Potential pre-award examinations will be sent to the manager who
then allocates them to a Compliance Officer. The details are
entered on the TCW or CCMIS.
The next step is to decide whether a penalty might be
appropriate, see
CCM4310
Your first contact with the claimant(s) to open the examination
must always be in writing.
You must use the standard letter template letter TCC72.
The letter formally opens the examination and tells the
claimant what aspects of their claim you are checking and what
information you need, see
CCM4220. The letter also tells the
claimant they will not receive any payments until they provide the
information.
Where there is a joint claim, even if the risks only relate
to one of the claimants, you need to send separate copies of the
letter to both claimants.
You should always state the date by which the claimant
should get back to you and allow at least 30 days. For example, if
you wrote on 06/08/08, you would specify 05/09/08 for a response.
If you are aware that postal delays are likely, for example there
is a strike or it is close to Christmas, allow a few extra days.
Also allow a longer time if you know for example the claimant is
abroad or incapacitated and it means they will not be able to reply
within 30 days.
Your next action will depend on any response to the opening
letter. If the claimant:
If the claimant phones you to discuss your letter make full notes of everything they say and keep a record in your papers. If the claimant has fully answered your queries over the phone they do not need to reply in writing and you should see CCM4320.
