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CRB check on DWP

The_truthisout_there
The_truthisout_there Community member Posts: 29 Listener
Hello all
This may be of interest to some of you who have had a visit from a DWP employee who have come to your home and taken details from you.
I have an autistic son who has been on DLA. and is now at the age of 16 where he is now classed as an adult and has been asked if he want to claim PIP..
As he is autistic i have applied to be his appointee in dealing with his claim for PIP and i understand that they have to send someone out to verify this and take details (medical,bank details, etc etc)
The problems started when an employee from the DWP came to my house and i asked some questions.
One of the questions which i asked was "Have you had a criminal record background check" to which they replied "NO"
At that point i told them that i would not be giving them any personal details or bank details.
They said that they would see if they could get someone who had been checked to come and visit me.
That was in Mid February 
My sons DLA was stopped in april and when i enquired as to why it was stopped i was told that i had not been made an appointee and that i would not give the visiting officer the details required ie bank , medical etc etc .
I explained to a number of people whom i spoke to on the phone that i would not give out any details which could be passed on by persons who have not been checked in accordance with the DWPs own employment criteria which states That all DWP employees must have a CRB check prior to commencing employment.
They said that they would get someone to contact me to arrange a visit .
When they contacted me last week i was told that no one who carries out visits at that office 
has had a CRB check
so at this moment we are left in limbo waiting to see if they can find someone who has been checked.
it appears to me that some of the DWP staff have not had this CRB check and are visiting vulnerable adults and children and there could be a chance that if there is an unscrupulous employee of the DWP they could pass on your details to a third party where criminal activity could happen.
And in case anyone replies by saying that what i am saying is untrue.
I record all conversations which i have with the DWP and can prove what i have said.
dont tell me i cant record them , no one can tell me what i can or cant do in my own home.
If the police can use video footage and voice mails in criminal cases then i can use the same type of evidence when i have to prove what  a visiting officer has said or when i record telephone conversations with the DWP
I have asked the DWP for the following information under the Freedom of information act.
How many employees employed by the DWP have not had a CRB check
And how many of those who have not been checked carried out visits to people.
That was more than a month ago and i have not had a response from them since
except to acknowledge my initial request more than a month ago
It is now my intention to pass this on to the information commissioner for there investigation as to why i have not had a response to my FOI request.
When i have any more info i will post it on here
Thanks
 

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Comments

  • GizmoTiddles
    GizmoTiddles Community member Posts: 159 Pioneering
    @The_truthisout_there very interesting 
    I also record all calls as my only contact with the outside world is via mobile phone or mobile data.all of which is cheaper than the "home phone and broadband" best deals 
    Good luck 
    Gizmo

  • The_truthisout_there
    The_truthisout_there Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    I have a statement from the DWP that stipulates that all employees from the DWP
    must have a CRB check when they accept a position within the DWP..
    and for the DWP it is called a BPSS check and not a (Disclosure and Barring)
  • Yadnad
    Yadnad Posts: 2,856 Disability Gamechanger
    I am extremely shocked that the DWP are employing people without a background check being made. Obviously I don't expect all staff to have been cleared but I do expect those that carry out outside visits to have had one.
    The civil service seems to be going down the drain. I know that I am prehistoric, but when I was first accepted within the Inland Revenue years ago a full check had to be made as far back as your grandparents for criminal convictions, subversive political views, etc etc . You even had to apply for permission to visit a country that was considered to have Communist  tendencies and on return had to write up a report as to who you spoke to and what was said with a native of that country,
    Only then were you asked to swear on a Bible that you would adhere to the Official Secrets Act.

    Even now at 70 and because I am in school governor, I have to have an enhanced D&B check carried out every three years.
  • susan48
    susan48 Community member Posts: 2,221 Disability Gamechanger
    I think anyone dealing with the public should have a disclosure done. Especially doing home visits.

    My experience of this is a bit confusing.

    Had a supervisory role in a bank - No disclosure required.
    Post person, sorting and delivering mail -Disclosure required.

    Seems like all different companies, businesses have different procedures.
  • whistles
    whistles Community member Posts: 1,583 Disability Gamechanger
    When I volunteered at a charity shop they required it.
    But I think I was talking to someone who said that's not asked for now. 
    So yes depends I guess.

    Am I the only one who wouldn't ask that question? 
    I had someone visit a few years ago as a check you are receiving the right money. I didn't ask. 
    Do not follow me, I don't know where I am going.
  • The_truthisout_there
    The_truthisout_there Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    So i assume you know more than the DWP who sent me a statement confirming
    That all employees must have a BPSS check which includes a CRB check
    for me your comment is basic let me see if i can prove this person wrong  and i will try and shoot there statement down.
    But if i have it in writing from the DWP  office then it must be the standard they follow 
    tell me do you work for the DWP ??
    if you havent got the facts in front of you then you are the one making assertion and trying to stifle the truth
    I have the facts in front of me from the DWP .   DO YOU  ??
  • The_truthisout_there
    The_truthisout_there Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    Whilst it’s skirting around the edges of acceptability, an autistic young adult without an appointee must be assumed to have capacity until proven otherwise and couldn’t possibly be automatically assumed to be vulnerable. If they’re not vulnerable or a child then the position is clear. No D&B is required. It may well be the case that “No” was therefore absolutely the correct answer.

    As this you adult was diagnosed at the age of 12 by professionals and was  currently receiving DLA up untill the age of 16 then the assumption must be that this is a vulnerable person and it does not change suddenly because they have reached the age of 16.

    As per my previous post, there is nothing to be excited about here at all.

    Nobody is asking anybody to get excited.
    Just ask the person who visits you if they have been CRB checked 
    if they say No then it is your choice if you decide to give them the details they ask for.
    A record is kept of all people who have had a BPSS check .


  • The_truthisout_there
    The_truthisout_there Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    The statement from the DWP is 35 days old and was sent to my local MP who was acting on my behalf.
    so that shoots down your theory that the information must be more than 6 years old
    Unless of course the DWP department is lying to an MP who will be bringing this up in the House of commons at my request.
  • The_truthisout_there
    The_truthisout_there Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    You dont have the facts infront of you like i have
    all you assumptions and rhetoric are based on what you have read and how you interpreted it.
    we all know that not everything you read is true on the internet.
  • The_truthisout_there
    The_truthisout_there Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    Just because the you say they are not vulnerable is your opinion.
    but in the eyes of the law yes they are vulnerable.
  • whistles
    whistles Community member Posts: 1,583 Disability Gamechanger
    I think the bottom line here is, until you are the appointee for them as an adult, they are not yet seen as vulnerable by PIP. You do not yet have a pip award.

    You asked that person to leave so you are the only one delaying the transition. You were present so what's the problem with giving them the info to make you into the appointee? 

    Pip does not take into account the fact they were on DLA. It's a new benefit you claim for. It doesn't have a crystal ball, you can ask for your previous DLA forms to be included as evidence, but it's possibly outdated and won't fit that criteria anyway.

    Do not follow me, I don't know where I am going.
  • whistles
    whistles Community member Posts: 1,583 Disability Gamechanger
    You’ve not actually read any of my posts fully or the links as far as I can tell. 

    Could we by any chance be back to a specific poster who has been banned coming back in guise number three I ask myself?!
    My thinking here as well. 
    Why not just join as them and not make up stories.

    Do not follow me, I don't know where I am going.
  • The_truthisout_there
    The_truthisout_there Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    The facts are the person was asking specific details about my son and wanted to see bank details etc
    under no circumstances did i ask them to leave .
    only that i would supply the necessary information to a person from the DWP who had been employed according to the DWP employment criteria.
    and as they are still finding it difficult to get someone out to me to take those details i think proves my point..
    as stated i go of the evidence and information supplied by the DWP not by someone who voices what they think is right.

    I think you protest to much
    You never answered my question  "do you work for the DWP " ?

    And as for a specific poster coming back in guise no 3
    I would not know who that was as this is the first time i have posted on here
    the site can check that out by my ip address and computer.
    The fact that someone post on here something which you do not like or agree with
    does not mean it is wrong or not factual.
    unless you have written evidence from the specific department mentioned as i have 
    Then all your post are speculation and your belief you are right and i am wrong
    But as stated in my initial post i will post further detail as and when i get them

  • The_truthisout_there
    The_truthisout_there Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    You dont have to take my word for it ask the DWP yourself or get your MP to do it for you.
    I am sure you will get the same response and reply  as i did
  • The_truthisout_there
    The_truthisout_there Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    Or they can ask the DWP or  MP to ask for clarification on what checks are made on DWP  employees before they are allowed to work for the DWP..
    There should be no problem in people asking visiting officers if they have had a CRB check
    People can then judge for themselves.
    I dont doubt you are familiar with some aspects of what the DWP do
    but sometimes people cant see the woods for the tree because they are so involved .
  • The_truthisout_there
    The_truthisout_there Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    Thats your opinion
    But i strongly doubt that duff information as you call it, would be passed on to an MP who can get further clarification from the DWP  secretary when he asks them.
    anyway only time will tell and as i said further info will be post on here as and when available
  • The_truthisout_there
    The_truthisout_there Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    I have stated what i intend to do and i will follow it through to its conclusion
    you may not like that but thats the way its being dealt with.
    it is better that i dont continue this discussion with you  personally as we disagree
    but i will discuss this with others on this site.
    and as in the words of arnie in the terminator   i'll will be back
  • The_truthisout_there
    The_truthisout_there Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    Thanks for you input
    Have a nice day 
  • Ripples
    Ripples Community member Posts: 189 Pioneering
    I have been fighting the temptation to comment on this thread so i will make my one and only contribution. it isn't hard to find out the legitimacy of what people are saying.
      https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service    
  • The_truthisout_there
    The_truthisout_there Community member Posts: 29 Listener
    Appreciate the input.
    as it states there is a criminal records check
    Thanks

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