JSA Interview, wrong address, so worried

phone1234

Hi Just wondering how bad my situation is... or if anyone can tell me what I should do.

I've just finished up my Jobseekers benefit and have just had an interview for Jobseekers allowance.

For nearly a year I was not living at the address I said I was, I was basically living off the kindness of others, so didn't change my address with social welfare as it would have stopped payment for a few weeks each time and I knew the people that moved into my old address and they didn't mind letting me call and collect my letters each week.

Anyways so I was working part time and getting my dole cheques sent to my old address, I was on half dole then. So that was all fine when I was on Benefit but that has run out and I had my JSA interview today and I stupidly panicked and lied that I was living at that address until April and then moved into the address I'm in now in June.... I should have just said 'ya I was living there till I moved into my new place' and nothing would have come of it or I should have just come clean then and there cause I went pink and all freaked out, the interviewer knew I was lying I'd say....

I completely forgot they would even ask that ( I know IDIOT!) as the reason I didn't change address with them in the first place was because a guy in the social welfare office, that I was dealing with, had told me not to change address if I could as this would stop payment for a few weeks... plus i was never sure when I would find my own place...

Uh! Serious mess I'm sure this has raised red Flags and now I'm so worried I'll have to pay everything back and won't get the BTEA that I am applying for and my course that starts monday

Any Advice would be appreciated.

tony81

If everything's in order now there's nothing to worry about.
It's likely they were trying to find out if you were in a relationship that you should be means-tested on.

phone1234

tony81 wrote: »

If everything's in order now there's nothing to worry about.
It's likely they were trying to find out if you were in a relationship that you should be means-tested on.

Thanks for the reply, Ya they were askin about that alot and the interviewer said that the question had been raised of me being in a relationship because I lived with my male flatmate before aswell and now we're on our own in an apt, but that's because the other people we lived with left for Oz...

But do you think they won't worry about finding out if I was definately in that address until I said was? do you think they won't even ask about it now anymore?

tony81

phone1234 wrote: »

But do you think they won't worry about finding out if I was definately in that address until I said was? do you think they won't even ask about it now anymore?

I doubt it. If they updated the system, the most they can do now is a spot-check to ensure you're at the address... unless they have a time machine you shouldn't have much to worry about.

phone1234

tony81 wrote: »

I doubt it. If they updated the system, the most they can do now is a spot-check to ensure you're at the address... unless they have a time machine you shouldn't have much to worry about.

Can they check my bank acc to see if I was paying rent at that time? or because my name wasn't on the lease then? even tho I could just say I was subletting but when rent wasn't going out of my acc that might raise red flags for them. Maybe I could say they let me stay rent free cause they were friends and I was stuck...

tony81

phone1234 wrote: »

Can they check my bank acc to see if I was paying rent at that time? or because my name wasn't on the lease then? even tho I could just say I was subletting but when rent wasn't going out of my acc that might raise red flags for them. Maybe I could say they let me stay rent free cause they were friends and I was stuck...

I think you're obsessing a little.

Figure out a truth and stick with it.

phone1234

tony81 wrote: »

I think you're obsessing a little.

Figure out a truth and stick with it.

Ya I know I am obsessing... I just can't afford to not get the JSA as that will mean I won't get BTEA and my course starts Monday... And I may have to wait up to 8 weeks for a decision! I'll go insane in that time I think...

I want to know everything they can do and ask so I will have the right answer and don't shoot myself in the foot and lose everything and have to leave the course after waiting years to get into it!

mp22

phone1234 wrote: »

Ya I know I am obsessing... I just can't afford to not get the JSA as that will mean I won't get BTEA and my course starts Monday... And I may have to wait up to 8 weeks for a decision! I'll go insane in that time I think...

I want to know everything they can do and ask so I will have the right answer and don't shoot myself in the foot and lose everything and have to leave the course after waiting years to get into it!

The truth will be the best option!

Thread closed.