social welfare officers unannounced visit : can they search house without permission?

[boltonlass]

When social welfare officers visit unannounced are they allowed to search your home without your permission?

Thanks

[ajapale]

Moved from Askaboutlaw to Welfare and State Benefits.
Askaboutlaw is for discussions about law not covered elsewhere on AAM.

[STEINER]

Originally Posted by boltonlass

When social welfare oficers visit unannounced are they allowed to search your home without your permission?

Thanks

firstly you decide who you admit to your home.

no one can search your home without your permission, if you think about it, even gardai need a search warrant

[bullworth]

No they cannot but they might semi- aggressively try to enter as though you have no right to stop them while waving ID as though they are the FBI in a movie. I have heard of this happening from a reliable source. The source of my story was very ill on a lot of valium for her nerves and didnt have the presence of mind to stand up for her rights. The inspector should have been sacked. In the end they had to admit there was no case against her. The inspector had been looking for her ex partner who she hadnt seen in years.

[gipimann]

This guideline from Dept of Social Protection website may be of interest to you. It outlines the powers of Social Welfare Inspectors (they're not called Social Welfare Officers), and it clearly states that they cannot enter a private premises unless the person they are visiting consents.

Inspectors do not have the power to enter private residences and only do so with the consent of the person they are visiting.

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Operational...wi_powers.aspx

[shesells]

Originally Posted by boltonlass

When social welfare officers visit unannounced are they allowed to search your home without your permission?

Thanks

If you don't give permission then surely you are indicating that you have something to hide?

[ClubMan]

Originally Posted by shesells

If you don't give permission then surely you are indicating that you have something to hide?

Not necessarily - there are numerous legitimate reasons not to let strangers into your home.

[bullworth]

Originally Posted by shesells

If you don't give permission then surely you are indicating that you have something to hide?

Can you think of one thing they would be hidden in a home that's not the business of the guards instead ? Once permission to enter is given where does it stop ? Should the inspector be allowed into your bedroom and search through your underwear drawer for example ? How do you control their movements and get them to leave once they have entered ?
Or is this a case of ''oh look you have a clean respectable well maintained home with a flat screen tv'' how do you deserve any of that since you are the lowest of the low on welfare unlike me with my job guaranteed for life e.g a personal vendetta on behalf of one inspector ?


(not intended to be a rant but as a genuine query on behalf of citizens as I have no more problems with government employees currently or in the past than anyone else)

[rosemartin]

what would they be searching for,you have to have a reason and a search warrant issued under a legal authority to search a house. i cant understant why social welfare do this. i never heard of them searching a house. they are more interested in people and what they are doing.

[boltonlass]

they wouldnt be searching me as i dont claim anything, but a pal has broken up with her husband and someone told her that they would be able to search her house for any signs that he is still living there. i didnt think this was true so just thught i would ask thanks for the replies

[rosemartin]

who ever told her that is speaking rubbish, it would be a case of watching tosee if he was overnighting on a regular basis, but eventhat is hard to prove

[potnoodler]

Pretty sure they arrange interviews in the claimants home , no search warrants though

[sean.c]

The inspector called around my place when we claimed Rent Allowance, I figured it was to verify the size of the apartment etc. etc.

I know people claiming lone parents allowance are always on the watch out for inspectors in case they spot the partner living with them.

[Mel]

Originally Posted by sean.c

I know people claiming lone parents allowance are always on the watch out for inspectors in case they spot the partner living with them.

Would you like to rephrase that sean.c?

[potnoodler]

Be prepared for a lot more mass generalisations as the media and the government step up their campaign to turn the masses against each other

[ClubMan]

Originally Posted by sean.c

The inspector called around my place when we claimed Rent Allowance, I figured it was to verify the size of the apartment etc. etc.

I'm sure you could have asked them why they were visiting but ultimately it's no great mystery:

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Schemes/Sup...#How_to_apply4

The CWO usually visits you to confirm your circumstances.

[sean.c]

Originally Posted by Mel

Would you like to rephrase that sean.c?

No, I wouldn't.

"I know people" isn't a mass generalisation.

If I had said ""everyone on Lone Parents..." or "Everyone on Welfare", then I could be accused of generalising. But I didn't. I said, "I know people", because I do know people who are illegally claiming. It's just a fact, not an opinion.

[ClubMan]

I thought it was a joke about the inspector living with the claimant's partner but maybe that's just my dirty mind...

[Mel]

Originally Posted by sean.c

No, I wouldn't.

"I know people" isn't a mass generalisation.

If I had said ""everyone on Lone Parents..." or "Everyone on Welfare", then I could be accused of generalising. But I didn't. I said, "I know people", because I do know people who are illegally claiming. It's just a fact, not an opinion.

Fair enough; you probably could have made that clear; I've taken the liberty of adding a word to clarify:

"I know people claiming lone parents allowance who are always on the watch out for inspectors in case they spot the partner living with them."

[sean.c]

Originally Posted by Mel

"I know people claiming lone parents allowance who are always on the watch out for inspectors in case they spot the partner living with them."

Ok, you win that one...