Interview Under Caution

If we believe you have committed an offence, we may invite you into the Housing Benefit office for an Interview Under Caution.

This will be a taped interview, carried out in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act. Your rights will be explained in a leaflet sent to you beforehand, as well as during the interview itself.

The interview can seem quite daunting, but this is because we are required by law to make sure you are aware of all your rights. The person interviewing you will try to make you as comfortable as possible during the interview and will treat you fairly. They want to listen to what you have to say.

You have the following rights:

not to say anything (although if you later say something in court that you did not mention during your interview, the court may look less favourably at that information)
to obtain legal advice
to leave at any time, if you wish

You may also:

have somebody independent translate for you if English is not your first language
have somebody help you if you need assistance understanding the documents
bring a legal representative
bring a friend or relative unconnected to the investigation into the interview with you for support (although they will not be expected not to answer questions)
request a copy of the tape after the interview has finished.
ask for a break if you need one

If you cannot attend a booked interview, it is important to phone the contact number on your appointment letter, or alternatively 01344 351307. Not attending the interview will not make the problem go away. You may end up in court, even if you do not attend an interview.