as ignorance is no defence in the eyes of the law.
Not sure if this is the right place to post, but anyway..
A couple of years later after moving out from my mum's house, I receive a letter from the job centre to discuss a claim a few years back (3 weeks ago) when my child and I were living at home.. I'll just give you a background so you the issue better.
Got pregnant and had a child underaged. As I was not old enough to claim benefits for my child, plus I was living at home, my mum claimed as his main carer, so she got all the benefits under her name for my child. My mum was the main person looking after my child as I went back to study.
The time came when I moved up to higher education, doing my degree, and the time came when Student finance asked that I needed to provide proof that I'm responsible for my child, by showing a child TAX credit in my name. (I wanted to apply for childcare). Obviously I could not do that as my mum was receiving my child's benefit in her name, so my mum phoned child tax credits office, told them the situation and as she was the main carer, they said she had to decide if she wants the child TAX credit under my name and it was agreed that it would by the child tax office, that I could claim tax credits under my name even though I do not get child benefit.
When nearing the summer holidays, money was getting tight. Until I spoke to an advisor from the benefits people that I could claim Income support as I'm a lone parent, but because I was a student could only claim in the summer holidays. So got my income claim letter..but then it states " Who receives child benefit.."..( I thought this was odd at the time as to why did they only ask about that benefit) but anyway I put down UNANSWERED as I wasn't sure,but did write down that my mum receives child benefit for my son under her name on the claim form and they were specific sections asking if other people receive child benefit for the child and I put down yes as it was my mum. I did tell all the advisors this, but all they just told me "..well just make sure you put the child benefit in your name when your ready..".
I had the income support only for the summer holidays in the 2 years at uni and in total I only got 2 months of income support money.
Now back to the job centre interview- went to the job centre and was interviewed, the man then told me in that period when I was getting income support in the summer holidays. I should not of been entitled to it as the child benefit was not in my name. I then told him that no, every time I spoke to an advisor and have always written on the claim form that my mum is the person receiving child benefit in her name for my son. As I would always add a note in the claim form to tell them that. The man said well, that would have to be look into and need to look at my past claim form.
He also said that during the summer period, my mum was still getting ongoing income support for my child. Which means that when I got income support in the summer holidays two people were actually claiming income support for the same child. This now made sense, but I honestly did not know, on top of that I didn't know entirely know what my mum was getting for my son in terms of benefits. I only knew of child benefit. I know, stupid. Which is hence why I always told them my mum got child benefit in her name. Plus I did not even tell my mum at the time that I was claiming income support in the summer, I just did it as students who are parents can claim in the summer. I didn't think nothing of it.
Bottom line, the man said either way, I should not of been entitled to income support during the summer as child benefit was not in my name. He said even though I told them and put down on paper that my mum was receiving child benefit for my child. They still should not of given you and to correctly advise you that once you get child benefit in your name, you will not be able to claim for income support.
He said I could of got job seekers instead, but at the time when the advisor from JS, she told me to claim for income support instead as I did not have to go to too many interviews and like a naive girl, I took her advise.
They now want to interview my mum.
I just feel so deflated. I've always told the claim office and put in writing on the income support claim that it's my mum who always received child benefit in her name for my child. I just thank God that I was smart enough, at the time, to write it down.
Plus when income support was processing their claim, wouldn't it of shown them on the system that the claim was both made in the same address, as I was living with mum, for the same child. I just don't get it, that's why we have processors as lots of people make mistakes when filling out forms and given the correct info. Didn't they think to query it.
This is all my fault.
Well there goes my job.