Is this just getting ridiculous! UNIVERSAL CREDIT

You really work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?

The solution is surely going back to a cheque through the post every fortnight. To be cashed as the local post office.

Only a couple of flaws in that plan.

But we lost a great sense of community when we stopped the giro. And I suppose child benefit cashed at the post office.

Didn't they used to do home visits to check housing benefit eligibility that you were living there?

I checked my address on Google Maps and it's not my house!

Only if it's proven that you are using it for your own personal spending. Being able to access it doesn't automatically mean it is counted as your capital.

Exactly - easy to get this photo to the requirements.
Not so easy to get a full-length photo of yourself standing at your front door with the key in the lock, if you don't have someone available to take the photo.

I think if we have not already reached this point we are coming very close to it!

This all sounds rather odd.
Standard reviews pretty much just consist of sending in 4 months worth of statements of all your accounts, and they you have a call to discuss incomings.
They should not be questioning what you spend your money on, although I have seen that happen. One person was asked "what Tesco was", another was asked what they actually bought in a particular shop.
Some reviews are being carried out by outsourced staff and they are the ones that are overstepping somewhat and asking for more information that is needed. That is due to lack of proper training.

I would suggest posting one of the 2 big benefits sub Reddits, as you will get zero judgement on there about being a claimant, and there are staff there that know their stuff.

Exactly so if you are in charge of those savings, even if in the child’s name etc, they could count it as your income too.

It will be when people can’t live comfortably on a full time wage.

I know someone who was widowed in their 30s and had to claim benefits. She still has has her late husband's clothing hung up in wardrobes. The DWP would think a man was still living there.

What about same sex couples? Can someone have too much clothing that they would suspect someone else was living there? Have they ever met a shopping addict? 😁

To be brutally frank it's free money- they can ask for whatever information and documents they like if they feel it's necessary for fraud prevention, or whatever.
The first responsibility of every DWP employee is to protect the taxpayer- that comes ahead of helping you, ahead of meeting targets, ahead of everything.

Children savings are not counted as yours if they are the beneficial owner of the money. It does not matter what type of account the money is in and if you can access it or it although if there are regular transactions/withdrawals which cannot be evidenced as being specifically for the benefit of the child, then this money may then be counted as part of the claimants capital.

The guide for Decision Makers states:

H1077 Capital owned either legally or beneficially by a dependent child or qualifying young person is not
to be included in the capital of the claimant. However, the DM may still need to make enquiries about such capital if it appears to be owned by the claimant but is actually beneficially owned by a child or young person for whom they are responsible.

Ironically, you have just described my employer. Miss a shift and they take one thing you need - your wages. Funny that, huh?! I’m peri meno, have aches and pains and I still turn up for work every single bloody morning. Because if I don’t, there will be consequences. So I think it’s only fair that you do your bit too, no?! I understand that I will be eaten alive now for this comment but get a bloody grip! I can’t believe you actually complain that they ask you for a bloody photo?! Let’s swap places, I let you be on your feet for 12 hours a day, 4 days a week working in A&E as a nurse. And on a top of that being a foreigner, getting abuse from English people saying that you steal their job, but at the same time paying a hefty amount of ££££ in tax to support those same people who claim UC 😂

Sorry I don't have anything to hand without going to find it online. But a lot of people who work for DWP/UC get things wrong about their own policies very, very frequently. It's actually awful because some of the things they say and advice they give is very wrong indeed.

Funny thing is, they do all this, and yet it leaves out all the partners that pretty much live together, just by luck the guy rents a room somewhere or lives with his family, so keeps his address there.

Do you have exact confirmation of this, as this is not how it was said to me.

I don't think providing the info is what OP has an issue with its insane stuff like pictures at your front door which proves nothing

It sounds horrible and humiliating. It’s like they are bringing in the shame element of being poor as they did with the workhouse .. not that long ago. I’m shocked that so many on here are thinking they are right. It makes you want to have ID cards if they have to be so intrusive. I’m so sorry you having to go through this. There are times in a woman’s life when money can be very scarce because of the responsibilities of child care. which is hard enough without the humiliation. And it is usually women.

Sounds a little as if she is thinking of triggering an investigation to see if you are living exactly as stated. The photo of you by the front door with the key in the lock is to hold on file so that surveillance can tell if it is you coming and going, if the DWP trigger an investigation.

There are two reasons for this (either one may apply).

Surveillance contractor needs a photo:

a) to compare against who comes in and out so they can see it is really you living there.

b) to see the times you come and go, with no risk of mis-identifying someone else. 'Times of coming and going' are a part of an investigation to check that you don't work, or don't work more hours than you say, and things of this nature. They also tend to ask neighbours 'have you seen X coming and going?'

These items are not normal requests. She has something in mind. She is definitely checking out where you reside.

Do NOT use AI to create or change images. They have systems in place that detect this, and that would be the end of your claim.

You sound completely above board, but she is a meddling jobsworth.

Not me. I'm not that bothered by swearing. I think it shows a certain lack of articulacy but tbh I wouldn't know how to report, it's not really my thing.

But if maintenance is paid it is no longer deducted from benefits since UC came out- so makes no difference to a claim,unless the single parent receives so much maintenance they decide not to claim UC.

Ffs 😂

This is such a bizarre way of checking anything though. If you checked my mums wardrobes and bathrooms you'd conclude that there were children ranging in age from 7/8 to about 14. Men in varying sizes from 28" waist/S top, to 36" waist/L top. And about 20 women based on the amount of clothes she has. Then various adult and children's bath stuff and multiple toothbrushes.

Actually there's 2 adults that live there, and clothes for all her Grandchildren (enough for a day or 2 each) for emergencies.

She doesn't claim any benefits, so a check wouldn't happen. But it shows that what's in the house doesn't reflect who lives there. Not too mention that fact that benefit claimants are allowed to have a partner that stays over sometimes.

You’re getting free money from the state / taxpayers and you’re complaining about providing a few bits of information? This country has such an “entitlement” epidemic because of people like you. Don’t want to provide a few bits of information? Easy - don’t; but then don’t expect free money.

Would I have to show them my piles to prove that the Haemorrhoid cream was mine?
Honestly all my medicine in my bathroom cupboard is unisex!
As for the clothes, if you had a partner such as my ex, none of the clothes would be in the wardrobe anyway, they'd have to ask for a photo of the floor