Advanced Search

Whilst I frown upon the word Nazi.
I’m sorry but the way this person has treated me I’m afraid I struggle to care that “she too is a person”
She told me “well despite trying to kill yourself you weren’t successful AGAIN, so I do t hold much weight to that”
“Using your mental health as away to escape rules is not going to look good for you”
“ I could be watching you right now and you wouldn’t know”
Where is the humanity in ANY of those statements to someone severally mentally unwell.
She is a compliance officer, I’m complying as best I can. She won’t be happy until I’m dead.

And furthermore, the person under discussion in this case is a DWP compliance officer (as the topic title very clearly states) who it appears is happily engaging in the wilful, prolonged bullying and harrassment of a vulnerable claimant.

Not quite the hapless rule-bound HCA that you claim should elicit our sympathies.

Hi JaneyJane

Not that I am a Solicitor but a few points.
1) You have the right to have support with you when this person has you in interview.
2) An earlier point about recording her, you have to inform her that you are recording her in order, that your recording be considered evidence. Although, if she is an situation where she is looking into possible "deception" then she should be recording the interviews anyway.
3) As earlier posts, make sure your Mental Health team are aware of how her attitude towards you is affecting you Health. Because that is considered in itself as an offence. (Protection of vulnerable Adults/Duty of Care)
4) I assume we are talking about a 'Means tested' Benefit? Otherwise, she has no business 'investigating' you.
5) No matter who she is or what position she holds, you are totally within your rights to make a complaint of harassment and what appears to me, as victimisation.
I wish you good luck! And make sure and have someone with you when you engage with her again.
Hope you have a speedy recovery also

"Is it necessary to use the word "Nazi" in a conversation?"

You're quite right, Godwin's Law, and all that. And the term 'Stasi' is actually more appropriate.

Also, even the briefest review of the actions of the person concerned in this instance is more than enough to cast their humanity into doubt.

Is it necessary to use the word "Nazi" in a conversation? Especially with world events as they are at the moment (and no, I`m not Jewish).

I do understand and appreciate that people have had problems with DWP (I, myself, have had a bad experience), but using such words are neither appropriate nor acceptable.

Don`t forget the person, or people, you are dealing with at the other end of the line is / are human(s); HCAs are working to rules set by people further up the ladder (and usually by people who don`t understand the environment they are responsible for).

Vent your anger / frustration by all means, but please don`t relate people to a particularly repugnant part of recent history.

Hi wibblum,

I was penalised myself with having my UC reduced by over £100 per month and it was because of a mixture of savings which I'd saved myself working for nearly 17 years in local government, and another 5 elsewhere, and also a backdated payment of PIP. They want to know everything. I had to give a years worth of bank statements, and prove that I'd bought a new bed, PC and decorating like I'd stated - I even handed in my car repairs costs. I also nearly ended up with a £50 fine because im in the H2S scheme, and had totally forgot to declare it because I thought that because it was DWP related, that the DWP would know about it, but actually this turned out not to be the case. I think it's going to get worse over time, especially after Hunts statement on 22nd November. I think it'll push more people into becoming suicidal, because of their health issues.

Regards, Chris.

Shouldn't this jumped-up little Nazi primarily be concerning herself with your incoming finances rather than your outgoing ones? What business of hers is it where it goes, her only concern should be where it comes from.

As for hounding you in hospital, surely (at least until Stride gets his way) this is actual harrassment?

Your MP needs to get onto this as soon as humanly possible, and you need to inform and involve your health professionals and be telling as many people as will listen about it. You also need to record as many of your interactions with this - person - as you possibly can from this point on.

“No one can give you any money whilst you are in receipt of government benefits “

Absolutely ridiculous (which of course sadly doesn't make it unlikely with the DWP).

I don't get Housing Benefit because my adult son lives in my home. The rent (and Council Tax) still has to be paid, though, so he (correctly according to DWP rules as he is working full-time) pays for both in full. The tenancy and C.Tax are still in my name, though, so the money has to go into my account to be paid in my name. Does this count as me being 'given money'? Under their rules, I suppose it does.

Hi JaneyJane,

OMG - that sounds an awful experience. I worked in finance for many years, and I can't get my head around "help with travel costs" being classified as income, especially if it was public transport for example. Surely if a bus journey costs £2 there and back for example, and you get £2 travel costs, then that leaves a 0 figure, so how can that be taken into account as income ?

This compliance officer sounds like they believe they're one of the important type of people where what they say goes - I think I'd be seriously thinking about lodging a complaint if I was being spoken too like that.

Regards, Chris.

She’s questioning my access to work payments (I worked and declared it and got help with travel costs , well I was reimbursed) but she’s now saying that too was income and should have been declared.
When I explained I needed to move one of our “chats” as my father is terminally ill and I needed to wait on a call from him I was told it all sounded “ a bit too convenient “ and as such she wouldn’t move the call.
I am not exaggerating when I say she literally scared me into a suicide attempt and I’m still being hounded despite being sectioned.
She can apparently make one call and get all my bank, credit card and health records and seems hellbent on pining something on me.

Hi JaneyJane, you know what you've 'done wrong'??? You've acted 'middle class' by having your daughter have piano lessons and attend school trips, even though you are not paying for these. This appalling woman should not be allowed to get away with such [I'm running out of string adjectives here] utterly repellent, unbelievably bullying behaviour. She is wrong anyway, suspicion of fraud should not obviate [remove] DWP's obligation to deal carefully with claimants with severe mental health issues.
I was in a very similar situation many years ago with my mum subbing school trips and music lessons, and we were accused of 'intentional deprivation of capital' after eating and heating our way through a small legacy. They docked £1 a week for every £250 or part thereof, it was hell as they refused to accept the money had been genuinely used up on normal spending. Since when have building societies paid out 20% a year interest???
So glad your Psychiatrist is supportive, I hope the MP is too, please take care, Denby

Hi JaneyJane

Welcome to the forum.

You might want to have a look at the following FAQ which explains where everything is; www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/guides-for-claimants/faq/forum.

You have done the right thing by going to your MP, what you want to do is record her conversation next time she calls, without telling her.

I would also seek advice from your local Welfare Rights Organisation or even a Law Centre; advicelocal.uk or lawcentres.org , they may be able to help you write a formal complaint.

You can have up to £6k in savings without affecting benefits, you only need to declare regular income, not one off payments from a grandmother to her granddaughter.

Gary

I have recently had the misfortune of a compliance interview with someone I can only describe as terrible. She a cursed me of having an ISA account (the same accusation as last year and this was disproven) so she requested my bank statements going back 2 years.
She is now saying she knows the ISA isn’t mine but is combing through my statements in a way I find utterly ridiculous. “What did you take £200 out of an ATM ON April 14th 2023 for?” And then asking for receipts!
My ex partners parents are very good to my daughter and have transferred her money for a laptop for school, piano lessons and various school trips (I might add you can then see I pay for these things in the same month or the next month) but this I’m being told is fraud.
“No one can give you any money whilst you are in receipt of government benefits “
During all of this I was sectioned and she still rang and tried to get me to say I knew I was receiving money I shouldn’t have been (the money in question being from my dad for my birthday and my mum pays for my hair integration as I have alopecia) she then said she needed another 2 months bank statements so I should sign out of hospital and pop to the bank! Not sure if she knows what being sectioned means.
This is still ongoing I’m not sure what she is actually accusing me of but I snapped yesterday and said “for gods sake what is it your wanting”
Her response was as follows
“Your mental health is not the concern of the dwp, their are rules you have to follow regardless of you being in hospital, I am a Compliance Officer all it takes is one call to your bank and they send me every bit of information they hold about you, I can access your health records and I often watch people covertly and they don’t even know it, so wouldn’t it be easier to do as I ask rather than force me to play hardball?”
I slightly ashamed to say I told her I didn’t want to carry on the conversation and if she felt she needs to close my benefit claims do so and hung up. My mental health then went drastically downhill again (I had been making some progress.)
My Psychiatrist has written a letter detailing how I’ll I am at present and we have contacted my MP but I really thought compliance was more about error than fraud which is what it looks like she’s accusing me of.
A final question. I’m supposed to, health allowing, go to visit my mum out of the country in a week or so and she’s saying that won’t be happening until “she’s done with me” she can cancel my passport according to her.

All this my well be true but I haven’t as far as I knew broken any rules. I do have one ISA WITH £3000 in it (a LISA) but I have always declared that to the dwp.
She is definitely a compliance officer as her letters are signed as such.
Any advice or reassurance would be most welcome.

Hi Ken1,
I used to work for the DWP and had colleagues in CFIS ( counter fraud investigation service ). It is highly unlikely that your case would be accepted by CFIS because it is just not serious enough. It may fall within the remit of the Compliance Team who investigate minor infringements of DWP rules. It probably won't reach Compliance if it is only a small amount over £6k. Your ESA would usually be suspended until you pop into your local jobcentre with the bank statements that they ask for and that would be for all accounts including joint accounts. Compliance Team interviews are usually conducted at the local Jobcentre.
David

I got a call on christmas eve once asking me something about my income. I was very wary as it was such a weird time to call and the lady seemed to think it was very amusing. Sometimes you wonder if they do things just to worry you.

Hi HarryD

I can't tell you whether you should be concerned, but if it's going to worry you, you should ring the DWP on the free phone number and just explain to the call handler why you're phoning. They can look at your records and confirm whether you have been sent a compliance letter and were down for an interview.

0800 055 6688

BIS

Hello

I am so uptight. I got a letter from the DWP last week saying I would receive a compliance call at 11 am for my contribution based ESA claim.

That was fine. Today I received the call at 10.55am. I was asked to confirm my details and then asked about my private pensions. The caller was an African male from his accent. He said do you get your pensions paid into the Nat West Bank. I said no. I feel he should know this information and felt it was a scam. He said he would write to me.

I felt uneasy and phoned the number on the letter I received. The phone was answered by just “Hello” no statement of who it was or what government department. It was the same man. I said who is this, he replied with who am I speaking to. I gave my name and he said oh I was speaking with you earlier. It was the same man. I told him I thought it was a scam. He said wait until you receive my letter. I said I felt he didn’t answer the phone in a professional way a Government Department should.

I feel so uneasy about this call. Has anyone experienced similar?

Hi

Thanks so much for all the support to date. I have just received a letter from the Tribunal and am not sure how to respond, if someone could kindly advise?

I have already sent my PIP audio recording to the Tribunal. I have now completed the audio recording transcript but I cannot upload it to the appeal panel, I think it is having technical problems today. I also cannot upload my new/revised PIP appeal document with all my reasons for disputing the descriptor points awarded by the DWP. I will try to upload it all again later today or failing that, try to upload again tomorrow.

However I have just been sent a letter from the Tribunal about the PIP audio recording. It is a Directions Notice and says:

1. The PIP appeal has been referred to me today for consideration of audio evidence uploaded by the appellant.

To the appellant:

2. Please give the reasons why you consider that it is important for the Tribunal panel to consider the content of the recording.

To the DWP:

[It basically asks - within 28 days of my reply to the above - if they have any objections to producing the recording of my medical assessment as evidence in the appeal, and if they have any additional submissions to make regarding the content of the recording or any transcript produced by the appellant etc].

To the Clerk:

Following compliance with the above directions, please re-refer the appeal for interlocutory review by a Judge so that a decision can be made as to whether the audio recording should be admitted as evidence in the appeal.

Please can someone let me know how to reply, ie should it be online or via post? The info on the cover sheet makes no mention of uploading anything online so I assume I need to reply via post? Also what should I say?

Will I be asked to justify re writing and re submitting a revised appeal as well? I had to revise it as the DWP didn't send me the medical report until a month after my appeal was sent off. I had asked them to send it multiple times.

I would like the Tribunal to use the audio recording/audio transcript because it proves that I told the HP all about my condition and the restrictions I had but she ignored everything I told her and wrote what she wanted in the medical report. It proves I was consistent and gave her all the right information but she either wrote something entirely different [fabricated] in the report or wrote down what I told her and then ignored it when filling out/selecting the descriptors. This occurred many times and if she had listened to what I told her, I should have been awarded the enhanced rate for both components. The audio proves that the HP failed to consider both regulation 4 and regulation 7 in each descriptor throughout, despite being given all the right information by me for both of those to apply to her decision.
It also proves that my mental state was not good, I was very distressed throughout and broke down at 6 different times throughout the interview when discussing my conditions. However the HP wrote that I was calm and polite 'at all times'.

Not sure if I should make this clear. Also should I say now that I will be re-submitting my appeal and explain why again, ie because the DWP failed to send me the medical report by the date I could file my appeal, and instead sent it a month afterwards, so I didn't have all the information at hand when I had to file my appeal.

Thanks in advance for any help/advice.