pension benefits

[digitalis]

I have a friend who is 75 and receives some pension credit. He is also entitled to some state benefit pension. He has some limited(stashed)money. Most recently he has had calls from a government department asking him to 'come into talk' about the pension credit he receives. I am of the understanding that the amount a person can receive from pension credit declines with the savings the person has 'in house',as it were. I am aware that amount you can have in savings to receive full pension credit has been decreased over the years. At previous 'interviews' the government official has told my colleague 'we know more about you than what you know about yourself". I thought this true. At the time of interview he had some excess of,say,5 thousand over being able to claim full benefit. He then went out to withdraw this sum to make him eligible for full pension credit. I don't comment whether this is right or wrong here. I just wonder why the government department make the charade that they don't know about individuals personal financial standing when they do. Am I wrong here? I thought with computers speaking to computers and algorythms a-working and speaking to one another,nothing is private these days. Why the attempt by HM to persuade us that we have anything private? I would think HM knows what books and papers we read thru library cards,how much and what we spend thru credit cards,how often and where we go thrhru passport computer chips. Why the feigned privacy policies when every bit of information can be accessed about us....medical records,the lot.
Have I got this wrong? What are your beliefs.
They seemed to know everything about my friends bank balance and as a recent beneficiary of a will. Mind you,he doesn't have the arcane sophistry as being a 'false claimant',my shorthand for other recent(illegal) arrivals.

[GrannyMac]

I don't think they're bothered most of the time. However, I've seen evidence of banking information being investigated where there may be some suspicion about benefit claims.  The agencies have a responsibility to taxpayers, even though I'm sure some slip through the net.

[JCBDriver]

They do have significant powers to investigate an individual if they have cause to do so. As in your mates case withdrawing 5K them making a claim could raise suspicions if they latched on to it.
However they do not have the computer/man power to monitor all financial transactions for all claimants/tax payers.

Big brother is much over hyped. Look at the mess they made of merging NI data with HMRC data, it was another in a long line of HMG IT disasters.

[digitalis]

Just telephoned the DWP about my own deferred pension. Well,the indifferent and curt and half accusatory statement read regulations gave zero for reasonable interpersonal trust. Hurried,broken,curt,harsh. Where's the manners now expected and learnt and given in retail theseadays? The DWP want to re-educate their staff...or sack 'em. But then,maybe they make making a claim hostile to get rid of the claimant...one never knows! In a shop the assistant would or should have been re-educated in how to deal with customers. In government(maybe),they just want to get rid of claimants...
The service was of olde style GB: rude and lacking due decency.

Just an inch away from taking out a complaint.

Maybe the staff were overworked? Or just didn't care? Or ordered to make claiming a 'hostile environment'.

And I worked for 45+ years making contributions! Geeee!

[minniemouse]

My father was told by a Tax Man .  "Once your over 65, you don't exist to us".

[fortyone]

I wish the buggers would forget about me 

[brian54]

My father was told by a Tax Man .  "Once your over 65, you don't exist to us".

How come am I paying as much in tax as I am getting in state pension. They are welcome to forget me.

[Alex22]

I know there's no excuse for rudeness, but I would hate to do that job, the abuse they put up with from some claimants is dreadful. 

[Diasi]

I have a friend who is 75 and receives some pension credit. He is also entitled to some state benefit pension. He has some limited(stashed)money. Most recently he has had calls from a government department asking him to 'come into talk' about the pension credit he receives. I am of the understanding that the amount a person can receive from pension credit declines with the savings the person has 'in house',as it were. I am aware that amount you can have in savings to receive full pension credit has been decreased over the years. At previous 'interviews' the government official has told my colleague 'we know more about you than what you know about yourself". I thought this true. At the time of interview he had some excess of,say,5 thousand over being able to claim full benefit. He then went out to withdraw this sum to make him eligible for full pension credit. I don't comment whether this is right or wrong here. I just wonder why the government department make the charade that they don't know about individuals personal financial standing when they do. Am I wrong here? I thought with computers speaking to computers and algorythms a-working and speaking to one another,nothing is private these days. Why the attempt by HM to persuade us that we have anything private? I would think HM knows what books and papers we read thru library cards,how much and what we spend thru credit cards,how often and where we go thrhru passport computer chips. Why the feigned privacy policies when every bit of information can be accessed about us....medical records,the lot.
Have I got this wrong? What are your beliefs.
They seemed to know everything about my friends bank balance and as a recent beneficiary of a will. Mind you,he doesn't have the arcane sophistry as being a 'false claimant',my shorthand for other recent(illegal) arrivals.

A very lengthy & comprehensive post which I'll condense for other readers.

From what you say your friend has committed a potentially fraudulent act & is being investigated.

All Government departments & local authorities have had substantial powers under the RIP Act since the year 2000.

And I too wish HMRC would forget about me, but each year I get a personalised invitation to complete an SA100.