Carers Allowance suspeded while under investigation, no reason given

[Rainfalls]

Hi,
I care for my mum with dementia, I recieve Carers Allowance and don't work. I just checked bank no CA this week, so phone DWP who have told me claim is suspended while under investigation. They could give me no more information or time scale, they have sent no letters or phone calls regarding this, just said if they need info they will be in touch.
I don't work so this puts me and mum in a vulnerable position with no time frame on when it will be sorted or what is wrong , anyone have any idea how to get DWP to sort this out urgentley ?
Thanks

 

[nitram]

Hi,
I care for my mum with dementia, I recieve Carers Allowance and don't work. I just checked bank no CA this week, so phone DWP who have told me claim is suspended while under investigation. They could give me no more information or time scale, they have sent no letters or phone calls regarding this, just said if they need info they will be in touch.
I don't work so this puts me and mum in a vulnerable position with no time frame on when it will be sorted or what is wrong , anyone have any idea how to get DWP to sort this out urgentley ?
Thanks

Has your mum been in hospital?
Do you get any other benefits?
Does your mum get any other benefits?

With the answers to these questions contact local Citizens Advice or AS helpline

 

[Rainfalls]

No, mum not been in hospital, I get no other benefits, Mum gets attendance allowance and pension.
Will try helplines , difficult to sort out if they don't even give me a reason, don't work so not over earnings threshold.
Disgusting they just stop it for investigation yet require no information or can tell me what they investigating so I can sort it, guilty until proven innocent with DWP.

 

[Alisongs]

Has your mum been in hospital?
Do you get any other benefits?
Does your mum get any other benefits?

With the answers to these questions contact local Citizens Advice or AS helpline

Also Local Law Centre, and ask for a free hours advice from any local lawyer with a specialist in such matters. How frustrating 😤
🤗

 

[nitram]

Mum gets attendance allowance and pension.

Straight forward pension with no extras?
Have you been on holiday, abroad or overseas?

Until you know their reason it's difficult to defend yourself, you really want to know if they can just stop CA without explanation and if so for how long.

EDIT
Just done some digging.
It appears to be called a sanction, as opposed to a disqualification, fraud officers have access to all benefit, bank accounts, HMRC, and utilities information.

 

[Rainfalls]

They said suspension, while under investigation, would not give a reason... Mum gets PC but not the extra that would stop Carers allowance.
No holidays or abroad. Amazing they can stop genuine claims for no reason but couldn't stop multiple fraudulent claims by a gang that totalled millions £....
Mum up from nap so busy now....

 

[Duggies-girl]

I once had to explain some extra income that had come to their notice, I received a letter and was told to phone for an interview. It was a pension lump sum that I withdrew and all perfectly above board, I don't know how they knew about it but they did, they know everything. I explained what it was and it was fine.

Suspension while under investigation makes me think that maybe someone has reported you for something. Do you have any malicious relatives or neighbours that would do such a thing. Just a thought.

 

[Rainfalls]

I recieved no lump sums into bank.
Me and mum fell out with neighbour 7 years ago when I moved back to look after mum when she was diagnosed with dementia. Neighbour was suspicious and said nothing was wrong with mum and she didn't need care... similar age to mum so thought she may have dementia as well because the way she behaved so irrationally and paranoid... not spoken to her since though her kids are there every day now maybe looking after her.
I explained situation to social services.

 

[Rainfalls]

What a nightmare, if it is someone making a malicious report about me only person it would be is neighbour. She a nightmare, was always local gossip and busy body she accused my mum of being a prostitute years ago as she was single mum...
I was terrified of her when I was a kid, no way can I discretly enquire if she contacted dwp about me.

 

[LouiseW]

Hi
Sorry that you are experiencing this, I had a similar situation and it's really nasty when you get treated like you have done something wrong but not actually told what you have been accused of and by who. You have my sympathy.
In my case - the allegations made about me were totally false and once investigated I was "cleared" it was a horrible experience but it did end OK.

 

[nitram]

Hi
Sorry that you are experiencing this, I had a similar situation and it's really nasty when you get treated like you have done something wrong but not actually told what you have been accused of and by who. You have my sympathy.
In my case - the allegations made about me were totally false and once investigated I was "cleared" it was a horrible experience but it did end OK.

Guilty until proved innocent without knowing details of charge!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Rayreadynow]

Just reapply for the allowance and say you circumstances have changed, they will have to treat it as a new claim.

 

[Rainfalls]

AS helpline said dwp don't have to give a reason while they investigating , or what to do now if i dont even know reason, they said try CAB or age UK helpline. I,m fuming and worried but have to hid it from mum so she doesn't become anxious.
God I hate this country and how it treats carers and the vulnerable...

 

[Duggies-girl]

God I hate this country and how it treats carers and the vulnerable...

Yes, carers are not appreciated at all. 'She's just a carer' is a phrase I have heard before, makes the blood boil.

 

[Rainfalls]

Very worrying as googling this situation tells me there is very little I can do about this while under investigation and they don't have to tell me why , investigating which can take weeks, months or years.
Will try cab 2 morrow but difficult to get past hold, also try GMB union free legal advice line, never cancelled my membership even though had to stop work 18 months ago.
Seems an unbelievable situation that they can do this with no explanation 'whilst they investigate' god knows what, they got my NI number and I will happily send bank statements if they want, but they asked for no information?

 

[My Mum's Daughter]

Friday, yes Friday is the day; a newly appointed MP just waiting for their first case. When Mum's carer's allowance was correctly cancelled, she had problems getting it reinstated. Knowing someone that worked in the right places, she was told that an MP letter had staff running through corridors.
I find it appalling that this pitiful small allowance can be stopped with no reason given but unless you make a big fuss, this will drag on and on.

 

[Rayreadynow]

DWP are trying to make the same rules apply to all benefits to make their job simpler ......eg Job Seekers Allowance and Carers Allowance require you to commit 35 hrs per week.

 

[Rainfalls]

Well after numerous phone calls for advice it seems the only thing I can do is summit a formal complaint (which I have) and wait for response.
Still no reason for suspension.
Just more stress and worry from a system designed to crush you rather than support you....

 

[nitram]

Just more stress and worry from a system designed to crush you rather than support you....

Design not very successful at rapidly detecting and crushing gangs which successfully create fictitious people in need of benefits.

 

[Rainfalls]

Too busy investigating genuine claiments to catch fraudsters, very ironic that gang got away with multiple fake identities and 54m, but I suspended on single claim.
I very confident I done nothing wrong, but I may have made an honest mistake, difficult to know or resolve if they won't tell me.