What is a customer compliance officer at job centre?

Question

I`ve been sent a letter to attend an interview to discuss a query that has arisen concerning my claim to benefit-should i worry?

I am a single mother on benefits with a son with learning difficulties but i did stay with his dad when we got back together again 5 months ago whilst his dad was working and stupidly still said i was a single mum,he is now gone again.Will i got to prison,i`m really worried,advice appreciated,thankyou.

Answer 1

It is highly unlikely that you will be sent to prison. I have seen a number of people in your position appear in court and the approach in a case such as yours is less on punishment than in helping you sort out your life. For example, you might be placed on Probation. You will be required to pay back the money which you received when you were not entitled to do so and this is normally done by the authorities, so I understand, by deducting it from your current benefit. As this was a flash in the pan reconciliation (you don't say how long it went on), perhaps the Department will decide not to prosecute, but simply to recover overpayments. It is a matter for the Department.

A customer compliance officer is presumably a person who has to investigate the right of claimants to receive their benefit. I wonder what they called them before?

Answer 2

I work in Jobcentre & our Compliance Officer visit benefit claimants homes & conduct office interviews for various reasons.

With the information you have given I'd say a report has been made to Fraud Department as you was living with your partner & claiming as a Lone Parent, therefore committing an offence.

See what the Officer has to say to you, don't try deny it if this is why they want to see you but you may end up with an overpayment of benefit which you'll have to pay back weekly.

Hope this has made you think twice before claiming something your not entitled to