Enquiry from 'Benefit Integrity Centre, Winsford Way, Chelmsford'!?

[spencer69]

Hi All, And I don't know whether to be worried, concerned or woorying over nothing!

One day last week I received the normal notifications from DLA and the new rates and also my certificate from IB confirming that I have not paid tax.

However, I also received a brown envelope (marked on the reverse 'if undelivered please return to PO Box 585, Belfast, BT11DW) enclosing a form headed 'Incapacity Benefit and Severe Disablement Allowance' with the address 'Jobcentre Plus, Benefit Integrity Centre, Winsford Way, Chelmsford, CM98 1AY' stamped in the top right hand corner. The form itself is classed as 'BF85A 04/10' and starts 'Changes which may affect your benefit' It has been sometime since you told us about you, your family and the money you have coming in. We need to know if there have been any changes...

Still on the front page is a dedicated paragraph regarding 'pension income' (I am 41 years of age BTW!)
Upon opening out the form, page 2 is headed 'Your reply' there is a list of all benefits and then the question 'Are you or any person you are claiming for, getting any of the benefits listed above' and then 4 sections to complete for upto 4 benefits...
ie: Benefit 1/Name of benefit/Who is getting or waiting to hear about this benefit/How much is paid and how often? then the pro forma spaces for me to complete about the benefits received (IB, DLA, IS and CA (which is paid to my partner)).

On page 3 there is then a further question regarding 'Is anyone getting or waiting to hear about pension credit' (As i have mentioned earlier I am 41 years of age and my parnter is 49) so, no.

Now, granted my partner & I have not heard anything from DWP of JCP for maybe 2 years and neither have we had cause to contact them as there have not been any changes to our circumstances.

My questions is, I have heard and read that there maybe a possibility that this is a scam of some type (I will confirm is this form is genuine with my local JCP), which brings me onto another point being that the enclosed self addressed envelope for me to return the form is addressed ' Freepost Plus RSKR-GSJJ-LLEJ, Jobcentre Plus, Benefit Integrity Centre, Winsford Way, Chelmsford, CM98 1AY'.

Has anybody else received similiar form from Benefit Integrity Centre and IS IT just as the form says, that it has been some time since I told them about I! Or is this something more sinister?

Any replies more than welcome and any information that anybody can give is greatly appreciated. Do I or my partner have anything to worry about or is it just a matter of completing the form as requested and will that be the end of the matter?

Spencer69.

[Lighttouch]

Hi Spencer69,

That's a genuine letter. I can tell from the Freepost Plus reference - it's not a scam. Once you've filled it in make a photocopy of it at your local library before posting it back just so you have a record.

They are just updating their database I guess to make sure there's no benefit overlapping.

[spencer69]

Hi Lighttouch, many thanks for your quick response. At least i now know that it is genuine and hopefully nothing to get concerned over. I had every intention of copying completed form before sending back...it's amazing what you can learn from this and a couple of other forums in these times of uncertainty! Am not going to go on about how many unanswered questions affect me and in turn my partner, who puts up with the helluva lot!

Not looking forward to migration from IB whcih should be around sept/oct this year as per PCA review date and all that it entails especially with the horror stories i have read. Anyhow, many thanks once again.

spencer69.

[MUD]

yes I had one of those forms a couple months back soon after I claimed Pension Credit,

the form arrived soon after a DWP officer came to my home to check my paprework for the PC claim

anyway I filled out the form, posted it back and have heard nothing since

I am on IB and DLA

[candyflosser]

I was offended by the wording of the questionnaire; for it very clearly implied that I as the recipient was presumed to have perfect total recall. Therefore placing me in an awkward and indeed invidious position. The effects of my present medication coupled to a deterioration of cognitive impairment with advancing age makes my ability to remember things that I have either previously done (or not done) very patchy to say the least!

Yet according to the above questionnaire, I am compelled by law to legally bind myself to its authorship as well as those 'facts' presented by me, within a format that brooks no such flexibility in its outlay to accomodate this or any other mitigating or extenuating circumstance (s).
Why is it that nobody else has noticed this flaw and, if they had/have, why has it not been mentioned? Therefore being damned by doing, and open to prosecution be damned if I don't! Catch 22.

I read the Government's proposed Welfare Reform Bill the other night, and once one saw through the mediocre spin-doctoring that some Governmental Think-tank thought up, one can see that by the year 2013/2014 there will be no more 'indefinite awards' and those currently in reciept will lose their's (eventually). What grieves me, is that it took me five attempts to acquire the Disability Living Allowance & associated benefits (under the umbrella of I.S.) and originally I had seventeen referees/references to offer the local Inquisition. apparently the Personal Independence Payment (Plan) has already been initiated, starting in April of this year.

The Government intends it seems to remove the term 'disability' altogether from the English Language, thus making it much easier to manage the public in future with the right amount of political spin, coupled to the new criteria for the re-evaluation of the care and mobility components of the present D.L.A awards. The suggestion being that those who presently qualify for the awards that they recieve, might not qualify for anything under the new benefit, its specific criteria, and accompanying rules. I do not relish the 1:1 'confrontation with a sceptical government 'soldier' intent on appeasing ministers of the new regime at my expense. Particularly when they will be given carte blanche to disagree with me, and cast their own version about what my disabilities are.

To go through all of that aggro all over again, after several years of relative peace and quiet, fills me with dread!

[sugarfree lady]

My first post here and believe it or not I have just come from another forum that said errors are to be fined £50 each. I have just made the very points about medication/illness etc that you mention

[treborc]

Yes things are changing PIP's they are saying may only be paid to the most severely disabled, but until they tell us it's all guess work.

Filling forms, people who have problems with medication or memory have to go to the CAB or Dial or solicitors because they are legal forms which can mean people paying back large sums of money if you make a mistake.

[candyflosser]

Is this web site well known among 'disabled communities'? Reason I ask is the chilling lack of interest in it by those 'communities'. Two replies to my last thread about matters that affect the disabled/mentally ill everywhere, suggests a most ludicrous indifference or complacency.

Tis mind boggling!

Next question, is this site 'bogus'? One set up by The Department of Works & Pensions/ Job Centre, to lure in and entrap the unwary?

Where are all of the readers of this site?!!

[treborc]

Na this site is OK it's been running for many years, but had to close for a while for legal reasons, but people come here basically just to have something to do, or to talk, or to help, but for political activist forget it, your better going to the other disabled sites which have political beings more interested in becoming councilors or MP's and could not give a shit about disabled.

Well will the site grow yes without doubt because the biggest disability forum is called BBC Ouch which a lot of people use to go to will close this month so people will be looking for a home.

But on the whole disabled people are to busy living to be bothered with forums.