DWP setting a higher budget to find money that welfare claimants should not be claiming!

2oldcodgers

I am advised by a good friend who happens to be both a District and County Councillor that more money is to be thrown into  finding out if people are welfare benefit frauds. There will be an increase in the number of investigators who will follow and spy on claimants in addition to using the CCTV system for the first time.

michael57

and so they should if you have nothing to hide its not a problem in my book 

Hannah_Alumni

It would be interesting to know how much money. I do think the benefits system needs reform, but you know it will turn into the media being vile about people who do really need that support.

It would be really interesting to see how they go about this legally. It could be seen as stalking / harassment and could be very triggering for people who have severe mental health issues or have been abused.

66Mustang

Am I allowed to say, I think this is not necessarily all bad news. If they catch the liars, it leaves more money for the rest of us. Also, the crooks are the people who give the rest of us a bad name so less of them has to be good.

The only thing that bothers me is having someone follow me when I am doing nothing wrong but at the end of the day they are going to get extremely bored so I feel for the agent who is assigned to follow me.  

Hannah_Alumni

@66Mustang I don't think it is either. I do just think, the way the media have gone about reporting benefits, especially recently, is a cause for concern. I also think, benefits on a whole, should be something organised outside the government. That way, no party can use it to their advantage and people who need the support would hopefully see some consistency  

Hahaha, can you imagine the logs? If someone followed me it'll read "She was in another bookstore"  

66Mustang

@Hannah_Scope yes I agree about the media portrayal of benefits claimants recently, it is concerning.

That is an interesting idea about benefits being organised independently of government. I think it would free up millions of voters who perhaps only vote for who will offer them the best rates of benefits, regardless of other policies, and allow them to vote for the party based on their other policies as well?

Hannah_Alumni

I never thought of the voters who purely vote for one side of policies. But the pressure and stress it would take off of those claiming, knowing that another election wouldn't create possibilities of changes  

66Mustang

Yes I am lucky enough to still live at home and so am not living off every last £1, so am able to vote for the party of which I believe in (most of) their policies - which I am aware is often at odds with who will give me the best rate of benefits - but I am aware many don't have that luxury. It would be nice if more people were able to consider the other factors!

surfygoose

I expect they will only be using their powers if they have reasonable reason to believe someone is commit it fraud.

Hannah_Alumni

I didn't think they could physically follow people now? If people were caught via social media or photographs and video submitted from someone else, was what evidence they were able to have / use? 

@woodbine I agree that tax dodging seems to be a bigger issue!

Hannah_Alumni

Wow...  didn't realise they can do that. I'm hyper vigilant with a baseball bat in my umbrella stand Well, good luck to them!

Hannah_Alumni

Be a very similar situation if they checked my accounts or followed me.... Books 

WelshBlue

If they follow me it'll be the slowest chase in history.  Stop. Start. Stop Start ... 

paddyman03

2oldcodgers said:

I am advised by a good friend who happens to be both a District and County Councillor that more money is to be thrown into  finding out if people are welfare benefit frauds. There will be an increase in the number of investigators who will follow and spy on claimants in addition to using the CCTV system for the first time.

This is just an excuse to save money you will find recently and lately all letters that they sent out to people that attended a medical especially in Luton they received letters and went like this for example

"WE BELIEVE ON BLAH BLAH.(DATE) YOU ATTENDED,NO MOBILITY AIDS/HELP/WERE USED, (HENCE)...
" WE HAVE REASONS TO BELÌEVE"
"ITS BEEN BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION"

NOW!!!, I WAS PERSONALY TOLD BY A SECRETARY, (WONT MENTION DEPARTMENT)

THAT ON SEVERAL OCASSIONS SHE RECIEVES VIA REMOTE DICTAFONE SEVERAL AUDIO TRANSCRIPTS TO WORD AS ITS HEARD FINISHING OFF BY STANDARD USUAL...

CLAIMANTS IV HEARD FROM HAVE SERIOUSLY GOT SO MENTALY STRESSED COZ OF THESE LETTERS THATS TOTTALY UNTRUE HAD AT THE TIME CLOSED THEIR CLAIM LEAVING THEMSELF IN RENT AREAS ETC ETC THEN ON ADVICE FROM A FRIENDS FRIEND (MAGISTRATE) WAS TOLD OF ALL THIS AND HER CLAIM WAS RE OPENED AND BACK PAID,SO SAD,UNREAL, IV BEEN DISABLED LITERALY YEARS WITH 2 MAJOR SPINE OPPS,SACRA 3,4 5 DISCS FUSED,
SPINAL STENOSIS,
YOU NAME IT,TRIED SAME WITH ME,BUT MY LIGHTS ARE ON,AND IN,DONT TAKE MORPHINE FOR FUN,AND ITS MAKING ME ILL,
WISH NEVER STARTED IT,OVER 15 YEARS NOW,
THATS CALLED ABUSE!!! OVER PRESCRIBING,HOOKED ON OPIATES!!!

surfygoose

I’m sorry you’ve had that bad experience Paddy. That sounds really tough that happened to you with your pain meds.

WhatThe

DWP has also been allocated extra funds to find disabled claimants 'fit for work' again! The assessments now cost more to process and every 'migration' or claim to UC is converted to a JSA claim which means that a claimant is no longer considered to be 'a vulnerable adult'. 

WhatThe

Yes, everyone and you're nothing of the sort. DWP policy has been described as 'psychological tyranny' and it is exactly that.

WhatThe

And they know. This is their new and improved 'Health Transformation Programme' to reduce the 'disability-employment gap'. The Incapacity Benefit regs were replaced with ESA regs and two **** groups of eligibility but under UC there are now four **** groups of eligibility. 

WhatThe

IB conversions to ESA between 2001 and 2014 were processed as new claims to JSA. Any award for UC is processed as a new claim to JSA and may include a disability premium.   

WhatThe

It is certain to transform the health of disabled claimants, just not in a good way..

WhatThe

And of course they monitor sites like this to see how well these hostile policies are working!