Compliance interview :/ =[

Mathew wrote:

bro58 wrote:

Mathew wrote: Hello tomorrow I have a Local Service Compliance Officer/Advisor visiting me at home for a routine benefits check. They have asked to see bank statements for the past 3 months and also form of identifcation to confirm who I am among asking other questions. My worry is that I live with grandfather and he sometimes lends me money to pay for bills that are due before my benefit payments go in. He always takes the money back out when I have been paid? Is there anything wrong with doing this? Can it be seen as income?

Hi M,

As long as Grandad is not making regular payments into your Bank Account, then there should not be a problem.

Besides, you are allowed to receive cash gifts from relatives.

If these loans are given to you cash in hand, then there is no reason to mention them.

You are free to spend your Benefit money on whatever you wish.

You only have to answer questions that may be posed to you, you do not have to volunteer information.

bro58

He puts the money into my bank account as I pay most of my bills online. But he always withdraws the amount near enough when I get paid

Hi M,

Ideally as you live with Grandad, you should try and keep both of your financial dealings separate.

Do as Gordon says, and all should be fine.

bro58

Had my compliance visit/interview today was very straight forward just confirming all the information on my claim was correct and upto date. I asked about the "lending" of money from my grandfather and the advisor said theres nothing to worry about plenty of people do it and its not against any rules regarding benefits. He also told me that we will see alot more of these reviews/checks in the upcoming months so just be on the lookout

I am glad, for your sake, that this is over and done with Matthew. Thank you for coming back to let us know how it went.

Glad it went okay, Matthew. It must be a relief to you that it's over with!

I read on here these were happening a lot in the Midlands (I'm not there) but wondered, if it's not too personal a question, Matthew, if you are in that general area (no problem if you prefer not to answer or the rules here don't allow)? I'm wondering if it is or will spread to other regions over time.

Does any one know if you are more likely to get one of these compliance checks if you are on contribution based ESA or Income related ESA, or is it as likely to happen to one as the other? Is it a financial check only or an extra kind of assessment of your condition?

Do they just knock on the door in general, or do you get a letter? What is more likely? I live in fear of a knock on the door as my anxiety, especially over recent months, has been at times unmanageable. I know you can turn them away and ask for a proper appt. but I would think it would look potentially shifty. A very good family friend takes me by car to their house for a change of scenery and I'm concerned they might call while I'm there (and mum is out at work). I feel like we are not allowed to leave our homes at all...don't know if anyone else feels that way.

Just worrying and ruminating on these things to the point where I have myself in quite a state!

Any one offer any info?

Shell wrote: Glad it went okay, Matthew. It must be a relief to you that it's over with!

I read on here these were happening a lot in the Midlands (I'm not there) but wondered, if it's not too personal a question, Matthew, if you are in that general area (no problem if you prefer not to answer or the rules here don't allow)? I'm wondering if it is or will spread to other regions over time.

Does any one know if you are more likely to get one of these compliance checks if you are on contribution based ESA or Income related ESA, or is it as likely to happen to one as the other? Is it a financial check only or an extra kind of assessment of your condition?

Do they just knock on the door in general, or do you get a letter? What is more likely? I live in fear of a knock on the door as my anxiety, especially over recent months, has been at times unmanageable. I know you can turn them away and ask for a proper appt. but I would think it would look potentially shifty. A very good family friend takes me by car to their house for a change of scenery and I'm concerned they might call while I'm there (and mum is out at work). I feel like we are not allowed to leave our homes at all...don't know if anyone else feels that way.

Just worrying and ruminating on these things to the point where I have myself in quite a state!

Any one offer any info?

Hi S,

Matthew is welcome to respond, however currently we are only aware of this happening in Central England Region.

This does not mean that it is not or will not happen elsewhere.

Feed back from members would suggest that you are just as likely to receive a Compliance Check with CB ESA as IR ESA.

Even though CB ESA is non-means tested, we have the Occupational Pension disregard rule to consider.

"Is it a financial check only or an extra kind of assessment of your condition?"

Gordon has written a post summarising information regarding this scenario in :

The Spotlight Area.

As advised, you can challenge them to ascertain exactly "what" the interview is pertaining to, and whether it is Mandatory or Voluntary.

You can then make an informed decision on whether to attend.

Further information can be seen in : This Topic and from the links included therein to other associated topics.

You will see more detail with respect to DWP Decision Makers Guidance and ESA.


Nearly all of the Compliance Checks that we have heard about involve the member receiving a letter to make an appointment giving at least 7 days notice.

This is how it should be, and if a DWP Officer arrives on your doorstep unannounced you are quite within your rights to refuse to see them and insist that they make a written appointment.

bro58

I have found that compliance officers like to give the standard 'We are just checking your entitlement to benefit - we are doing a lot more checks now' line.

I received a compliance letter in the Summer 2014 (I'm in Gloucestershire) I phoned the officer and asked what the query was about (I already knew who had made a complaint about me) and was told over the phone that they had been told one of my children was not living with me. I therefore was able to collect all documents to prove this to be untrue before I went into the office.

I asked again before the start of the interview, what was this concerning, and the lady gave me the 'We are doing a lot more checks' line, to which I replied 'I was getting worried, because when I spoke to you over the phone xx day at xx time, you told me that someone had said that one of my children were not living with me - the lady then came clean and said yes that was true, the name of the person that reported me came up, and I then gave the lady lots of paperwork I had collected prior to the interview, she didn't even bother looking at it all, and said case closed, and off I went.

I think as the same bitter person has been reporting me for years, the compliance people are getting fed up with it.