To hate getting important letters on a Saturday?

[lougle]

DH and I receive housing benefit. DH works full-time (low wage) and I am a 'carer' for DD1, so don't work.

In late October, I was sent a letter asking for further evidence to ensure we were getting the right amount of housing benefit/council tax reduction. They wanted pay slips for October and November.

I duly supplied the documents requested in November and December (as soon as they were available). I received a letter saying that they had received the documents, amended our claim to reflect this and that the amount of Housing Benefit/Council Tax reduction is unchanged.

We get a rent summary every so often. I don't normally pay much attention to it because we pay our rent by direct debit and the account is perpetually in arrears/credit because the rent is taken monthly but the charge is a weekly one.

Today I had my usual notification of the following month's rent. It's double what we normally pay. It's almost all of DH's wage, bar £100.

I've just double checked the rent summary, and I can see that no housing benefit has been applied to our rent account since the 2nd week of December, hence the large amount.

Of course, I can't do anything about it right now because the offices are closed, so I'm feeling quite stressed because I don't know if there is some sort of mistake (I hope so - our income hasn't gone up!!) or if they genuinely believe that we can afford to pay all of DH's wage on rent

That's harsh. I would be inclined to think it is a mistake, because surely they should inform you of any changes?

I know it's hard, but there is nothing that you can do about this until Monday, so try not to dwell on it. Don't stress about what is beyond your control.

This always happens! I swear they do it on purpose knowing you cant contact them

They probably suspended payment while reassessing your entitlement to housing benefit.
Call the council on Monday to find out when the next payment will be sent, then let your landlord know.

SP - i think you are right, we had a lot of financial difficulties and shitty letters would always, without fail, arrive on a saturday morning - i absolutely think they did this on purpose to add to the pressure they were putting us under. I had a breakdown in the end and this was partially responsible.

OP - you can't do anything until monday, it is probably a mistake, try and put it out of your head until then and have a nice weekend with your family (easily said than done i know). I doubt that the council are playing mind games but i wonder if they get all the letters out on a friday after the week work - they need to consider the impact this has on people. I suffer from anxiety (mainly brought on by bastard letters) and if i have a problem i have to sort it out there and then so i totally understand the stress of having to wait. its pants

When the ex walked out and stopped paying rent I ended up getting all letters on a Saturday from rent arrears, tenancy termination and then HB been delayed or stopped.

One letter I received was HB wanted me to contact them by a certain date. The date was a bloody Sunday, I got the letter on the Saturday before!

I hate getting post on a Saturday as I know something's fucked up

gallic the LA is my landlord - it's a council house.

They shouldn't have suspended anything because I met their requirements well before the date they were due and the result was that we are getting the right amount of HB.

Did they not send a break down of what they are now paying? My council always send a re updated award letter with the new calculations if anything changes. Try not to worry about it. You have proof of what they should be paying from that letter and the original award notice.

I never open mail on a Saturday. Especially if I know it's from the council

I would still contact your LL even though it's the council. Benefits and rent won't necessarily know what each other is doing so best letting the rent accounts people know.

They sent it on the first month, manticlimactic, but the second month we just got a letter saying that they'd received our latest evidence and our award hadn't changed. But the rent summary is showing that no Housing Benefit has been credited to the account since 9th December. So that's why we're having to pay £400 more than our previous month's rent!

If the Tories get in I am sure they will allow the Royal Mail to end Saturday deliveries so the problem will end.