REVIEWING YOUR BENEFIT CLAIM LETTER

Hi everyone,

My son has received a letter from DWP asking him to attend a benefit review at a job centre he has never been to, it is only asking him to take id and bank statements, he receives ESA enhanced working group allowance and PIP and they do telephone interviews from his usual job centre as it is a mental health problem that he has and they know attending makes him really anxious, has anyone else had a letter like this and can tell me why or what to expect?

Thanks in advance

Hi Pammyd,

We are seeing this quite a lot at the moment. Often it is just a random review although it can be the first stage of an investigation if something/someone has alerted DWP to a potential problem.

You might find this topic helpful, it deals with a similar issue

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/forum?view=topic&catid=10&id=110619

Hi PammyD,
I just had one of these letters this morning. I always have phone interviews with JobCentrePlus but apparently they are determined to see me.

I rang this morning and the lady told me she would arrange for me to have a home visit instead. Shen then rang back ten minutes ago to say the person who wrote the letter is on holiday and hasn't input it into the system but she would see that the home visit is arranged.

Seems over the top to me and a definite change in the workings of ESA. Hope things work out out for you both.

Thanks for your response, As I deal with all of my sons finances as he is incapable of doing so, all his benefit payments are moved straight out of his bank account into one of mine and I pay all his bills and issue him with a small amount of money each day for personal spending, do you think it would be wise to take a copy of my bank account statement along as well?

I have nothing to hide and he has no other income and I cant think what would cause them to investigate but it is making me feel anxious nonetheless!

Yes, I think it would be a good idea to take a copy of your bank statements too.

Is it possible to have an account in your son's name but managed by you? This might help keep things clearer for the future.

Update on the meeting for benefit review held today.

They had received information that someone Id never heard of was living with my son, said this wasn't the case no-one had ever lived with him, signed a statement to that effect and off we went. I called the letting agent when I got home which I offered to do whilst in the meeting but was told not necessary and the person had lived in another flat below my son for 6 months!

Their records were all wrong as well, they had time he had been living there incorrect and what level of pip he received, all in all a complete waste of time and stress!