Benefit fraud travel abroad pip esa urgent

mentalissues

can someone urgently help me
what are the consequences if for several years i went abroad but did not notify them..will it be an overpayment? even if i was going mostly for medical reasons and within the 4 weeks allowed..

will it still be overpayment for failure to notify?
i had called the jobcentre as a general enquiry but they never took down my details so its not in the system my name was not requested nothing. but they did tell me that as long it wasnt over 4 weeks i wouldnt have to notify..i was wrongly informed unfortunately. the person i spoke to informed me wrong..but now its too late i trusted what she said.would this work in my favour does anyone know?for it not to be an overpayment?


i also did some medical treatment whilst abroad ..could that also help influence it not to be an overpayment? i i have mental issues and learning disabilities could this work in my favour? or will it be an overpayment?

i also have a financial debt with a friend which i pay every month.maybe this could also help my case? i just pay in cash back bit by bit (Hardship)


im on housing esa and pip

mentalissues

obviously someone reported me! and id like to know who

bspm1

mentalissues wrote: »

can someone urgently help me
what are the consequences if for several years i went abroad but did not notify them..will it be an overpayment? even if i was going mostly for medical reasons and within the 4 weeks allowed..

will it still be overpayment for failure to notify?
i had called the jobcentre as a general enquiry but they never took down my details so its not in the system my name was not requested nothing. but they did tell me that as long it wasnt over 4 weeks i wouldnt have to notify..i was wrongly informed unfortunately. the person i spoke to informed me wrong..but now its too late i trusted what she said.would this work in my favour does anyone know?for it not to be an overpayment?


i also did some medical treatment whilst abroad ..could that also help influence it not to be an overpayment? i i have mental issues and learning disabilities could this work in my favour? or will it be an overpayment?

i also have a financial debt with a friend which i pay every month.maybe this could also help my case? i just pay in cash back bit by bit (Hardship)


im on housing esa and pip

You say you are in receipt of ESA and PIP, you are allowed to go abroad whilst claiming these benefits, like you have been told the four weeks rule is the main thing.

Not sure why anyone would report you for going abroad.

McKneff

What makes you think someone reported you?
I honestly dont think you have done anything wrong.

It would be different if you were claiming job seekers allance .

pmlindyloo

How many times did you go abroad in those years?

Once a year for less than 4 weeks? More times?

antrobus

mentalissues wrote: »

obviously someone reported me! and id like to know who

The DWP ain't gonna tell you.

[Deleted User]

If you go abroad for less than 28 days for a holiday then you have broken no rules, its a debatable point as to wether you need to tell them, for medical treatment I think its upto 26 weeks
OP have the DWP been in contact with you about this? If we don't know the answer to that we can't give any more answers/opinion

calcotti

venison wrote: »

If you go abroad for less than 28 days for a holiday then you have broken no rules, its a debatable point as to wether you need to tell them, for medical treatment I think its upto 26 weeks
OP have the DWP been in contact with you about this? If we don't know the answer to that we can't give any more answers/opinion

The four week/26 week rule above applies to ESA. Similar rule applies to Housing Benefit.

For PIP it is 13 weeks (extended to 26 weeks if for medical treatment in connection with illness that began before going abroad).

[Deleted User]

It sounds to me its more like an investigation.

Try and get someone to go with you to any meetings, its sounds like there is a misunderstanding.

I would have thought you would just need to prove dates you went and came back as going away for under four weeks is permitted. Having proof of medical appointments would help back up your reasons for going abroad for short periods of time.

But it does sound like you need some help with this. I know when I had an investigation even though I hadn't actually done anything wrong, accusations were made very very forcefully and it was quite scary. I felt hung drawn and quartered for something I hadn't even done lol. It was very much an atmosphere of assumed guilt. But it did all come to nothing.

mentalissues

Thanks for your response. The report was made approx a year ago . Stating I was going away for months at a time just because they don't see me alot so .but flight transactions only amount to 4 weeks for each year. The issue is I did not notify and I was reading online and it says it will be an overpayment for not notifying .so I am worried I may have to pay back.the investigation was done but they closed it because it wasn't big enough of a fraud and because the bank statements alone with flight reference was not enough proof.so it was passed on for a normal compliance appointment but she came with the bank statements asking me to explain them and said that if she didn't believe me she would send it to their investigation team. But I told her some dates and she said she would send to the overpayment team. I'm worried It will be treated as an overpayment for not notifying

mentalissues

Yes but it can be overpayment for failure to notify