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Last year 2020 I rented an office space in a business centre. It had a rateable value and I was able to claim small business rates relief. As we all know lockdown hit all small businesses hard and I had to shut. The first closed business grant I applied for and received was sorted in days and I was very grateful.
My business is short films. So I had to close as I couldn't film. I had been shut down by government guidelines and restrictions.
The second grant was available from the 31st October (but I thought it was from the 1st of Oct that you had to have been in premises with that rateable value)
Because of the total uncertainty regarding covid lockdowns and the media telling different things every two minutes I decided to cut my losses from the office and give a month's notice from Sept 1st to Sept 30th. But I did not hand in the keys until after the 1st of October (I think it was the 3rd ) Now I realise that the date was wrong for the grant application anyway I should have been in there from the 31st Oct. When I thought it was the 1st. Genuine oversight on my part, and in no way fraudulent on purpose. The amount the second grant cover was only £1334 (to deliberately apply for that small amount falsely, you would have to be crazy).
I waited for the grant to appear. And it was taking a long time so on 3rd Dec I decided to call the council and chase it up . I spoke with a really nice girl that asked me to submit a new form as mine had not been received. So I did. I did this from my phone and had a reference number. Wanting to make sure she received this I called back about ten minutes later and spoke to the same girl. She didn't have it! I felt frustrated and wanted to get the issue sorted as quickly as possible. As I was very tired from my regular job working nights in a warehouse from 10am to 5.30am. It was now around 10am and I was very tired and in fact calling from my bed. I had the girl on loud speaker so I could give her details of my business rates number and phone number I have on my notes on my phone as my memory with numbers is terrible and I have issues around dyslexia.
She contacted a team to see if they had received my new application and they said no. So kindly she submitted one for me. Asking me some details of my info. In a rush to get off the phone and get some sleep. I answer yes to a question regarding a date of business closure. Now my business was closed, I'd earned nothing as no actors or artists could film. But the issue of bing in the premises from the 31st Oct is the sticking point. As that was in accurate (although not my intention at all, a genuine oversight on my part). One of which I'll learn from.
Now last Friday 9th April I received a letter from the anti fraud department of the council. Basically saying I needed to attent an interview under caution to explain submitting the wrong date on the form and over the phone.
I attended and they played the phone conversations I had with the girl. Three in total and I do say yes when she says 31st. But as it was on loud speaker and the line wasn't great I must have thought she said 1st. I freely admitted that I'd got that wrong and it was a genuine mistake about the dates. The two fraud officers were actually really nice as I think they could tell I was being honest and open with them.
I offered to pay back any money that I had been paid due to my mistake. No problem as I would never have applied in the first place. If I thought it was something I wasn't entitled to.
The two officers said there were three outcomes...1) no further action and pay it back. 2) a caution on the councils file about bad admin, and pay it back or 3) they take me to court.
So as I've never been in this situation before being accused of any crime. What is likely to happen?
I'm aware that this daft oversight and not fully reading the form in the first place is my fault and I've held my hands up to that. But the phone call where the application was done for me and submitted was not a clear phone call and I had her on loud speaker. And my hearing in my left ear is 30% at best. Couple this with being tired and needing sleep, didn't help.
Any constructive feedback and advice would be fantastic.
My business is short films. So I had to close as I couldn't film. I had been shut down by government guidelines and restrictions.
The second grant was available from the 31st October (but I thought it was from the 1st of Oct that you had to have been in premises with that rateable value)
Because of the total uncertainty regarding covid lockdowns and the media telling different things every two minutes I decided to cut my losses from the office and give a month's notice from Sept 1st to Sept 30th. But I did not hand in the keys until after the 1st of October (I think it was the 3rd ) Now I realise that the date was wrong for the grant application anyway I should have been in there from the 31st Oct. When I thought it was the 1st. Genuine oversight on my part, and in no way fraudulent on purpose. The amount the second grant cover was only £1334 (to deliberately apply for that small amount falsely, you would have to be crazy).
I waited for the grant to appear. And it was taking a long time so on 3rd Dec I decided to call the council and chase it up . I spoke with a really nice girl that asked me to submit a new form as mine had not been received. So I did. I did this from my phone and had a reference number. Wanting to make sure she received this I called back about ten minutes later and spoke to the same girl. She didn't have it! I felt frustrated and wanted to get the issue sorted as quickly as possible. As I was very tired from my regular job working nights in a warehouse from 10am to 5.30am. It was now around 10am and I was very tired and in fact calling from my bed. I had the girl on loud speaker so I could give her details of my business rates number and phone number I have on my notes on my phone as my memory with numbers is terrible and I have issues around dyslexia.
She contacted a team to see if they had received my new application and they said no. So kindly she submitted one for me. Asking me some details of my info. In a rush to get off the phone and get some sleep. I answer yes to a question regarding a date of business closure. Now my business was closed, I'd earned nothing as no actors or artists could film. But the issue of bing in the premises from the 31st Oct is the sticking point. As that was in accurate (although not my intention at all, a genuine oversight on my part). One of which I'll learn from.
Now last Friday 9th April I received a letter from the anti fraud department of the council. Basically saying I needed to attent an interview under caution to explain submitting the wrong date on the form and over the phone.
I attended and they played the phone conversations I had with the girl. Three in total and I do say yes when she says 31st. But as it was on loud speaker and the line wasn't great I must have thought she said 1st. I freely admitted that I'd got that wrong and it was a genuine mistake about the dates. The two fraud officers were actually really nice as I think they could tell I was being honest and open with them.
I offered to pay back any money that I had been paid due to my mistake. No problem as I would never have applied in the first place. If I thought it was something I wasn't entitled to.
The two officers said there were three outcomes...1) no further action and pay it back. 2) a caution on the councils file about bad admin, and pay it back or 3) they take me to court.
So as I've never been in this situation before being accused of any crime. What is likely to happen?
I'm aware that this daft oversight and not fully reading the form in the first place is my fault and I've held my hands up to that. But the phone call where the application was done for me and submitted was not a clear phone call and I had her on loud speaker. And my hearing in my left ear is 30% at best. Couple this with being tired and needing sleep, didn't help.
Any constructive feedback and advice would be fantastic.
