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Very Shaken by Letter Interview Under Caution Esa

Posted , 8 users are following.

rose45257
rose45257

Hi.

I haven't been here for a while but please can someone help. I've had a letter this morning saying they are investigating my esa and I have to attend an interview under caution and bring a solicitor with me! I'm still shaking and have been crying whilst my elderly mum tried to ring the number on the letter no answer. I am a genuine claimant and fought to keep my job as a nurse despite advice saying I was too ill. I had my contract terminated on illhealth in 2017 after being off sick and taking a career break. I've been thinking the last month or so to apply for pip as my health is worse, I am astounded by the letter can't imagine why they are investigating me I only go to the hospital or gp or get few groceries when I can otherwise get food delivered and prescriptions.

I've been on esa since end of 2015. I did have a compliance letter and few telephone calls about 1 year ago as mum's widow pension goes into an account in my name as she has disabilities and can't get out without me and also now has sight loss last few months which we are devastated by. I really can't take much more stress I feel so rough I've had my bp meds increased by gp a month ago as he noticed how flushed I was I said I'd had a headache he checked it and was very concerned.

Sorry going on now but I have so many health issues and my b12 inj due plus I'm supposed to be going into hos for another iron infusion which I had to postpone to take mum for her eye injection.

Do you think it could be the pension payment its not mine but I thought compliance had sorted this over a year or possibly even longer ago.

Thanks if anyone can help.

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • tracy67255
    tracy67255 rose45257

    Posted

    I think it probably is your Mum's pension payment. Maybe you should get an account for her separately. The Social Services do look at bank accounts.

    • rose45257
      rose45257 tracy67255

      Posted

      Hi Tracy

      Thank you for your reply. I have a feeling it is although I'm worried as I thought it was all sorted in Jan or Feb last year. The lady who dealt with it spoke to both mum and myself on the phone and realised I was doing what she said a lot of daughters and sons do after a parent dies and helping my mum who never had to deal with finances as my dad took care of all the financial aspects such as bills groceries etc mum has been ill and disabled since I was a small child so never had her own bank account either. Now her sight loss is another factor plus she gets anxiety and doesn't like thinking or discussing money issues. I've tried encouraging her to get her own account.

      When the compliance dept looked at this I supplied statements of the accounts they could see it was clearly the case that I have debt since losing my job and that mum has widows pension which we transfer via online banking to cover the bills that go out of my bank via direct debit. I just hope there is a letter here somewhere that confirms it was looked at and found to be truthful as my brainfog poor memory and pain make remembering things very difficult so I don't recall the letter although I always ask for copies of any important documents usually.

      Thanks for your reply x

  • denise15811
    denise15811 rose45257

    Posted

    Hi,

    When you had the compliance interview previously, what was the outcome of that? Having someone else's money go into your account when claiming benefits really isn't the greatest idea.

    We could only guess what the interview is all about so i'd advise you to ring the number on the letter first thing Tuesday morning. It's a bank holiday weekend so i'm afraid they won't be open until then. Hopefully they will tell you what it's about when you ring.

    • rose45257
      rose45257 denise15811

      Posted

      Hi Denise.

      Thank you for your reply although I haven't been here for a while you have helped me previously and I was very grateful then too...

      When the compliance dept wrote to me in Jan /Feb last year the lady I spoke to on the phone was actually very nice I told her my circumstances that I used to be a nurse my health steadily got worse, had lost my job, lived with mum and my dad had died suddenly a few yrs ago. I agree with you that having money going into an account that doesn't belong to you is really unwise and I would not have agreed if I had stopped to think properly but it was whilst sorting out everything after my dad died which I had no help with and as I mentioned in my reply to Tracy my mum has been ill and disabled since I was a child so had never had to deal with financial aspects my dad took care of everything and she wanted me to step in which I did without thinking it through for the longterm. Also I was working part time and didn't think it would be a problem.

      The lady dealing with it realised all this and asked me to supply statements from my bank account which clearly showed I was in debt plus the accounts that has mums money going in. They put a temporary suspension on my esa but after the documents were checked it was all sorted and esa reinstated after a one off payment under jsa as they had to close the office and send people home due to snow think it was Feb 2018. I have brainfog poor memory and no concentration plus pain so I cannot recall a letter but I always ask for copies of any important documents usually so hoping I have one here.

      One thing that is worrying me and I'm embarrassed to ask but so stressed I have to...I have huge difficulties with going to the bathroom due to Crohn's disease, diverticulitis, functional gut disorder and complications from several pelvic surgeries, I get dreadful attacks of pain and am in the loo for a long time sometimes 15 mins but can be 45mins, this happens several times a day. If this happens during or before the interview I'm scared it will go against me, I'm under consultant care and specialist nurse but due to the overstretched services in the hospital I am being reviewed by the nurse who discusses me with the consultant I don't know if I can get a letter from the hos to confirm I need to spend long time in the toilet as the interview is booked for the 14th May so not long to arrange anything esp on bank hol. Also I don't know if I can get a solicitor in time I read a document from dwp a couple of hrs ago saying not to go without representation but not to delay it either its so frightening.

      Thanks again for your reply on bank hol wkend

      Rose xx

  • jayne03174
    jayne03174 rose45257

    Posted

    Hi rose

    I had a letter like yours about a year ago because i was so ill the dwp spoke to me n hubby over the phone, the problem was a payment from financial assistance service which my husband gets wasnt accounted for on my esa claim, we gave them details ,they contacted the fas and we never heard no more until i got another letter telling me my esa was going up, hope things work out ok for you.

    regards

    • rose45257
      rose45257 jayne03174

      Posted

      Hi Jayne.

      Thanks for your reply too on a bank hol weekend. I'm sorry you went through this too. The last time it was a letter then calls from compliance dept but this letter looks and worded very differently its upset me very much even though I know I haven't done anything wrong the way its set out is very disturbing. It states to bring a solicitor and that 2 cassettes will be opened in front if me placed in the machine and I will be read my rights prior to the interview being recorded. Whilst I realise they have to treat any suspected fraud seriously the letter doesn't give any idea of what is being investigated just that I'm going to be interviewed under caution. I thought only criminals had those.

      Even worse there was no-one there this morning to answer the phone I wasn't sure if any offices are open on Saturdays but as its bank hol got to wait til tue before I can ring to ask.

      Glad things went okay for you.

      Thanks again for good wishes xx

  • denise15811
    denise15811 rose45257

    Posted

    Hi,

    The interview under caution means that they will have evidence from somewhere about something to do with your benefits claim, and they will have reasons to believe that a criminal offence has been committed. The interview is your chance to explain things and to tell your side of the story so to speak. The reason they will be recording the interview is because you'll be under caution.

    Whether it's something to do with what happened last year or not i really don't know but to find out for sure then you'll need to ring the number on the letter and they may give you some more specific information.

    You will definitely need to take someone with you, please do NOT go alone. I would advise you to get expert face to face advise from either welfare rights or a law centre near you and the sooner you do this the better. First thing Tuesday morning if at all possible.

    As for your health during the interview then my advice is when you ring the number on the letter on Tuesday then please tell them about your health and what you said here. Tell them that it's highly possible that you will need to use the toilet during the interview. They know your health isn't good so they will have to make allowances for that.

    I really don't know what else to advise you with at this point because i'm no expert. Please do come back and let us know that outcome. Good luck.

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