× Members

Service Compliance Interview

  • rayisfun@hotmail.com
  • Topic Author
  • Offline
More
7 years 3 weeks ago #182587 by rayisfun@hotmail.com
Service Compliance Interview was created by rayisfun@hotmail.com
I had a service compliance interview recently. It was basically a fishing exercise combined with a hectoring lecture. The person who conducted the phone interview claimed to have information about alleged funds in my name that had not been declared. I knew this was nonsense so I asked for more information but the interviewer could not supply any evidence. Instead, the interviewer escalated the intimidation by threatening the involvement of the police unless I co-operated (even though I was fully co-operating.) In response, I said I wanted to end the call so I could contact the CAB for further advice because the allegations seemed so serious. The interviewer immediately backed off and claimed that the CAB would just tell me that he was just doing his job. He then laughed and claimed that I was being treated lightly compared to other claimants earlier that day. When it became clear that I was not going to be intimidated, the interviewer subjected me to a ten minute lecture about notifying the DWP about any change in circumstances. He went through every scenario and kept demanding to know whether I understood. I felt like a child being hectored by a vindictive adult in a position of authority. According to the interviewer the case was now closed until the next time, whatever that means.

Based on this baseless allegation, it seemed to me that this was just a ploy to justify harassing me. I suspect these baseless and random interviews are another strategy to intimidate disabled people. I want to warn others that it's important for anyone being notified of a compliance interview to get advice from the CAB or some other support service in advance. Make sure the interviewer knows you have that support.

Is it possible to find out whether these interviews are becoming more frequent? Is this a strategy to further intimidate disabled people? If so, then this needs to be exposed and prevented from continuing. I have no issue with the DWP investigating fraud but if this is being used systematically to intimidate people then it's a misuse of public funds. I thought about making an official complaint but then one complaint isn't going to stop the misuse of these interviews.
The following user(s) said Thank You: s.jmoore@blueyonder.co.uk

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
7 years 3 weeks ago #182612 by Gordon
Replied by Gordon on topic Service Compliance Interview
Spectralis

We have seen an increase in members reporting these interviews over the last year, you can make a Freedom of Information request to the DWP.

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
7 years 3 weeks ago #182653 by Donna2512
Replied by Donna2512 on topic Service Compliance Interview
When my husband claimed ESA because he was on chemotherapy the DWP wouldn't pay because they decided he had a bank account that he hadn't declared. They would give no details of the bank account though. We ended up sending details of our adult children's accounts who live at the same address, accounts that had been open for years and were no longer used as well as twelve months of statements on the accounts we used but they still determined we had another account.
After six months a compliance officer finally showed my husband what had made them think he had another account. It was a direct money transfer of £25 to another account which turned out to be the payment my husband sent (to an another son who has left home) for a football ticket he had purchased for him.
It took six months though for them to give us the account number and looking through the twelve month's statements a total of £140 had passed between the two accounts usually to pay for football tickets! So hardly money laundering on a big scale as they implied.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Moderators: GordonGaryBISCatherineWendyKellygreekqueenpeterKatherineSuper UserjimmckChris
We use cookies

We use cookies on our website. Some of them are essential for the operation of the site, while others help us to improve this site and the user experience (tracking cookies). You can decide for yourself whether you want to allow cookies or not. Please note that if you reject them, you may not be able to use all the functionalities of the site.