Dla and customer compliance officer confusion??

Sowhat

Hi I'm new and after some advice bit long so please bear with me.

I am a single mum with 2 children my daughter has severe learning difficulties and I get dla and careers for her have been for the last 4 years.

About a 18 months ago I applied for dla for my self as I have COPD and a few other things and was awarded it.

Any way about the time I was awarded dla I became a lot friendlier with a lady who works in my local tescos and lives down the road from me (she gay) she split with her partner and we became closer I see her most days and she helps with my kids (has none of her own) and has stayed her several times when I have needed help. I was in a coma in december and she stayed here and looked after them for me as I have no family near and she gets on really well with them.

I was reported to benefit fraud last may that I was in a relationship with her and I explained that she helps with the kids and recently fell out with her ex and all her family etc and the lady was ok with that and not heard nothing until Monday I get a letter saying a customer compliance officer will be visiting on Thursday next week. Now it's obviously the same person that has said the same thing as I don't know any one and she is the only person that I am friends with and comes to my house a lot and does a lot of things with my kids coz I'm not always able to, and she has stayed a few times like i've woke in the night really ills d had to call her to look after them whilst I go to hospital or she has accompanied me on days out when I am we'll enough to go out.

So basically just wanted to know am I doing any thing wrong?? I'm not in a relationship with her she comes and helps out as I have no one else but am now worried that coz she comes to my house a lot that that could be classed as being a couple??? Also when I go to hospital is she allowed to stay at mine it would be unfair to drag the kids from their beds early hours of morning?? And beacause I'm on dla am I allowed to use mine and my daughters money to pay her to help us out?

rogerblack

In broad - you need to be 'living together as husband and wife(or civil partners).'

If there is no relationship beyond friends - that is - no expectation of sexual fidelity, or you represent yourself as a couple - you're not a couple for benefit purposes.

If you are not living in the same property, then there is no issue.

There are no hard and fast rules - ignore 'three nights' or whatever else someone may mention.
Legally, it's pretty simple. Are you living together? Are you doing so 'as husband and wife (or civil partners).

The complications arise as to how you prove a negative.
You may find http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/fraud-guide-living-together-investigations.pdf useful.