I'm so terrified....please advise

marybelle01

My neighbours got one of these a couple of months ago and had the same panic. Someone came to see them at home. They ended up getting more benefits because they hadn't claimed the right ones!

BrandNewYear

mikey_bach wrote: »

what rate DLA are you getting, middle rate care or above if so you may be entitled to some extra benefit.
not saying this is the reason for your interview but I am sure you having nothing to worry about

Middle Rate Care, Lower Rate Mobility. I do get an added premium in with the ESA.

I read up on suspension. It says that in ESA cases they would give you minimum one month to get any required documents into them before considering suspension.

BrandNewYear

marybelle01 wrote: »

My neighbours got one of these a couple of months ago and had the same panic. Someone came to see them at home. They ended up getting more benefits because they hadn't claimed the right ones!

do you know what caused the compliance team to want to see them in the first place? Surely the DWP doesn't come knocking because they're desperate to give claimants more money LOL;)

sammyjammy

Think of it like an audit thing, its not a blame game they are just doing a job to protect the taxpayers purse.

Things like staff committing fraud and setting up benefit claims for non existent people have been picked up by compliance officers.

Try not to take it personally, its absolutely nothing to worry about. If you are, due to your health issues worrying, ring and try and ask them to make the interview sooner, less time to worry.

McKneff

OP, marybelle01 and mynameistallulah, know exactly what they are talking about.

Its just a check to see that you are getting the correct benefits, now stop worrying, hope this thread has given you some reassurance.

Now stop it, you'll only end up making your self ill with worrying;)

Annie

marybelle01

McKneff wrote: »

OP, marybelle01 and mynameistallulah, know exactly what they are talking about.

Its just a check to see that you are getting the correct benefits, now stop worrying, hope this thread has given you some reassurance.

Now stop it, you'll only end up making your self ill with worrying;)

Annie

To be honest when this happened to the neighbours I didn't have a clue. They asked me because I am a social work manager right now and therefore know everything! I'd only been back in the UK for a few months and it takes time to catch up.

I think this is what is called spin. Compliance officers check your benefit entitlement. That's it. But doesn't it sound scary? So if someone was actually cheating …...! I think it's intended to scare those who have something to find into signing off claims. If they actually thought you were defrauding them, you wouldn't need to wonder …you'd be under no illusions they were investigating you.

mikey_bach

BrandNewYear wrote: »

Middle Rate Care, Lower Rate Mobility. I do get an added premium in with the ESA.

I read up on suspension. It says that in ESA cases they would give you minimum one month to get any required documents into them before considering suspension.

If your current rate of ESA is around £100 per week, then you maybe entitled to more its called the SDP premium.

A compliance visit is common, and suspension is mentioned because once the visit has been notified you should be available for the visit, some people go out or make themselves unavailable for the visit and offer no explanation, the complince officer will then ring us to suspend the claim to prompt contact..

BrandNewYear

Can I just say thank you to you all for putting my mind at rest.

All this panic today has even had a silver lining - I've been investigating the idea of working from home on a freelance basis as soon as my Psychiatrist gives me the OK to do that. I've found out that I might well qualify for Disabled Working Tax Credits or something if I am eventually able to work 16 + hours per week and also perhaps a £40 a week Back To Work weekly credit for one year. I would be able to get off ESA and start earning! This is my goal now.

rogerblack

BrandNewYear wrote: »

Can I just say thank you to you all for putting my mind at rest.

All this panic today has even had a silver lining - I've been investigating the idea of working from home on a freelance basis as soon as my Psychiatrist gives me the OK to do that. I've found out that I might well qualify for Disabled Working Tax Credits or something if I am eventually able to work 16 + hours per week and also perhaps a £40 a week Back To Work weekly credit for one year. I would be able to get off ESA and start earning! This is my goal now.

In the initial stages, you may want to investigate permitted work.
For a period of one year, you can earn up to around 95/week, after allowed expenses without it affecting your ESA, working less than 16 hours.
You need to contact them first though.

leamingtonspaceman

They send these letters out using terms such as 'compliance' to people claiming ESA and then give an interview date a month in advance. Unfortunately, these types of letters can create panic in many ESA claimants who struggle with uncertainty.

Why on earth can't the DWP send the letters nearer to the appointment or, even better, reassure the recipient that the appointment is just to discuss benefit entitlement and is nothing to be alarmed about. Wouldn't be hard to put this in a standard letter.