So worried .Advice needed.Interview under caution

schristine06

Hi. I have received a letter today from my local council informing that i have to attend an interview under caution regarding my claim for housing and council tax benefit and an "undisclosed non dependant".
I will give a brief as possible outline to my circumstances. I am a single parent to 3 children 18yrs,13yrs and 5 yrs all of whom are in full time education. I was made redundant 2 yrs ago and started claiming Housing benefit and Income support. A year ago i started working 7 hrs a wk caring for an elderly gent. I was earning £50 pwk which i declared and therefore had my Income Support reduced but my HB was unaffected.
I have recently taken on another job working 12 hrs p/w so i am now in total working 19 hrs p/wk. I informed all the necessary dept and am currently going through the process of a new claim for HB etc as my income is low.
I have no idea why i would be called for an interview regarding an "undisclosed non dependant" as i honestly have no one else living in my household. I am not even in a relationship and havent been for a few yrs. The only thing i can think it could possibly be is my eldest daughter. She is 24 yrs old and left home 4-5 yrs ago and moved in to her boyfriends with his Mum who is disabled.She still has some mail sent here. Not Bank Statements etc but junk mail. She hasnt been on the electoral role here for yrs. She ironically started a job with my local council a yr ago and had to have a CRB check. Due to her not being on the electoral role at her boyfriends either she had to write a statement confirming that she lived there. For some unknown reason though all correspondence from her employers is sent here. Could that be the reason? She also registered one of her cars here .
I wish the Fraud Investigation team had just knocked on my door unexpectedly and they could have come in and searched my house from top to bottom and would find no evidence of anyone who shouldnt be here.
Sorry if ive gone on a bit but i am so worried and the interview isnt for 3 wks yet. I have lost my appetite with wprry and doubt i will be sleeping much tonight. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you

oldhand

No expert on this but its possible you are correct in thinking its your eldest daughters causing the trouble for you.If she left your home 5 years ago she should not be having letters from her employer of a year coming to your address unless your daughter has given that address herself.
Having one of her cars registered at your address also certainly wont be helping as it shows a connection to your address and if its registered there because its classed as a lower insurance risk than her B/Fs address it could be classes as insurance fraud. I think you need to have a word with eldest daughter if for no other reason than to sort out why she gets letters from her employers sent to your address and also why have a car registered there?It may have an innocent explanation but some of it at least gives the impression shes living there.

PippaGirl_2

schristine, it doesn't sound like you have done anything wrong and there is no way you do have a non dependent living with you so you should be fine. Your daughter having mail sent to your house is not a crime. Her vehicle though should be registered at her address, but that's her issue and her responsibility/fault and not yours.
However my advice would be always to take someone with you to the IUC. If you cannot find a specialist advisor to go with you, take a trusted friend.

sorryitsme

I work for a local authority and they regularly do audits on employees. They cross reference the employee to the address they live at to see if they or their household are claiming anything they shouldn't be.

It could possibly be that is what caused them to ask you for an interview, as you daughter has given your address. I would try and gather as much info to prove your daughter doesn't live at your address e.g drs address for her, bills at another address.

[Deleted User]

just a thought are they fully aware that the 18year old is still in f time education?

schristine06

Hi Thank you all for taking the time to read and respond to my post.
Yes they are aware that my 18 yr old is still in full time education. In fact i received a letter from Housing benefit last week asking me to provide evidence of this. I took along proof yesterday.
I do think its my daughters mail etc thats causing this. I dont know why she left things registered here. Lazyness.
As this is worrying me so much ive researched Interviews Under Caution and apparently they're for cases where they have strong evidence. It sounds terrifying tbh.
I honestly havent committed any fraud but feel that they wont believe me. Does anyone know what kind of evidence theywould need?I hope theey have been watching my movements as they'll see who has been coming in and out.
Thanks again

lighting_up_the_chalice

Is the boyfriend or his mum claiming benefits and/or housing benefit?

schristine06

Her boyfriend works full time but his mum is unemployed. They pay the rent.

I wish the letter had given me a more indepth explanation.

lighting_up_the_chalice

schristine06 wrote: »

Her boyfriend works full time but his mum is unemployed. They pay the rent.

I wish the letter had given me a more indepth explanation.

I'm going to guess that boyfriends mum claims HB. So, your daughter should be triggering a non dep deduction, either at yours, or her boyfriends. I'll guess that she doesn't at either address.

They will be interviewing you to hear what you have to say regarding where your daughter lives. Then they will interview his mum. If both deny the daughters residency, I guess they will have to ask her.... She MUST know where she lives. But someone is almost certainly going to be liable for a non-dep deduction, backdated for 4 years.

ComeTheRevolution

I have adult children who left home years ago and still use my address because it's secure. That is neither unusual or unlawful and it would not preclude me from any benefits.

If it's the daughter's post causing the problem then I'd say the council were at fault for not simply asking the O/P.

lighting_up_the_chalice

ComeTheRevolution wrote: »

I have adult children who left home years ago and still use my address because it's secure. That is neither unusual or unlawful and it would not preclude me from any benefits.

If it's the daughter's post causing the problem then I'd say the council were at fault for not simply asking the O/P.

That's what they are doing... Under caution.