A letter from HMRC or concentrix part 8

[Morgani97]

Have you received a letter from HMRC or Concentrix? This is part 8 now. Have you had the dreaded letter demandeing evidence you live alone? Hopefully we can support each other and try and make sense of it all.

Life under a tory government.
Cant believe anyone would vote for these snakes

Well when this government are raising tax thresholds to give more to the rich whilst demonising single working parents i find it very hard not to blame the government.
This system is simply wrong, casting a net and scaring many, many legitimate claimants. Im sure it has pushed a few to the brink of suicide.

www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/claimant-compliance-manual
Yes the section on undisclosed partners within this guide gives guidance to the decision maker on how this decision can be reached and what to consider. This does suggest that HMRC are the decision makers whereas the introduction of the Concentrix contract suggests they are completing searches, collecting evidence, home visits and making some sort of determination. That is why I would like to see the contract agreement to see their area of responsibility. An interesting section in the undisclosed partners is the section about what can and cannot be asked in relation to living conditions/sleeping with etc. I wonder how Concentrix would approach that sensitive area especially on a home visit?

Yes it is. I used to work for DWP so I'm used to the lengthy guidance and tactics used to extract information from 'claimants' without actually asking for it. I am really interested in the HMRC guidance but what exactly can Concentrix do on their behalf is not yet clear to me. We obviously know from this thread how they behave and what they are attempting to do, but what exactly are they contracted to do? I feel they are overstepping their remit, but of course I would like to prove this is the case.

I rang my mum and she told me to write a letter of complaint to hmrc about this lady/Concentrix - who ever she was - I didn't even get her name (gutted). so that's what I'm going to do whilst it fresh in my mind. I spoke to a friend of mine and she said they can do home visits but that was income support she was on about, so I'm guessing they can do what they want within reason, however, I do feel they are harassing me now, for no good reason.

Where abouts did this visit happen? Do you live in the UK? That has actually made me feel sick and so angry to think they are now doing this? Surely they can't just come in your house without some sort of search warrant? They can't be allowed to go through your things surely?!! this is just awful!! Every week they seem to be getting worse and worse with how they go about things! X

I agree with your mum User146 and you should complain to HMRC. A number of issues can be raised, an un notified visit at a very inconvenient time, the manner and attitude of the visiting officer from Concentrix, the implication that if you did not comply with her inappropriate request that you would somehow be penalised and request the nature of the visit and what you can expect from the visit. Please do not feel alone when dealing with these people. Plenty of us are unfortunately in very similar situations and we are here to support each other. Your claim is with HMRC, they have simply contracted out some work areas in order to save money and increase efficiency(regardless of customer service,impact on you and I or our families and wellbeing)it is a cost cutting,money saving exercise to either scare us into withdrawing our claims or capture the small percentage who are actually making fraudulent claims at the expense of the rest of us enduring these methods of approach. Keep focussed, remember your entitlement to claim and receive tax credits. If you have nothing to declare in addition to what is on your claim then you have done nothing at all wrong and should keep that in mind. Positive energy and thoughts goes a long way in dealing with these faceless organisations, with their own agendas and motives.

Hi all from what I understand they can do a home visit. Obviously unless people write it here we won't know how often they are doing this. concebtrix told me they are, and will carry out such checks, and they are rolling this out. I have t done anything wrong but it does appear they are picking on me. I don't think they need a search warrant if they send out a letter inviting you to let them in or your tax credits may be affected type of letter (which I did NOT get) but they saying they sent it

FLOJOHN yes I'm the North of England.

Ive just realised Woodley thst this woman was 'collecting evidence' to support themselves at the IUC. Sly sly sly...

I'm not saying this IS the case just an assumption I've come to. Maybe she would use an extra toothbrush as evidence, who knows (there isn't one). My mums coming over this morning and I'm phoning hmrc up about it, can't do it on my own anymore

User I am so shocked by how u r being treated. I have just returned from a weeks holiday with family which was ruined by this crap as I couldn't stop thinking about it so only getting caught up. I sent all my paperwork last Tues and collected this morning from post office as they tried to deliver on Monday so very quick turn around. It had letter just saying they would be in touch. Am expecting a visit now from reading your story as I live in Northern Ireland were they r based. Hope you can get some answers today phoning them. Glad you have your mum am going to tell mine also as couldn't do it and ruin her holiday worrying about me. Stay strong x

Been looking through Woodly2013's suggested reading, the HMRC's Internal Claimant Compliance Manual at www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/claimant-compliance-manual. Found some really interesting bits...amongst them this:

Undisclosed Partners: Respecting Customer's Privacy
In all your contacts with customers you must always be aware of Human Rights issues, and of the need to respect the customer’s privacy. It is particularly important that you adopt this approach in any discussions which may touch on their private life.

You should avoid any impression that you are examining the customer’s home or household for signs of any such relationship. You must not ask about the customer’s sleeping arrangements in an attempt to find out whether s/he shares a bedroom with another adult.

Customers may however volunteer information of this kind when, for example, confirming the number of children who live there; describing how friends or relatives sometimes stay to help out with childcare or explaining that their ex-partners stays in the spare room whenever they come to visit the children. If the customer simply says their partner stays overnight when they come to visit or care for the children you must not ask where they sleep.

You should not normally ask customers about the number of bedrooms in their house but if the customer has suggested that an adult who lives in the house is a paying lodger, it is reasonable to expect the lodger would have his/her room rather than sleeping on a sofa or floor.

I find it interesting that under the following section "Undisclosed Partners: Other Agencies' Techniques in Establishing An Undisclosed Partner", it says "This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000"...basically implying that HMRC are not obliged to tell us which 3rd party agencies they use to do further checks on us.

And another helpful extract below...

Undisclosed Partners: Undisclosed Partner has No Other Address
A customer may accept that the suspected partner uses their address for mailing purposes. This could be for:

• tax and benefit purposes
• financial purposes (bank account, credit card, loan)
• for motor vehicle purposes (insurance, vehicle registration)

The customer might suggest this is because the suspected partner has no fixed abode and simply drifts around a series of friends or because their mail is not secure at their own home.

You are entitled to ask for evidence of the suspected partner’s other accommodation address, however, you cannot demand that they provide such information nor can you say that if they do not provide evidence of an alternative address you will treat them as LTAHAW or LTACP and terminate their award.

The absence of such evidence is not conclusive proof that the customer is living with the suspected partner. Where the customer cannot provide such evidence you must still look at all of the other criteria and decide their various strengths and weaknesses. In addition, you should consider whether it is reasonable for the suspected partner to be using the customer’s address.

LTAHAW and LTACP of course meaning "Living Together As Husband And Wife" and "Living Together As Civil Partners" respectively.

Hi, yes the guidance is interesting reading and of course is for HMRC NOT for Concentrix, who are a contracted company, so what exactly is their remit and guidance as supplied to them from HMRC? If and when it turns up I will post. Keep in mind everyone that you have made a claim as you meet the conditions of entitlement, you have supplied supporting evidence and signed a declaration to say what you have provided is the truth. You know to report a change of circumstances should it occur. These compliance checks are just that, checks. If handled more sensitively a lot of what we are all experiencing could be so easily avoided. Together we have each other

I agree these checks do need to be made and if name flags up they got to check them out, but there is a way of wording these letters, or doing few checks before they send these letters out! For example family member names flagging up, or ex tennents and ask us to send support evidence not demanding what we send! Year worth of stuff is expensive esp as most people now have paperless bills

As far as I am aware Concentrix need to adhere to Hmrc procedures and standards of service

www.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=97910033

I am completely shocked that this woman turned up! Out of the blue. I wouldn't have let her in either. This goes back to how they used to do checks years ago for unemployed people claiming benefits! What happens if your child had answered the door! Would have been an extremely scary potion for them too.

Again just cause they turn up what happens if a man had been their? My friends ex watches his children at hers when she's on a late shift. Childminders only work til 6. So she goes to work at 3 til 9 and he collects kids, feeds them and puts them to bed and once she's back he leaves. It's a complete joke! I've got my stuff to send back but I'm definitely cancelling this year's claim as I'm not going through this again. I can support myself with out the tax credits and if they say the think I'm living with the ex I'll appeal it but I can't be arsed to fight it if I'm truthful. I've too much personal drama and stress in my life already without this added to it for a few grand a year I get. They can keep it

www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/85d1b730-5e4e-4be8-ae4c-3ac1f359afc7?dm_i=5MI,3F4BN,L4WEK,C8JRQ,1

Kk88 I am the same me thinking once this is sorted I am cancelling I don't get much from them not enough for this stress and how rude they can be, I don't mind house visit but need warning as I live with disabled brothers and we can't have people just turn up, even tho one of these brothers is apprently my partner according to them lol

I had a childcare check last year, had nothing to hide and my award was not changed.

However it meant many sleepless nights for me due to the anxiety it caused. I have now terminated my claim, as for me it just wasn't worth the worry.

However many people will not be in a position to do this and it is worth remembering that these are only checks and for most people no change will result.

Concentrix (and hmrc) do make mistakes and there is a vigourous appeals procedure in place so for anyone whose award is changed / cancelled and you know the change is incorrect make sure you read up on what to do next and the time limits involved.

Same goes for any unreasonable treatment........ Make sure you complain and follow the correct complaints procedure available.