DWP investigation
Discussion
A friend of mine has been unable to work due to health reasons for many years now. The DWP have asked for financial info as they have discovered an ISA that my pal didn't know their parents had set up for them.
Parents are now out of the picture, but the ISA is still being topped up. What we're worried about is the DWP bringing a fraud case.
Is there anyone to get advise from about this kind of thing?
Parents are now out of the picture, but the ISA is still being topped up. What we're worried about is the DWP bringing a fraud case.
Is there anyone to get advise from about this kind of thing?
"an ISA that my pal didn't know their parents had set up for them"
"Parents are now out of the picture, but the ISA is still being topped up."
From where is it being topped up? His account? I'm assuming they are passed away, so it can't be from their funds.
You can't open accounts without identity checks, and haven't been able to for some time, something doesn't add up?
How does the ISA keep getting topped up if the parents are out the picture?
What is the correspondence address on the ISA?
They just need to follow the money and the paperwork.
If it comes back to them, then whatever they say, you have to ask yourself if you really believe them. Very few people ever believe a relative or friend of theirs is crooked, But its bound to happen to someone.
There are far too few details to be able to make any statement about penalty if they're guilty, but the DWP aren't going to back down once they have the bit between their teeth.
What is the correspondence address on the ISA?
They just need to follow the money and the paperwork.
If it comes back to them, then whatever they say, you have to ask yourself if you really believe them. Very few people ever believe a relative or friend of theirs is crooked, But its bound to happen to someone.
There are far too few details to be able to make any statement about penalty if they're guilty, but the DWP aren't going to back down once they have the bit between their teeth.
Wealthy parents that set things in place and there's either a fund or something in place with the family accountants that keep paying into the ISA.
The DWP getting touch was the first time he new about the ISA.
Jail seems a bit strong
Part of the disability is an inability to deal with facts and figures. I guess legal advice is probably a good idea.
The DWP getting touch was the first time he new about the ISA.
Jail seems a bit strong
Part of the disability is an inability to deal with facts and figures. I guess legal advice is probably a good idea.
From a common sense point of view would be a visit to the family accountants who would be able to provide dates and other infomation to back up the assertion that the ISA was set up by he parents for your friend and your friend didn't know anything about it.
Furthermore, it would help them even more if they hadn't touched the ISA whatsoever.
Furthermore, it would help them even more if they hadn't touched the ISA whatsoever.
Your friend appears to be in receipt of means tested benefit which includes a maximum amount of savings which seems likely has been exceeded. The most likely action is your friend will be required to pay back any overpayments. By making these overpayments to the DWP they are likely to once again become eligible for the payments. Fraud prosecutions are time consuming and expensive, unless your friend has been deliberately fraudulent in their actions they will be ok.
Right. This makes more sense. The ISA was a single payment, set up by the parents in his name. Turns out to be quite a substantial amount.
We've requested a statement, but in the mean time will contact the DWP and 'fess up, telling them that there's a statement on the way and offering to return any overpayment.
Bit of a silver lining to what could have been pretty dreadful. Prison ffs!
We've requested a statement, but in the mean time will contact the DWP and 'fess up, telling them that there's a statement on the way and offering to return any overpayment.
Bit of a silver lining to what could have been pretty dreadful. Prison ffs!
Sideways Tim said:
Right. This makes more sense. The ISA was a single payment, set up by the parents in his name. Turns out to be quite a substantial amount.
We've requested a statement, but in the mean time will contact the DWP and 'fess up, telling them that there's a statement on the way and offering to return any overpayment.
Bit of a silver lining to what could have been pretty dreadful. Prison ffs!
Legal advice before contacting the DWP. We've requested a statement, but in the mean time will contact the DWP and 'fess up, telling them that there's a statement on the way and offering to return any overpayment.
Bit of a silver lining to what could have been pretty dreadful. Prison ffs!
KevinCamaroSS said:
Not possible. An ISA has pretty low limits for annual inputs. Therefore it cannot be a single payment and substantial.
Sorry, I'm getting info second hand from someone who has even less idea than I do about it.There's nothing going in now, but it is up to the maximum amount it can be. I suppose there's degrees of substantial too.
There's not enough in there to cover repaying the benefit already paid out, but certainly a good chunk of it.
KevinCamaroSS said:
Sideways Tim said:
Right. This makes more sense. The ISA was a single payment, set up by the parents in his name. Turns out to be quite a substantial amount.
Not possible. An ISA has pretty low limits for annual inputs. Therefore it cannot be a single payment and substantial.Not worth speculating without a lot more facts
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