ESA - Jobcentre Plus want to do a Customer Benefit Review

Poppie68

They won't go away..Your wife will have to have the review if you keep cancelling appointments they may turn up at the door..or even suspend her claim. Have a friend or relative to sit with her if needed.

paragon909

What's the big deal, If you have nothing to hide then a benefit review should be no problem, Compliance interview is different this comes if the benefit review finds something that needs to be investigated further in which case it gets referred to either fraud or compliance.

They have the right to sanction or stop claims if OP wife doesn't comply. And just because your in the support group doesn't mean you cant go out the door or completely incapacitated that you cant move, walk or talk. Is your wife in a wheel chair with mental retardation that means she cant communicate with anyone????

Londonsu

racon wrote: »

What you are suggesting or agreeing to is to take this country back to the 1950/60's when people used to have to claim National Assistance. The National Assistance Board officer would go round to the home, make a note of things/furniture etc that should be sold and to question the claimant and their spouse to establish how they managed to get themselves in the mess they were in. It was degrading and appalling that people had to sink to that level before any help was given.

No actually what is being suggested is that is no longer acceptable to give people benefits just because they ask for them with no checks on change of circumstances or eligibility.

I had to go with my 84 widowed Dad to get housing benefit and council tax relief sorted yesterday.

After working for 70 years, old age and ill heath has caught up with him and he has finally had to give up his cleaning job, that's 51 years of paying NI and 70 years of paying tax.

He had initially been turned down for both benefits as he didn't give them the correct information so my Sister and I both took a day off work to help him.

The point is that if a man of his age who has paid in for as long as he has has to prove his entitlement for help why shouldn't everyone else.

As it was the whole process went smoothly and he was treated with courtesy and respect throughout.

hips12

I received a letter from Jobcentre Plus and was very concerned too.
I telephoned them as I didnt know what was going on and they asked me about my disability (I receive ESA support group, DLA high rate mobility, mid rate care )
They said they would get someone to phone me to do an assessment over the phone.
Basically they were checking everyone locally who are on benefits but don't have anything to do with the local Jobcentre Plus office, just so they are aware who is on their system and what their situation is.
I spoke to a perfectly pleasant lady who asked me about my disability.
I told her I was very happy for someone to come out and see me but she said there was no need.
Obviously this is some kind of new initiative to prevent people slipping under the radar.
As has been said, I had nothing to hide so nothing to fear.

Hips12

hips12

racon wrote: »

That is all well and good, but what would happen if the claimant wasn't as able as you were to be able to express themselves over the phone. Even worse, if they turned up on their doorstep, can you imagine how someone could be frightened or felt intimidated.
There is a time and a place for these sort of 'tests and reviews' at a pre arranged appointment with ATOS where evidence can be handed over and the interview could be recorded. To just telephone and ask for all manner of personal information is certainly not the right place. If they did that to me I wouldn't be prepared and could so easily say something that may be taken out of context. I would also be asking what training, experience and qualifications this person had to be able to review any sickness/disability benefit.

Sorry I was just pointing out that having had the same thing happen to me it isn't anything to worry about.
When I received the letter I immediately phoned the DWP as I thought there was an issue with my benefits, but she said just to call Jobcentre Plus as there was nothing on my records of any concern.
Basically I was just trying to reassure the OP that this is a routine initiative from Jobcentre Plus that seems to have started last year.
I do however get the point you were trying to make.

Hips12