Disabled couple snooped on and accused of fraud by the DWP

[BowdonUK]

The DWP have falsely accused one couple of having an ISA and current account. When they denied it, the DWP said prove it or the disability the mans wife gets for MS will be suspended until they pay 88p!

But the man couldn't prove he didn't have an ISA and current account because the bank refused to write a statement due to him not being their customer.

DWP fraud investigation wrongly threatens to stop disability benefits over 88p

Vicky receives Employment Support Allowance (ESA) from the DWP and earlier this month the department wrote to the couple to say they had "received information" on an ISA and current account which were believed in Chris' name

www.mirror.co.uk

If only the government attack dogs had half the zeal to find the billions lost in tax rather playing to the crowd harrasing disabled people.

 

[tonys]

That is on par with my brother in law. He was diagnosed with MS and when he applied for disability the first time round he was refused, as he said how far he could walk. Even though he was walking like his knees were seized and he was dragging one foot

 

[arknor]

If only the government attack dogs had half the zeal to find the billions lost in tax rather playing to the crowd harrasing disabled people.

did they even inspect all the fraud during covid? eat out to help a business commit fraud, all the fraudulent covid loans...

UK taxpayers left footing bill as number of fraudulent Covid loans soars

Figures show that lenders flagged nearly £1.7bn of government-backed loans for potential fraud at end of June

www.theguardian.com

£4.5bn lost to fraud in three COVID schemes as Rishi Sunak's Eat Out to Help Out scheme recorded 9.5% rate of fraud, HMRC says

The revelation emerges during a hearing of the Treasury Committee, which hears the HMRC seized a non-fungible token cryptocurrency asset and is "ahead of the game" compared to "most other tax authorities" on the potential use of cryptocurrencies for tax evasion, according to CEO Jim Harra.

news.sky.com

easier to go after the poor who cant afford to defend themselves I guess.

probably looks bad on Fishi Rishi as well when people are reminded of his incompetence.
I bet hes happy leaving it in a fridge hoping people will forget

 

[mattyfez]

It's pretty sickening.
Don't vote Conservative unless you want more of this, is all I can say really.

 

[SpellowHouse]

This has always been the problem with the benefit system. It is not that the system is unfair, it's just that it's managed by incompetence. Deserving people often get nothing while the lazy scumbags get everything. They have never been able to recognise deserving people and filter out the scroungers. It's really not that difficult but as per the government make a terrible mess of it.

 

[SpellowHouse]

It's pretty sickening.
Don't vote Conservative unless you want more of this, is all I can say really.

I will never vote for them again. I am utterly disgusted with their performance over the past 13 years.

 

[Bluecube]

It's pretty sickening.
Don't vote Conservative unless you want more of this, is all I can say really.

This is the civil service who do what they want no matter what colour of government is in charge

 

[jeffk]

This is the civil service who do what they want no matter what colour of government is in charge

That’s not true. The current hostile environment is Conservative policy. There’s a small amount of carrot being dangled to get people off benefits but it’s mostly stick.

 

[Tuppy_Glossop]

How does the burden of proof fall to the accused? Where is the law?

 

[Hades]

It's pretty sickening.
Don't vote Conservative unless you want more of this, is all I can say really.

I do agree and I certainly won't be voting conservative. But if anyone thinks things will be better under labour (or any other party) then they have a shock coming.

 

[BUDFORCE]

eat out to help a business commit fraud, all the fraudulent covid loans...

Yup there was loads of fraud because of this, stupid idea, it's hard to prove that a business didn't legitimately go out of business Vs taking the loan, drawing the income with no intention of paying it back

Ltd company after all is a separate legal entity so there is little risk to the individual unless you can prove fraud.

 

[slinxy]

I’m not sure how people expect any different.

If the party in charge is trying to push hard agenda policies, some may even consider them as inhumane. Then don’t be surprised if yourself or someone you care about becomes the target of one of the policies to receive the same hardline treatment.

 

[CapitalOne]

This has always been the problem with the benefit system. It is not that the system is unfair, it's just that it's managed by incompetence. Deserving people often get nothing while the lazy scumbags get everything. They have never been able to recognise deserving people and filter out the scroungers. It's really not that difficult but as per the government make a terrible mess of it.

Fraud is about 4%, so 96% isn’t fraud.

Oh and try punching up rather than down!

 

[jpaul]

specsavers - mismanagement of covid recovery funds isn't unique to the uk e150bn , and expecting kier to have done something different ? ;

empathy by the DWP what would kier do better - genuinely a more caring society hmmh

 

[SpellowHouse]

This is the civil service who do what they want no matter what colour of government is in charge

There is a lot of truth to that. They do not employ experts so literally have a bunch of people without a clue. In my company we had to interface to some of them and it was pretty hilarious how clueless they were. It's not like they were stupid people, they just had no experience in the field they were working in. As such, the companies they contracted ran rings around them - inflating prices, timescales and so on.

 

[Uther]

How does the burden of proof fall to the accused? Where is the law?

DWP are a law to themselves. People have no idea just how nasty they are until it hits them in the face.

 

[Bluecube]

There is a lot of truth to that. They do not employ experts so literally have a bunch of people without a clue. In my company we had to interface to some of them and it was pretty hilarious how clueless they were. It's not like they were stupid people, they just had no experience in the field they were working in. As such, the companies they contracted ran rings around them - inflating prices, timescales and so on.

I do think the civil service has a lot more to answer for than we’d like to admit. It’s too easy to blame government ministers for failings of those responsible for implementing policies and managing budgets. Governments of all colours and various shades have tried to bring in sound policies and ideas over the past few decades. Too many have been dropped, kicked down the line or conveniently forgotten about, and generally that’s down to the Sir Humphries of the civil service

 

[Uther]

If a government has an agenda of demonising sick and disabled people as 'scroungers' then it's not surprising that this sort of thing happens.
And no, I don't expect it to change when Labour get in, they've not been that much different over the years with this sort of thing either.

 

[robfosters]

Fraud is about 4%, so 96% isn’t fraud.

Oh and try punching up rather than down!

I can’t see how he’s punching down with this post

 

[Jono8]

I thought ESA wasn't means tested/it didn't matter what you or your partner had in savings or assets? Maybe that's just the "new style" one and this couple were on the old style one.