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UC interview

Bettahm

Anybody any ideas why I've been summoned out of the blue to attend an interview at my job centre re UC? Started claiming in January. They sent a pdf document not very nicely worded, makes you feel like you've done something wrong when you haven't. The interviews 4 days after my WCA so maybe to do with that? I'm anxious over the WCA so really didnt need this as well.

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poppy123456

HI,

We could only guess why you need to attend this interview. My advice is to ring and speak to your case manager and maybe they will be able to give you some idea what it could be about.

Bettahm

@poppy123456
I messaged her on the website asking what's going on.
I'll have to read the pdf document again.
Thanks Poppy. Will add something here if I find anything out or think of anything.

Bettahm

@poppy123456
The pdf document is too long to remember it all but it says must attend or they will stop my benefit and must bring ID plus bank statements, pay slips, savings - any money details I suppose. It mentions something about changes in circumstances.
Could it be a regular review as I dont go in there regularly, too far away. Just talk to job coach on the phone once a month.

poppy123456

Sounds like a compliance interview, rather than a work focused interview because they are asking for bank statements etc. If it is then it could be just a random check, which can happen but i'm only guessing here. If you don't attend those interviews they will stop your money.

Bettahm

@poppy123456
No they dont mention work or job search. Cant understand why they want ID and all this stuff coz they had all this info back in January. Yes it says I must make myself available on that day or they stop the money.

poppy123456

A compliance interview is my only guess but you'll need to contact your work coach and ask. A compliance interview can be done at complete random or someone has reported you for something.

Bettahm

@poppy123456
I've just been reading about compliance interviews online. A guy on one forum actually was a compliance interviewer for the DWP and he said these interviews are never random. Apparently the interviews are not very nice, done police style, and you are presumed guilty from the start. That bit was from another forum. Ive been going over and over trying to think who would report me and for what. For starters I hardly know anybody and very few know I'm on UC. And I haven't done anything. Given my mental health at the moment this is not good.

poppy123456

You should never believe everything you read online. For a start any advice given by a DWP employee should be taken with a pinch of salt. I can't tell you the amount of people that have been given incorrect advice from these people.

I'm a community champion here on scope and i advise people on the complex benefit system and i can tell you that sometimes those compliance interviews are indeed done at complete random, infact there's been a few people on scope that have had them, at random.

A compliance interview is definitely not done "police style". It would only be done this way if it was an interview under caution and this is not one of those because the compliance interview comes first. After this, if they have reason to believe that something still isn't right then they would send a letter for an interview under caution.

As i advised earlier this evening i can only guess what it could be for but it doesn't sound like a work focused interview because the wouldn't ask for bank statement and pay slips. Please ring your case manager first thing tomorrow morning and ask if they know what it could be about, they maybe able to give you more information or at least find out for you. Journal messages aren't the most reliable to send because they don't always answer them.

Bettahm

@poppy123456
Ok I will ring her. I know you cant believe everything online, I suppose as currently have bad anxiety anyway this coming up hasn't helped. Hope my job coach can find out what's going on. Thanks Poppy. Will post here when I get some info.

Bettahm

@poppy123456
Spoke to job coach, she knows nothing other then it is happening. So I am still in the dark. Cant believe anybody can have reported me for anything coz nothings happened.
As job coach said sometimes people just report stuff out of spite to cause situations like this.
So I've the WCA on 6th and this compliance thing on 10th.
If they want to keep me ill and off work they are doing a great job of it!!

Chloe_Alumni

Hi @Franstrahan, I appreciate that this will be worrying you. I hope it all goes okay and please do let us know how you get on!

Bettahm

@Chloe_Scope
I will do. I dont know why they have to be so secretive and cant at least give you the reason in writing. Like what has someone said about me, for instance, then could at least prepare my defence and have my evidence and explanation, whatever, to prove it false.

Chloe_Alumni

I really hope there is a simple explanation @Franstrahan.

Bettahm

@Chloe_Scope
Me too. Job coach says, worse case scenario - they have something on me (or think they do). Best case is it is just a random check to look at my bank statement and make sure alls in order and that's it.
It's the not knowing that's the problem. And feeling helpless and at their mercy.

Chloe_Alumni

That's completely understandable @Franstrahan, very best of luck!

poppy123456

It may not be anything other than a random check. I know it's easy to say this but if you haven't done anything wrong then you have nothing to worry about. Let us know the outcome.

Bettahm

@poppy123456
That's what my job coach said. But it doesnt stop me thinking about it, as in what's going on and cant they just tell you up front instead of behaving like MI5. Looking online, this is what worries most people posting on forums. Surely the DWP must realize this, and the worry they are causing people who mostly already have various health issues. Or we'd all be working and out of their hair wouldn't we?
Will let you know if I find out more but I may have to wait till the 10th.

Bettahm

@poppy123456
Just thought of this this morning. I have a friend who has her mail sent here coz she lives in a caravan. Shes on PIP, has severe epilepsy. She doesnt get much mail, mostly hospital appointments. Do you think the DWP think we're living together?

poppy123456

Franstrahan said:

@poppy123456
Just thought of this this morning. I have a friend who has her mail sent here coz she lives in a caravan. Shes on PIP, has severe epilepsy. She doesnt get much mail, mostly hospital appointments. Do you think the DWP think we're living together?

Yes, that could have definitely flagged up. Where is this friend registered as living on the electoral roll? What about bank, where is that address registered at?

Bettahm

No idea on those 2 questions. Her partner lost his job in Scotland and they ended up here in the caravan site next door. She needed somewhere to have her post sent as having serious problems with epilepsy and I let her use my address. This is since April 2018. Think they probably bank online and no idea re the electoral roll.