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Original poster

Change in circumstances

20 replies

dennymosh · 18/10/2010 10:19

We have a couples claim for JSA. We received a letter advising that due to a change in circumstances our claim has been revised and to call them to find out why.

I called them this morning and was told that they have been advised by the NHS that I am pregnant. Is this usual?

I had a miscarriage in August and saw a Doctor at the out of hours and also had bloods monitored as I had high HCG levels (which are now normal) so am not sure why they would tell the DWP that I was pregnant.

To update their system, the DWP need written conformation that I am not pregnant from a Doctor. Does anyone know if this is normally the case?

OP posts:
LucindaCarlisle · 18/10/2010 10:32

I suggest that you advise the DWP to write back to the person in the NHS who informed them that you were pregnant, and ask that person to check their records.

You could ask the DWP about the procedure or system by which the NHS notifies DWP of pregnancies, and how do they amend their records when someone has a miscarriage.

onadietcokebreak · 18/10/2010 18:24

Sorry that makes no sense at all. There is no interface between NHS and DWP.

Did you notify them at all? Tick a box on claim for. Possibly would have be noted on system after a healthy start application but even that shouldnt happen.

As for them asking for a doctors letters to confirm you are not pregnant- they cant make you do this. I would have told them to jog on. They should just accept written confirmation.

My advice write a formal complaint. You clearly have been misadviced and I am angry on you behalf. I really wish they would invest in staff training

LucindaCarlisle · 18/10/2010 18:33

THe CAB are running an audit of Job Centres at the moment. Go into your local CAB and ask them about their "Fair Welfare" campaign and give them details of this incident.

Original poster
dennymosh · 18/10/2010 19:48

no the claim was made before the pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage. I didn't apply for any grants as there was a very short space between a +ve pregnancy test and miscarrying so didn't have time to see my GP etc.

I did double check that all our other details were correct as previously they confused our claim with someone else's due to a very similar NINo.

Thanks for the help.

OP posts:
LucindaCarlisle · 18/10/2010 22:03

Actually, onedietcoke I think you are probably wrong.

LucindaCarlisle · 18/10/2010 22:16

Onedietcoke, There can be circumstances in which there IS an "interface" between NHS and DWP.

onadietcokebreak · 18/10/2010 22:31

Yes of course cos you process claims don't you

LucindaCarlisle · 18/10/2010 22:35

When a claimant has been in Hospital for more than a certain number of days, payment of benefit can be suspended.

onadietcokebreak · 18/10/2010 22:40

Not via an interface it isn't. You have no idea what you are talking about. Feel free you start a thread of your own about but this isn't helping the Op who has recently loss a baby

LucindaCarlisle · 18/10/2010 22:42

What is YOUR definition of an "interface"

onadietcokebreak · 18/10/2010 22:45

You have no respect for the op do you.

LucindaCarlisle · 18/10/2010 22:47

YES. I was the first person to offer constructive advice. Your advice was misleading.

onadietcokebreak · 18/10/2010 22:53

There is no procedure for nhs notifying dwp of pregnancy. My advice was correct and also advised her to complain as she clearly had a fuckwit on the phone. As for hospital admissions it's up to the customer to notify.
However sometimes the info comes from the admin office at the hospital. This then has to be checked.

Original poster
dennymosh · 18/10/2010 23:11

Thank you :)

I wasn't admitted so have no idea why they would have been informed, I will write to them.

OP posts:
LucindaCarlisle · 18/10/2010 23:17

Please let us know how they wriggle out of this one. someone may have infringed the Data Protection Act.

onadietcokebreak · 18/10/2010 23:20

Address your letter to customer care officer. I would be interested to know how they knew and why they asked for doctors letter which would cause you distress. Both myself and dp are very mysfied by how this has happened- and we have nearly 30 years combined experience as benefit processors

LucindaCarlisle · 19/10/2010 09:08

There are many interfaces between the NHS and DWP. A google search will generate numerous hits.

onadietcokebreak · 19/10/2010 09:13

Yeah yeah yeah

LucindaCarlisle · 19/10/2010 09:17

I wonder if the information actually came from HMRC and NOT NHS. Could the information have come from form MAT 1B ??

onadietcokebreak · 19/10/2010 09:23

The op was only a few weeks pregnant. She would not have had a matb1 .

This would not have come from the hmrc or nhs to the jsa system.

The op knows what she needs to do to recitify the wrong info and will hopefully be making a complaint. At the same time I hope they can tell her how they got this info.

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