Benefits claimants in Aberdeenshire will be subject to randomly-selected home visits from officers from the Department of Work and Pensions.
The South West Citizens Advice Bureau (SWACAB) has revealed that a small number of claimants could be visited during the “performance measurement review”.
People receiving Employment and Support Allowance, Housing Benefits, Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Pension Credit could be visited.
Eveline Crossan, manager of SWACAB, said: “A claimant’s name is selected at random. These claimants don’t usually get a letter or phone call in advance to warn about the visit. So, if someone comes to your door claiming to be from the DWP, you can check the identity of the performance measurement review officer by asking to see their photo identity card, and calling the DWP Business Support Team on 0191 216 8050 and giving the officer’s name.
“However, it may also help people, who find themselves in this position, to know that they don’t have to let the review officer in and can ask for the visit to be re-arranged with prior notice if the time isn’t convenient.
“Additionally, the claimant can expect to have the interview carried out at a DWP office instead of in their home.”
She added: “Taking these actions won’t affect eligibility for benefits, but refusing to take part in an interview at all may leave the claimant open to a fraud investigation.”
More about what to expect at a home visit can be found at www.gov.uk or www.benefitsandwork.co.uk.
SWACAB can be contacted on 01224 747714.