Compliance interview

[Cnic29x]

Hi ladies, I need some advice… I’m a terrible worrier and have huge anxiety over this.. my partners going through some medical worries so I don’t want to burden him with this too… he works full time and earns just under literally just under the cap for child benefit I work 10-12 hours and they can vary and claim carers allowance for my disabled son…my partner and I just moved in today the April before my October baby was born… so was on maternity and didn’t claim anything else…fast forward I’m back at work, and on carers for my son, which has only just been renewed.. out of the blue I get a letter saying I need to attend a compliance interview… I know I sorted all the i‘s and crossed all the t‘s when I moved in with my partner but like I said all my benefits I receive are not means tested anyway… so his wage ect wouldn’t effect them… I’m so scared I’m thinking I’m going to prison or something but I have no idea what I’ve done… please any advice for a hugely panicked fellow mum… x

Have you reported your working hours to them accurately? Are you always under the amount you are allowed to earn for carers allowance? Even 1p over means you have to report.

I had similar when after working several years and reporting it properly they suddenly claimed they didn’t know I was working. Had a phone call and was able to show I was always under the allowance. I think it was because the name of the company I work for changed.

Thank you for replying, yeah I’m always under the allowance… but my hours can vary slightly… so my wage is different most months but always under… I’m so scared it’s making me poorly, but I can’t think what I’ve done wrong… x

So did you have the baby with your partner months before moving in with him ( not sure if I'm understanding your post correctly ? ). If so maybe they think you were living together earlier than you were ?

That doesn’t matter for Carers Allowance. It is only the person claiming it whose wage is taken into account nobody else in the household. So it doesn’t matter if you live with a partner or not.

But op doesn't actually say it is related to the carers allowance claim or whether it is dwp even? It could be related to council tax single occupancy or something ? In my experience they don't call people into a compliance meeting if they've just gone over the earnings threshold for carers allowance, they would just stop it unless they think you've been earning cash in hand or something.
Op is it definitely from DWP ? Seems odd to get a compliance interview if you are not claiming any means tested benefits like UC or tax credits. If you've done nothing wrong then please don't worry.

It’s dwp.. I claim child benefit and carers that’s it… my carers has only just been renewed… and I definitely remember informing everyone when I moved in with my partner… I had my baby after I moved in with him… my partner earns just under the threshold too, so I have no idea… when I was on maternity I didn’t earn enough for normal maternity pay so received the state one, where i didn’t claim carers then… I’m a huge worrier think king I’m going to go to prison for something I had no idea about… it states in the letter it’s about my benefit claim so literally must be carers of cb… I’m in a right tizz about the whole thing.. and I’ve got a whole week to wait x

Do you claim universal credit?

Going to prison? You have to knowingly be committing fraud to be convicted of a benefit offence and you certainly wouldn't go to the prison unless you have stole £30k or something.

Why are you making yourself ill over something you know you haven't done?
There must be some error or misunderstanding that you can prove and iron out at the meeting so nothing to worry about

I think I just over worry about stuff like this… the letter makes it all sound scary..I have awful anxiety… I don’t get universal credit or any other means tested benefits other then child benefit x

Have you let them know that your partner is living with you?

Yea I let everyone know when we moved in together… and have no means tested benefits apart from cb x

Child benefit is HMRC, so I'm thinking the DWP must be about the carers, not CB.

If it is the DWP then it will be about Carers Allowance as child benefit is administered by the HMRC. If you are caring for your son and your earnings are always below £139 and your child gets daily living element of DLA at middle or high rate you are eligible. There is information on the Gov.uk website about CA eligibility, how to report a change of circumstances etc. It might be a discrepancy in the way your wages have been reported by your employer making it look like you earned over the threshold, it may be something else and it is not going to end with you in prison!

Try to keep it in perspective, you are clearly well aware of the rules around CA and claim it properly, the recent changes in your life may have triggered a check from DWP but it doesn't mean you have done something wrong

Stay calm. If your salary is always under the threshold you have done nothing wrong.