h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A friend is having a visit from the DWP (Department of Work & Pensions). They're quite firm in that you're meant to stay in all day to wait for them, we're not sure exactly what it is they want to talk about. Just planning in advance - one thing we don't want them to do is nosey around the house. Does anybody know whether they have the right to wander where they want? Presumably they'd need a signed form of some description but I just don't know.

Any help would be appreciated.

I think it's quite common for them to come to see you at home of you've recently aplied for a benefit..just to make sure you are who you say you are, live where you say you live etc. I can't see them wanting to poke around unless they were looking for evidence to backup a omplaint..ie you had someone living with you who shouldn't be ..but even then I'm not sure if they'd be able to.

Be up front. Put the porno vids by the telly, place your stash on the coffee table and leave a few chilled lagers by the chair. You never know, it might help

The only time they would want to 'nose around' is if they have come to assess if someone is co-habitating rather than sharing, known as living together as husband and wife. This has nothing to do with sex by the way, but whether you share food cupboards and so on. If this is the case they have to tell you that is why they are there, it cannot be done surreptitiously. Usually visits like this are mandatory to stop housing benefit fraud etc.

There are many reasons why they might want to nosey around. But I don't believe that they're able to unless they've got some sort of permission. But only basing that belief on my thoughts about civil rights!

Thanks Icky - we'll just leave our little dominated slave in his pen too

The DWP have the right to be appallingly nosy, unfortunately.

I tried to claim benefit when I was living with Odo (who was working) for a month or so last summer. Basically, in order for me to claim my money, they wanted to prove that we weren't 'living together in the manner of a married couple'. Which meant exhaustive checks of things like bedrooms, food cupboards, meal & laundry arrangements and so on.

After they informed me of this, I told them to stuff it in no uncertain terms.

B

Hang on... myself and my lodger share food cupboards etc...

Yup. According to the DWP you're married.

B

Well, according to them, at one point I must have been married to three people, then another person, and now my lodger.... Perhaps I should tell him

Congratulations, 2legs! Trust you're getting your conjugal rights?

RF

That wasn't a picture I needed.

B

* exits stage left

It might be worth putting this question in perspective.

It's my right not to tell a building society what I earn - but I cannot expect them then to give me a mortgage.

It's my right not to tell a pub landlord my age - but I cannot them expect him to serve me if he thinks I'm underage.

It's my right not to allow people I don't know to come into my home and walk about in it - but I can't then expect them to give me a quote for decorating the place, or give me a valuation of the house, or whatever.

You want something from these people - specifically, you want them to give you my tax money. If you want that money, you have to prove to them - to me, effectively - that you're entitled, and doing that involves waiving some of your other rights.

It's your call.

H.

Interesting point Hoo.

On the living together part the two people concerned must be of opposite sex. Two same sex people can declare they live together, sleep together, eat together and pool their money - but in the eyes of the dwp/social that is fine.

Nice to see our social services have dragged themselves out of the Third World.

B

I'd just like to declaire that myself and my lodger, do not* sleep together, but do share some cupboard space in the kitchen, and the same cupboard for wine and beer storage purposes...

"Two same sex people can declare they live together, sleep together, eat together and pool their money - but in the eyes of the dwp/social that is fine."

A fact made great use of by a gay couple of my accquantience (look, I'm not going downstairs for the dictionary, okay?), one of whom is disabled. As far as the social are concerned, he is the other's lodger

Well put Hoo.

Just as if you live in rented accommodation the landlord has the right to enter you property "by appointment and at a reasonable hour" to inspect the property and ensure that you are keeping to the tenancy agreement and not trashing the place. The tenant has the right to determine when that visit takes place.

Unlike an American friend of mine who spent three days without going out waiting for a visit from their landlord. They didn't want to go out because the landlord had the right to enter the property whether they were present or not.

Don't get on the wrong side of HM Customs and Excise. They have the right to enter any property at any hour if they suspect the property contains contraband. No warrant, no nothing. Crash bang, there in!

Donald

You are right D.
But no one else has.