clear 100% I would suggest you attend the meeting, answer all questions, they wont have any evidence and you wont be charged.

mynameistallulah

trixiedog wrote: »

Yes, defo the local authority only but I have to admit, I was surprised that it was only for council tax as i'm allowed up to £16,000 in savings for them so if I've got £16,000+ savings hidden somewhere then DWP would be onto me big time.

Unfortunately I stopped bank statements a couple of years ago as have internet banking. I'd print them off but I don't know what year never mind month they're referring to. I will happily log into my account though and give them free range of my accounts as I have nothing at all to hide.

Anything over £6,000 will reduce your CTB award, £16,000 is the cut off point/ upper capital limit. But you are still below the former, so shouldn't have a problem.

trixiedog

mynameistallulah wrote: »

If it is the case that someone has reported you they will have gathered more evidence before doing an IUC.

I keep myself to myself and tell no one my business. I don't have to sign on because I am a carer so no one knows I receive benefits although they could hazard a guess that I must get funds from somewhere.
So they would only pull me in if they've gathered evidence to prove that I have capital? Problem is, I don't have any which is why I thought they'd made an error on the letter and stated it was capital instead of something else although I haven't done anything else wrong. The system is so vast and ever changing that I was worried that something had changed and made me not elligible for something but they assured me the undeclared capital was correct.

trixiedog

vax2002 wrote: »

Scare the hell out of you ?
have you come here for people to tell you it is all going to be OK.
I am very sorry, but the type of interview you are going to is a fraud investigation to gather evidence for a prosecution.
It's not a tea and cakes meeting to see how you are getting on.
If you have done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear.
But not preparing yourself and putting your head in the sand wont help you.

If you are sure you are in the clear 100% I would suggest you attend the meeting, answer all questions, they wont have any evidence and you wont be charged.

I haven't come here to be humoured. I am simply trying to gather as much information and prepare myself as much as possible before I go into this meeting. I am well aware that it is a fraud investigation as wouldn't have asked for help if I though it was a tea and cakes meeting but I also believe that they need to listen to my answers and also have to show me the proof if they have something on me. It is a taped interview so there are guidelines that they must follow. My reasons for asking for help was because I have never been in an interview like this and wanted to be prepared. It won't help me to walk in absolutely petrified and unable to answer them which will be a sure sign of guilt. I want to answer their questions and prove them wrong 100% because I have not done anything wrong but it doesn't stop me worrying or wanting to go in prepared.

Mojisola

trixiedog wrote: »

My mum is disabled and can be housebound. I recently agreed, at the banks request and my mums, to be a second signatory on her account for when she can't leave the house. Prior to this, the bank were happy with my mum signing withdrawal slips for me to pay her bills but the bank had me fill out a form. It is not a joint account and is not my money. I can prove this. I only have access to pay my mums bills or withdraw money on her behalf and continue to get her to fill out the withdrawal slips as before. Do you think this could be it? They maybe think her moneys mine. She will have more than £16,000 in the account.

As there don't seem to be any other issues with your money, I suspect this is the problem. Has someone at the bank ticked a box that says you are now a joint account holder? Gather all the information you can for the interview.

If you can't get legal representation, find someone who will go with you. If you're really stressed, you won't remember everything you want to say and you won't remember properly what goes on. Ask whoever goes with you to make notes.