I work p/t self employed. I have been taking invoices, bank statements, receipts for expenses to housing benefit every 3 months so that they can assess my housing benefit. I am a single parent and can't afford to pay any more of my rent. I am really struggling as it is.
I have done something really stupid though.
During the 6 weeks holidays, I was working so many hours to try to make ends meet and treat my DC to a few activities that I was struggling to fit in everything and work.
My son offered to run some errands for me, including shopping, paying bills and taking my other DC on days out. I agreed that this would free up some time for me so I could get my work done.
To save my son asking for money every 5 minutes, I gave him my debit card and my online bank details. I trust him implicitly.
Now, DS got into a habit of doing my shopping, telling me what he had spent and giving me the remainder of my income that week to me in cash, so I could get petrol and other things I needed during the week. It seemed silly to keep passing the debit card back and forth.
This was only ever meant to be a temporary arrangement during the school holidays, although tbf, I have had every single penny I have earnt, and all of my tax credits, either in the form of bills being paid which DS gave me receipts for, shopping which I had receipts for or cash.
I have not had the internet until a couple of days ago, because it was cut off in July and I couldn't afford the bill until Wednesday.
Anyway, I decided to check my account online and although DS has been paying me every penny that was paid into my account, he has obviously been doing this out of his own wages, because my bank is full of transactions to an online game site that I knew nothing about!! There are no cash withdrawals, a few bank transfers, and all of these transactions to the same site. I honestly had no idea he was doing this.
I spoke to the bank, who said I could report it as a theft to the police, but they weren't sure how the police would view it, since I have had the money, and basically my son has used the bank as his own account while giving me equal amounts either in goods or cash. He is paid in cash from his employer btw.
Anyhow, how am I going to explain this to the housing benefit officer at my next review at the end of September?
My invoices show exactly how much I have earnt, but when they see that the bank statements show I apparently spend every penny on leisure pursuits, what will happen?
Not to mention that my son has made a number of cash deposits to my account to give him more money to spend on the same site. Surely housing benefit will see that as income for the purposes of assessing my housing benefit wont they?
Perhaps I should mention that my son is paid in cash and does not have a bank account of his own at the moment.
My mind is in a whirl. I have cancelled my debit card and am waiting for a new one to be delivered.
Please, any advice??