I have been on UC for a couple of years, post divorce, working but still struggling to make ends meet. I don't receive a lot but it really helps me to hold things together although I am slowly accumulating debt. I hope career progression/new job will mean in a few years I will no longer need it. I had never imagined I would end up in this situation frankly but building self back together post divorce/separation.
I was asked to attend a compliance telephone interview. Interview was horrible and the officer spoke for ages about her arthritis and wanting to take esrly retirement while I was so worried about taking time out from work and all the additional time I will need to take to provide evidence for/respond to her investigation. I have still not been able to understand the reason for it - initially in the journal message I was told that it was because I have capital in several accounts. I stupidly didn't close several old accounts years back which have not had any money in or just a couple of pounds in them for the duration, but was never asked before to provide details of any of these. In the interview, the office just kept referring to "information" that she has (or had - she would not tell me the timeframe this relates to) about an amount of money which would actually amount to what I should actually have had, and be obvious to DWP that I had, and would not be in breach of the cap, ie savings a bit below the rate of savings cap plus some of my monthly income which they are aware of and which does not count as income. I have been asked to provide statements for all these accounts for 17 months which is proving to be a nightmare in itself as my banks don't generate statements where there have been no transactions. In addition, the upload link she sent me allows a maximum of 10 files. I told her I had 83 at minimum before she sent it to me... It was only after I tried the link that I realised it could not be used again. So I messaged her about these things. Meanwhile clock ticking - I have been given 14 days to provide everything and if deemed not enaging then payment can be suspended. I have a bigger payment due this month as I paid for holiday childcare up front. Very scared about not being able to pay bills, rent etc. So I messaged her about these issues and what I thought I might be able to produce by the banks instead of letters. So no reponse from the officer, so I called the main line and was told to message under the title "service issues". So I did. No response. I had originally left a message on her phone before messaging as she had told me to leave voice messages. She then calls me today responding to my voicemail, I call her back, she then tells me to stop contacting her, it is the end of her day etc, there is nothing for us to talk about, she has read all my messages and there are too many of them and I am taking time from her other cases. Telling me that I am contacting her too much and needing to talk too much (I am literally just saying "yes, I understand, yes, yes" etc while she talks, occasionally trying to explain/rebut something she has asserted). I tried very briefly to explain why I was contacting her and why I was worried. She told me I need to send everything by post but basically completely shut me down. All the talk about potentially closing down claims, not knowing whether I am actually entitled to UC (which I definitely am) etc. I haven't done anything wrong, I am sure. I have spent ages and ages going through and through. But I feel so worried and so hopeless, cannot concentrate on anything, cannot sleep well and can hardly eat. It feels like they can throw anything at you. I am being investigated for fraud, effectively (she said it is a counter-fraud review) and I cannot think of any possible reason why, and it is taking all my time which I cannot afford, and making me so hugely anxious. I have not felt this devasted since my divorce. Is this normal to feel this way? Have others gone through this and can anyone offer me any words of encouragement? Thank you for reading so far.