update@ URGENT money suspended. LONG term incapacity and complience!!!!

problem1

Please see original post here (i cannot post links as i am new) itts long so if you have read it can you scroll down to the end of it and see the latest update thanks

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Hi I urgently need some advice/help. I have a friend on incapacity benefit which i believe is now esa. She have been NFA - no fixed abode, as far as income support. But she moved into a few months ago but forgot change her NFA status.

She has correspondence mail to me (including benefits P.O payment letters to me) as a safe postal address. Her money was stopped recently, she didn't know anything about it until it didn't go in around 22 December I received no letters from anyone, she did not either.
After much to-ING and fro-ING it seems it it the compliance department around 10th December, that have tried to contact her (first by standard letter) and then (i think)by telephone and because she always loses her mobile, changes number, could not do so.

At present we do not know where letter was sent. The letter stated for her to attend an appointment. no information on what the appointment is has been given by income support, as complience team i different. It should have come here as a c/o address, but didnt. approx 10th december 2013.

We were told by income support that they then tried to contact by telephone but to no avail and her money was then suspended. we were tolds this is standard practice. IS THIS TRUE?

She suffers from severe social anxiety, BDD and post traumatic stress, She had to have major operations upon her face a few years ago, maxifacial reconstuction, due to a terrible mugging. The |Surgical term a
zygomatic osteomony. The BDD was long before the operations.

She has been written off to such an extent that even ATOS appointments have rescinded appointments once relevant doctors notes have been sent. I'm assuming that the problem is therfore, because she has not been to an atos apointment (though many have been made and then rescinded) and is on esa

long term, and constant moving address, and the NFA, hostel address with housing benefit , and the c/o address all being different, it may be the suspicion of fraud? i.e they want to check this person exists?

also before she went NFA no fixed abode she was living in the same areas as the c/o address, now she has moved to a different area so the hostal address is outside her previous income support area, though close by.

One final point, she always loses her P/O benefits cards, and constantly has new ones. would this have flagged the system as well?

she is scared terribly that its something to do with atos, or something. can someone shed some light on this situation as she does not understand, considering they would have medical info (correct?) on her disabilities, that she should be asked to come in for an interview, when even ATOS have said she does not need to come in. she is fearful. and extremely worried. can any relevant problems be done over the phone? income support could offer no more info, and the compliance team are not around till Thursday, she is not sleeping well

can someone full answer these points? thank you.


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please note, i really appreciate all genuine help thank you for that. i have had some attacks from some members. i don't understand why. what Ive said has been the truth. I'm trying to help-someone;

I finally managed to get an answer from the compliance team (over the phone) could people, helpful people, respond to the below? thank you
literally begged for information on behalf of the person. The answered that because the person has been on the benefits for so long they which to verify the claimant?), by going into the job center and verifying themselves in person!

Problem being because of her social anxiety issues she doesn't want to go and is afraid they will pin her down with more questions.

The question I suppose is - If the compliance team (from the phone conversation i had) say they just want to id the person, i.e verify they exist. is this is all they want to do? they admitted this was the reason on the phone. I find this strange i manages to get this out of them considering they are out to target fraud and suchlike. i read they usually keep things close to their chest?

can/should I drag the person to the job-centre and guarantee them it will be a quick procedure or do you think it will be far more convoluted?
Also by forcing her to go to a job-centre could atos be informed that the person is not as 'ill' as they say?

thanks (hopefully) for all you help. We really appreciate it.

rogerblack

https://www.gov.uk/become-appointee-for-someone-claiming-benefits

It is likely that this is all they want.
However, the possibility that it's not cannot be ruled out.
It is not impossible you could request a home visit.

mikey_bach

If someone is on IB and I.S and is NFA then they are not entitled to the disability premium unless they have a care of address.
Now she has she may be entitled to more money
OP you state that your friend has moved and not informed the dept, you have rang compliance and they have spoken to you without her consent, ie she was not there.
I think they have been very generous, as stated if she is unable to manage her affairs then you will have to become her appointee.
Your friend is NFA, no contact number, can't be reached, she could be as far as anyone knows abroad. I am not saying she is, the Department clearly needs to know her whereabouts
She will have to see and contact them. They have suspended her benefit and can close it. Sometimes after a month if no contact
As said can you arrange a home visit, if not then I cant see an answer.
She must have to attend doctors, dentists etc, this also a appointment she needs to keep or risk losing her benefits altogether
I am sure it will be fine, but she will have to attend a Job Center if no home visit can be arranged

problem1

Thank you for your replies.

Just want to clarify as they say that they want to confirm her identity what would they expect for her to bring to the job center in forms of ID. She has no passport or drivers license. Her ID is very limited. Will they be able to verify her by other means? Questions re her history, previous addresses etc

How long can she expect to be at the job center. Will the compliance happen there and then or will she be asked to return?

How long will it take approximately before money is reinstated?

Are there any payments that she can apply for in the interim?

Replies appreciated as always

lemontart

has she any involvement with social workers etc who may be able to help

Morglin

If she has a CPN, then they should be able to assist, but she really does need to get to the JCP and sort this out, so her payments can start again.

They rarely do home visits, although you could ask - but if she has been of NFA, she must have been staying in different places/moving about? They may say she can go out etc.,

She needs to take absolutely anything that proves who she is - as she has been NFA, they should understand that she hadn't got the usual documents.

But, whatever, get her down there so they can verify her.

Lin

problem1

Thank you for all of your replies.

I have managed to get her to a local job center on Wednesday but unfortunately the compliance team were out on home visits.

We tried again Thiursday but no joy, We were given their direct line numbers and havent been able to get through to them until this morning. They said there was nothing recorded on their system re the copliance issues and to try another job center. The issue is that members of the team are not always in as we went to another job center yesterday and nobody seems to be able to direct me to the right team

I called DWP call center yesterday and they requested a call back from the compliance team by end of the day but nobody called. I have requested another call back this morning but we are really concerned as the claim is still with the decision maker and we are worried it will be closed if we don't find out exactly where she needs to go and who she needs to see.

Could someone please advise as to what we should do?

Thank you

problem1

when we do manage to get through to /see the compliance team at job center (in her old area where shes actually registered to come in and see them) and offer the proof of ID. Could it be possible that the team / person (be contrary/ jobsworth) can then refuses to accept ID because now that shes moved its not in her jurisdiction. this simple task is becoming a nightmare as we were originally told go into a local job center. we were NOT TOLD you have to go into the job center where you would be registered and see a SPECIFIC compliance team, and a specific person on THAT TEAM. this makes it difficult as often the whole team (and person are out!!) so happens that this person is back from holiday today. I managed to get this information from the compliance section in the job-center by visiting it myself last week. the person saw me but explained they don't normally see people off the street (by appointment only ) . can anyone offer any more advice. it is worth going in again as I know that the officer is back today. Is is worth (bringing the client with me on the off-chance)?

HB58

It sounds as if the best course of action would be to make an appointment to see the person who has asked your friend to attend.

Morglin

You can phone the office, and make an appointment with the specific compliance officer that she needs to see.

She needs to sort this out, as quickly as possible.

Lin

mikey_bach

problem1 wrote: »

Is is worth (bringing the client with me on the off-chance)?

Client thought that you were helping your friend.....
You will have to arrange an appointment, you have just a month then they close the claim...
hope you get it sorted