Name and Shame UK
We expose the dirty deedsters
Incompetent DWP staff intentionally defraud claimants
We often criticise councillors for seeking election for all the wrong reasons. We are therefore pleased to publish a report from a Poole councillor who sought election because he genuinely wanted to right wrongs. We salute him for that and hope he will keep up the good work.
Our correspondent writes ...
Not all alleged overpayments are the result of fraud. In fact, official error in making overpayments is inevitable - as discovered by the Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee in 2007, Public Accounts Committee, and revealed in several internal Department of Work and Pensions reports since 2004. These same reports found a complete lack of confidence in DWP staff being able to provide accurate information to customers and colleagues. This includes staff intentionally withholding information and guidance, and/or providing inadequate information and/or providing acceptable levels of service to customers.
This has resulted in at least 800 cases of official error a year, as well as oral and written misdirection - sources: Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, Audit Office report 2006, Citizens Advice Bureau.
In addition, there is the problem of DWP and benefits staff providing inaccurate and incomplete information which was still not addressed after a Comptroller and Auditor General Report of 2000. A 2005 internal DWP report still found staff continuing to mislead customers and this had still not been addressed by the time the Public Accounts Committee reported last year.
As a local Councillor, I deal with many overpayment cases clearly caused by administrative errors by DWP, Jobcentre Plus, and other benefits staff. My local Citizens Advice Bureau is swamped with more similar cases.
The DWP is consistently failing to address this problem and instead is blindly prosecuting innocent people who been misled and incorrectly advised in order to cover up its own systematic failings.
Justice demands that we do not confuse the drive to crack down on the truly fraudulent with attempts to cover up widespread failings in the benefits system.
Cllr D Martin,
Poole, Dorset
Editorial comment:
It would be nice to think the Rt. Hon. James
Purnell (left) might read this article. But if he was doing his
job properly he would already know all about the problems detailed in the numerous reports mentioned above and would haul the Permanent Secretary
for the Department for Work and Pensions, Sir Leigh Lewis KCB, (right) over the coals and warn him that if he didn't get his house in order he
would be out on his neck.
Regrettably, this never happens in such circles. These toffs who run government organisations are selected for who they know, not what they know. They generally have no idea what happens at grass root levels and don't really care. They are more interested in protecting their enormous salaries and gold-plated pensions.
Visitors' Comments
I have been fighting the DWP since 3 June, when the DWP stopped my Incapacity Benefit. I am a genuine disability claimant, yet all I see around me is drug dealers, capable workers and alcoholics receiving maximum benefits (including care allowance, which I have never had).
I have been living on crisis loans since June and this is nowhere near enough for me to survive in a stable condition. I would be
very grateful if you could supply me with some information on how I can really complain or further my case.
Graham Cook, Bognor Regis
Editorial Note: I think many of us see instances where genuine claimants are denied benefits while dropouts and immigrants seem to get everything that is on offer. If you have exhausted the official complaints procedures then your remaining choices seem to be a complaint to the ombudsman and a letter to your MP.
I have been searching the whole web looking for something like your website. I have a huge problem with DWP. I have been off work since Jan 08 after a LLETZ procedure (Large Loop Excision of the Transformation Zone), feeling too unwell to return to work. In September 2008 I was diagnosed with FIBROMYALGIA (causes pain and stiffness in the muscles, ligaments and tendons but not the joints). After suffering all the symptoms, along with asthma, irritable bowels, severe dizzyness, depression, and migraines 2-3 times a week, I'm unable to get out of bed until the migraine has passed.
I was eventually called in for a medical examination for incapacity benefit. Not only was the doctor unprofessional with his comments/compliments on my looks, he did not listen to me at all. Noting all the wrong answers and giving decision makers a wrong report about myself!! My benefit stopped. I appealed, requesting a 2nd medical with a different doctor. This request was ignored! I am now facing a tribunal with wrong appeal information! Please help. I'm really down and stressed. Don't know what to do.
Emma Lester, Bournemouth
Editorial Comment: You should really take this up with your Member of Parliament. As Conservative MPs for Bournemouth, Tobias Ellwood or John Butterfill should be keen to help as the next general election is not too far away and they need your vote to oust New Labour. Please let me know how you get on.
I have NHL Cancer Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Rheumatoid Arthritis and, thanks to the damage from 14 lots of chemo, I had a double angioplasty after two heart attacks. I had to sell my home because of debt so I moved in with my ex-wife while I wait to be re-housed, which will never happen because I am a white English Christian who's always pushed at the end of every queue.
Anyway, because I moved in with my ex-wife I was made to sign a declaration by the DWP Gestapo at Roberts house in Altrincham, Cheshire. This declaration was so I could keep my benefits separate from my ex-wife's benefits. And guess what happened? The Gestapo have taken away my Severe Disablement Benefit and their excuse for doing me out of this SDA was because I am no longer living alone.
I have tried in vain to find out if this is an illegal action against me but I can't find a law that confirms what they are saying to me about this. Can anyone tell me or send me a link that shows these bastards are liars because I'd love nothing more than to issue a lawsuit for criminal deception/fraud against these scumbags.
Andrew Harris, Manchester
Editorial Comment: Andrew, Take a look at http://www.dwpcorruption.co.uk/. I will pass your email to Martin Hossack for advice.
18 months ago I was interviewed under caution by DWP and local authority benefit fraud staff. During the interview I was threatened that my home would be taken from me and subsequently I wouldn't be allowed access to my children - "single separated father with shared residency" - if I didn't tell them what they wanted to hear. After the interview I stupidly (because of fear of their threats) wrote to them making a false statement of admission.
Almost a year has passed and they are now taking me to court. My solicitor thinks I should plead guilty even though, after hearing back the taped interview under caution, I realised the tape had been edited to omit the said threats. I'm sure my solicitor thinks I've lost the plot but some things you just don't forget or are even mistaken about. My trial starts tomorrow - 20th April 2009 - and my solicitor thinks I'll get 18 months.
ALL TRUE!
Roy, Stourbridge
Editorial Comment: As we know from the lies told recently to the Tory MP, Damien Green, and the Austrian tourists who took a photograph of a London bus, these people make threats based on laws they have devised to suit themselves. The only way to beat them is to resist their threats and challenge their statements. Demand to know what laws they are operating under.
I am so sorry to hear everyone's stories above. While my story is miniscule in comparison, I thought I'd share it anyway as it's just ANOTHER example of the ludicrous system we have to deal with.
As a hard working British citizen (always had a job since my first paper round aged 13), I decided to spend a few months working abroad following my graduation from university. I had a serious accident whilst travelling which left me with a badly broken leg requiring numerous pins and screws and brought my travels to an early end. I had nowhere to live on return to the UK and so moved in with my (then) girlfriend who was earning a pittance as a student nurse.
I called to claim disability allowance for just a few months until I got back on my feet but as I was seen to be 'cohabiting' with my "partner" I was not entitled to any form of benefit.
I called again, this time saying I was single. The girl pulled up my details and said I wasn't to which I said, "I dumped my girlfriend 5 minutes ago and I now sleep on an airbed in the kitchen". I was then told that I had not paid enough TAX to claim... enough tax? ENOUGH TAX? WHAT ABOUT THE ALCOHOLICS SITTING ON THE PARK BENCH EVERY DAY?!! What about the 16 year old single mums? What about asylum seekers? They've probably NEVER paid any TAX!
I could not move more than 1 step without severe nerve pains and so could not even attempt to claim job seekers allowance. The only "help" on offer was from the banks in the form of HIGH interest loans and credit cards which I am still repaying to this day... 6 years on!
Thankfully, I made a full recovery about 5-6 months later and was able to find a job very quickly. But I was naive enough to think that by being honest with them, I would receive what the system was designed for ... to help those in need. All I have is a bitter taste in my mouth and a whole lot of debt.
My heart goes out to anyone unfortunate enough to be treated with the same heartless neglect. As well as this site, you may find this of use - http://www.tpuc.org/
G Jones, Hertfordshire
Editorial Comment: Obviously you look and sound like you might have the potential to become one of middle-England's most valuable people, i.e. indigenous British with a propensity to work hard and contribute to the country's future. Unfortunately, under New Labour, there is no place for you on the benefits system. That's only for wastrels and scroungers who have no intention of working. Your duty is to work hard and support them. After all, Gordon is relying on their vote and you can help to keep more of his supporters on the dole.
But you do have a choice. Why not consider a life of crime? Join your local labour party and try to get yourself elected as an MP. Ed.
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