Benefits Integrity Centre?

Yes, Angel, it's the Income Support A2 form that has been sent out to many people on the OUCH site. From what I can gather it's such a massive 'review' and of so many people the usual office in Belfast isn't up to handling it. They are going through things with 'a fine toothed comb' according to one man, who has been sending them information about his very small pension for years and now they're having a go at him for having this small amount of income, which he's already told them about on several occassions. The Government is doing all it can to count every last penny anyone has, rather like the Doomsday Book.

I also had them turn up on my doorstep nd they said it was not related to fraud allegations, but it turned out that it was indeed as I was then called in for an interview under caution with the Housing Benefits Dept, with whom they were workig in tandem. Remember the DWP is known for fibbing.
Apparently there are 4 new Benefit Integrity Centres opening.
www.pcs.org.uk/en/department_for_work_an...00A-AB905A613B282274
NEW BIC locations
I'd like to hear from anyone else who has had letters from a BIC in the last 6 months or so.
thanks

Angel

There will be another one opening I hear just to look at DLA/PIP claims that will be staffed with people who work for the carers Allowance Unit when that moves to Blackpool that will be 400 staff

I agree all benefits should be checked more often to make sure not just claims are not fraud BUT that are paying people ALL they are allowed the problem is they rush these changes in and fail to train staff to a decent standard.

If they took a bit of time to design a simple form that asked people in plain english questions about income jobs work and health .. people would be less likly to make mistakes and they could then pick a selction to follow up to check for fraud ..... the welfare state has been around long enough, I ould have thought they could have got a system right for carrying out checks

Angel, here's the thread on the OUCH board
www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/messageboards/NF2322273?thread=7969251

Hi Angel,

I've just received one of these and like you, it's the name 'benefits integrity centre' that scares me... I had someone out about 4 years ago going through my claim at that time and although I'd done nothing wrong (I'd received a large insurance pay out that went towards a lod of debt well before I made any IS claims) I was still made to feel like a scrounger or 'at it' - I'm the type of person who wouldn't even have a knock off DVD in the house so the thought of being suspected of making a fraudulent claim made me feel physically sick and on top of my health problems, that wasn't good. After that visit, I just didn;t hear anything else from them and for the first 6 months I lived in fear of the little money I received being stopped (It would have been nice of them to tell me that they'd dropped the investigation).

I've now received this form and the horrible memories are flooding back - if I could do without the money I'd tell them to keep it but I'm a single parent now so I can't afford to do that. I haven't found anyone yet who's received one, filled it in and things have just carried on as normal so it really scares me even though I know I've done nothing wrong...

Jenny

Hi All
Have just been made aware of yet another development of the expanding ideas and measures being tested and implemented in further reducing the DWP/JC+ budget whilst the consequences for those peoople who so far are being directly affected, being already in receipt of extremely low inccome, are forced to levels of desperation such as seeking help for food parcels or being foreced into homelessness as housing and council tax benefit will cease.

This new problem of the "Benefits Integrity Centre" no contact or identification websites whatsoever up to now. Contacting this website, if or when affected or as an urgency you could contact your local MP sometimes this measure can help. Try and use every method of contact possible.