Authorities II!

Previously was related a tale of how I tried and failed to inform the dole of a change of circumstances a fortnight ago. It was this Wednesday midday that I was on my way to the Jobbie Centre to again report the new jobbie and sort out new benefits, when I chanced to open a recently delivered envelope from the Jobbie Centre. It disclosed that I was booked to see my 'Compliance Officer' that very day, 2 hrs previous, with regard to my claim.

I phoned my Compliance Officer immediately, explaining that I had started work 9 days previous, had neglected to open mail due to shiftwork and was on my way in to the Jobbie Centre anyway to report this. There was barely concealed glee on the other end of the telephone. I was a 'hit' in the Compliance Officer's terminology because I'd started work but not successfully completed change of circumstance information within 7 days.

It seems that certain dolies are targeted for Compliance Interviews, and I had been 'randomly selected' as one such. 'High-risk' are those with a mortgage and lone parents (a double strike), which gives the lie to a random selection process. There was no record of last week's visit to report changes, which had collapsed when I was given incorrect information about my subsequent entitlement to benefits if I took the jobbie. I was in the realm of benefits 'Compliance' but not yet 'Fraud'.

It was no bad thing, in all. I had both my Compliance interview and a 'New Deal' interview in which I had proper advice on entitlements now I'm working 20 hrs/week on a low pay. I will be about £20 a week better off under 'New Deal' due to working tax credits, bearing in mind council tax, grants and a £40 pw grant for one year just for having a job. I explained to my 'New Deal' guy that I had problems with authority, but no intention to defraud. It turns out that if I'd expressed willingness to work earlier, I could've also been entitled to a free bus pass and one-off allowances for interview clothing.

Also learned that kiddos' dad has been unintentionally screwed for child benefit. When the kiddos were born there was a rule that the mother only could receive child benefit, to stop a dad drinking or drugging this up. Times have changed now, and in recognition of the more modern typical 50/50 custody arrangement, the dole acknowledges that fathers (even those not in majority custody) can and should claim child benefit. For fairness, kiddos' dad and I each claim child tax credit for one of our two kids. However, eligibility for extra income support for one's kiddos is determined by claiming child benefit, so kiddos' dad has been disadvantaged. To even things up, I have now submitted a 'letter of surrender' for the wee wan's child benefit, so that should he become unemployed, her dad can claim support for her, in recognition of our equal custody arrangement. It's only fair and balanced, unlike Fox News.