Work Focused Interview and Customer Compliance Interview

tortmad

I received a letter telling me to attend a work focused interview on 12th May. I had to give up work at the beginning of this year to look after my disabled father who lives with me. I am also a single parent and so i receive income support, carers allowance, carers premium, child benefit and child tax credits.

This sounds a lot but trust me its not i am really struggling to make ends meet. This is the first time i have been on benefits ever and i am worried that when i go, if they put me on job seekers allowance this will reduce my money. I would like to go back to work soon and think that i could manage to fit a part time job round looking after my dad but i would rather find my own decent paid job with hours that suit my circumstances than have them offer me interviews for minimal paying jobs. I have looked at their web page and most of the jobs are for minimal pay!

Then to make matters even more complicated i received a letter last week telling me to go for a customer compliance interview. I didnt know what it was at first but then i checked the internet! My interview is tomorrow. I am trying not to think about it as i dont know what i could have done wrong. I have only been claiming benefits for 4 months and i am lucky if i get £120 a week to keep myself and my son!! It just all seems so bizzare to me!! I feel guilty even though i haven't done anything! And i just know i will be mortified walking in there tomorrow! Anyway does anyone know if they will take me off IS and carers allowance for job seekers allowance? God this is so confusing and really hard work!!

Oldernotwiser

Does your father receive any benefits and is your older son still living with you? I seem to remeber your situation was a bit more complicated than your post implies. Just trying to get the fuller picture.

tortmad

Yes it is more complicated! My father receives disability allowance (and something else that goes with it but i cant remember what it is called) and a pension and my older son is due to start college this year. We live in my dads house with him (it was a council house which he bought a few years ago which i funded). My son used to care for my dad but he wanted to go to college and so i had to temporarily stop work to take over the care as i felt it wasn't fair on my son who did all the work for about 2 years without complaining once.

No one has asked me at any stage about details of my dads benefits, they only asked which benefits he received. Do you think it has something to do with this? In the compliance letter they asked me to bring, driving licence, utility bill, bank statement and rent details.

healy

They will not take you off Carers Allowance and put you onto Jobseekers Allowance. The Customer Compliance Interview may just be a routine check, alot of their work is just that. It could be that someone has reported you for something but as you have not done anything wrong there should not be a problem.

tortmad

Thanks for that. I will go tomorrow with all the required info and try not to look guilty!! Why do i do that! Even when i am out driving my dads car and a police car is behind me i feel guilty even though i haven't done anything and know that i am legal to drive it!