I've received a letter saying I'm to be interviewed under caution. Do I need to be worried?

cr0623
cr0623 Online Community Member Posts: 5 Listener
edited July 2022 in Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
I currently claim esa my partner has been on my claim for 6 years. Ive just received a letter saying I’m to be interviewed under caution for not declaring my partners ownership of a second property.

he has not lived in this house for 6 years nor made any income from this property. It was left to him and his mother  when his grandad died. 

We’ve done everything as we should when he came on to my claim I have no idea how this slipped through the net 

Do I need to be really worried 
I’m having awful panic attacks today due to this letter 

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    He doesn't need to have any income from the property, it still should have been declared because it will be classed as capital. Did you declare the property 6 years ago?
    Who lives in the property now? Is it his mother?
  • cr0623
    cr0623 Online Community Member Posts: 5 Listener
    Hi so currently his brother is living there I’m in such a state am I going to have my money stopped and go to prison 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    You won't go to prison so please don't worry about that. Your ESA may stop while they make enquiries about the property.
    Does his brother work? claim any benefits? Was the brother living there when the grandfather passed away?
    Do you claim for help with the rent where you currently live? and also council tax reduction? If so then you'll need to declare the property to your Local Authority too.
  • cr0623
    cr0623 Online Community Member Posts: 5 Listener
    I believe his brother claims UC and PIP. I just don’t know what to do I have 4 children I suffer with extreme anxiety I also have BPD I haven’t intentionally committed bennifts fraud. I can’t think straight I don’t know what to do 
    I’m in a housing association property and get housing bennifts and council tax reduction all this is such a mess 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    What you need to do is get some expert advice quickly from an advice agency near you. Start here and put your postcode into this link, choose a topic "welfare benefits" https://advicelocal.uk/
    If you can't get an appointment before the interview takes place then you just need to be honest and tell them everything.


  • cr0623
    cr0623 Online Community Member Posts: 5 Listener
    thank thank you so much for your help 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    One of the reasons it can be disregarded is if a close family member lives there that has limited capability for work, so if his UC includes either LCW or LCWRA then it could be disregarded. However, it may depend on when he moved into the property.
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,001 Championing
    edited July 2022
    As you can see from poppy’s comments, it may be helpful to get as much information as you can about the brother’s benefits, when he starting claiming them and when he moved into the house. Also what were mother’s circumstances when the house was inherited. Did brother move in before mother died? Etc.

    Just calmly make a history so that you can provide information to assist DWP with their enquiry. 

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