Benefit fraud advice

A_Flock_Of_Sheep

I wouldn't worry over £300 odd. Make sure you research the amount of money diddled by MPs and tax evaders and remind the interviewer they should have a very busy time chasing after them. Also remind them of the legal system of Britain that looks to interview a vulnerable person under caution over £300 yet fails to prosecute some Lord for child abuse offences until the public puts the pressure on. Also remind the council that various grass verges need cutting along with litter bins that need emptying and also ask them how much they have lost of taxpayers money in gambling on LOBOs.

The council have no real business picking on you because I am sure if you look closely into them they are not without reproach.

PS: Also think of a dozen things you can serve an FOI on them with. It will cost them more than £300 to process those too.

dippy3103

A_Flock_Of_Sheep wrote: »

I wouldn't worry over £300 odd. Make sure you research the amount of money diddled by MPs and tax evaders and remind the interviewer they should have a very busy time chasing after them. Also remind them of the legal system of Britain that looks to interview a vulnerable person under caution over £300 yet fails to prosecute some Lord for child abuse offences until the public puts the pressure on. Also remind the council that various grass verges need cutting along with litter bins that need emptying and also ask them how much they have lost of taxpayers money in gambling on LOBOs.

The council have no real business picking on you because I am sure if you look closely into them they are not without reproach.

PS: Also think of a dozen things you can serve an FOI on them with. It will cost them more than £300 to process those too.

Whilst I agree it's wrong that anyone gets away with Child Abuse, it's not the issue here.

The council are highly unlikely to prosecute for £300 and even if they did prison would be highly unlikely.

Ring the investigator dealing with your case and ask if there has been a decision re what happens next.

tomtom256

A_Flock_Of_Sheep wrote: »

I wouldn't worry over £300 odd. Make sure you research the amount of money diddled by MPs and tax evaders and remind the interviewer they should have a very busy time chasing after them. Also remind them of the legal system of Britain that looks to interview a vulnerable person under caution over £300 yet fails to prosecute some Lord for child abuse offences until the public puts the pressure on. Also remind the council that various grass verges need cutting along with litter bins that need emptying and also ask them how much they have lost of taxpayers money in gambling on LOBOs.

The council have no real business picking on you because I am sure if you look closely into them they are not without reproach.

PS: Also think of a dozen things you can serve an FOI on them with. It will cost them more than £300 to process those too.

Ah ok so tell a benefit fraud investigator to go after the real criminals then or should they be doing the job they are paid to do.

The OP has made some sort of mistake and has been investigated for it. MP's have been investigated by the relevant body/agency and HMRC should be looking at the tax evaders.

As for the OP being prosecuted, if the total overpayment is under £2k then it is highly unlikely it would go to court. Who is your LA as it should say in their presecution policy what the threshold is before court action.

Is there a reason OP, that the housing benefit hasn't being investigated as it seems a little strange they would only investigate the council tax benefit?

dboughtwood

That's what we were wondering and they stayed just council tax benefit even though both were effected and housing we were over paid more than the council tax too. Maybe it's cause that has been paid and we have paid bits and pieces with the council tax as and when we had it.

pukkamum

This happened to me a few years ago and i was just given a DWP caution, no criminal record. Mine was a very meagre amount though just a slight overlap due to an information breakdown.
I was just very upfront and honest in the interview and gave a sincere apology.

dippy3103

dboughtwood wrote: »

That's what we were wondering and they stayed just council tax benefit even though both were effected and housing we were over paid more than the council tax too. Maybe it's cause that has been paid and we have paid bits and pieces with the council tax as and when we had it.

If you live in an area where the investigation of HB has gone over to the "Single fraud investigation service" then the Council Tax Reduction Scheme " element would be looked at by the council & the Housing Benefit by the DWP (possibly even the investigator that used to work for the council!). You may or may not be called in for an IUC by the DWP about the housing benefit- it's possible that the o/p of HB is below their threshold to deal with.

When you did report that you had started work, did you give the wrong date? If so that's probably why they have conducted an IUC

ring them and ask... They don't bite, honest x

A_Flock_Of_Sheep

If I was overpaid by a few hundred quid I wouldn't even bother wasting my shoe leather out attending some sort of interview under caution. They aren't the police. I would just send them a cheque for the overpayment and with a letter considering the matter closed.

dippy3103

A_Flock_Of_Sheep wrote: »

If I was overpaid by a few hundred quid I wouldn't even bother wasting my shoe leather out attending some sort of interview under caution. They aren't the police. I would just send them a cheque for the overpayment and with a letter considering the matter closed.

They may not consider the matter closed though.

tomtom256

A_Flock_Of_Sheep wrote: »

If I was overpaid by a few hundred quid I wouldn't even bother wasting my shoe leather out attending some sort of interview under caution. They aren't the police. I would just send them a cheque for the overpayment and with a letter considering the matter closed.

However most authorities will prosecute if someone fails to attend an interview, so may end up with a criminal record if you follow this barrack room lawyer, who clearly has no idea.

Authorities can and do prosecute for fraud, they just have no powers of arrest to force an interview, unlike the police. That being said though, they can ask the police to arrest someone if they want to so that they can interview them.

dboughtwood

Started work in December 8tj 2014 and when dos tell them end d March I said I started in March I guess to try and hide that I d made a horrendous error and before I get slated I know this is wrong and we have paid back all of the council tax over payment £356. Also housing is dealt with by a different group hence why no interview with them and have almost paid that one back too. I ll go to interview and be completely honest and state all the circumstances we have been through etc and just hope it's enough and defo won't make Same mistake again