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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

housing benefit suspended

63 replies

madeitagain · 06/11/2015 17:21

I am a single mother working 3 days a week. I receive housing benefit. I got a letter requesting recent payslips just before half-term. I went to a friend's over the half term but handed in the necessary information by the due date. I know find my housing benefit has been cancelled. It is a huge hassle as I have rent, childcare an arranged birthday party and clubs to pay for. My account is overdrawn by £500 and rising. I have an arrangement with the bank to go to £700. I called the housing benefit personnel on Monday and then again today. It is now the only way of speaking to someone as there is no over the counter service. I was told the wait for it to be reinstated could be up to 18 working days. Am I being unreasonable to think that a due date means just that. The necessary information was all there. I have nothing to hide and no recent changes in income etc Advice would be appreciated. I am desperate.

OP posts:
dickiedavisthunderthighs · 06/11/2015 19:00

I can see why there's confusion because the OP has said that her rent isn't due until 1st. What isn't clear is whether she already had to pay 1st Nov rent out of her overdraft which is why there is the problem now.

GoboTheGoat · 06/11/2015 19:06

Rent is obviously due on the !st of every month. I am not sure why that would confuse anyone.

OP had to use the money she would normally have to pay her bills to pay the rent because having a roof over your head is the priority, therefore she will now struggle to pay the rest of her bills.

I honestly cannot see how anyone could reach the conclusion Surly has from what the OP has written.

BockCadger · 06/11/2015 19:07

It's really not that hard to just think about what the OP means. No HB in November = extra money needed to pay for rent, taking away from childcare and party funds. There. Simple.

StrawberryTeaLeaf · 06/11/2015 19:13

I read it as the OP using money that was earmarked for other things to pay her rent due to the HB shortfall.

People like Surly are why the OP is in the shit right now. It was perfectly obvious what the OP meant.

Yes, I think so Sad

Seeyounearertime · 06/11/2015 19:16

In the first post the OP said her JB had been stopped and she's worried because she has childcare and a party to pay for.

now find my housing benefit has been cancelled. It is a huge hassle as I have rent, childcare an arranged birthday party and clubs to pay for.

There was no quantifying statement to clarify if this is novembers or October's HB that's been stopped. She also says it'll take 18days then says:

My rent is due again on the 1st of the month.
Which means her HB will be sorted by 25ish of November bit after this she says:
I appreciate I will most probably receive payment by the next rent but in the interim I have food, bills, clubs, after school care, party.
Which gives the impression that the money that comes every 2 weeks gets used on other things.

Or at least it gave me that impression.

BockCadger · 06/11/2015 19:19

.........
OP has to find money to pay for her rent. Rent that would've been paid for by HB.
OP has to pay for her rent without HB.
OP has to use other bill money to pay for rent as she doesn't have HB.
HB has been stopped. OP has to pay full rent.

It made sense to me.

BockCadger · 06/11/2015 19:20

I realise that seems arsey, I apologise Grin

Seeyounearertime · 06/11/2015 19:24

It's fascinating that people have read the same info and interpreted it in different ways.
If OP had said,
"I've had to cancel a party and used that money toward November the 1sts rent" it would have been much clearer. Smile

I feel its slipping into semantics.

Ateotd HB should catchup before next rent day so it should work itself out, providing they back date it.

missymayhemsmum · 06/11/2015 19:25

Talk to your local Councillor- (point out that if you weren't making the effort to work your housing benefit wouldn't have been suspended and that you have evidence you got the documents in on time).
Tell your landlord that there has been a delay through no fault of yours and you are sorting it out.
Be nice but persistent- the staff you are dealing with are trying to make a crap system work as well as they can, probably with fewer staff and more claims than last year, no pay rise for years and risk losing their jobs due to Universal credit. Get them on your side.
See your local Credit Union about a loan for Christmas and to build up an emergency fund for next time it happens

MsJamieFraser · 06/11/2015 19:43

As part of my job role, I also advise people on benefits, and I knew what you meant OP, I have no idea why surly is saying its 18 days, because frankly your looking at an 6-10 week wait Angry

Who do you pay your rent to, private landlord? council?, housing association?, you need to make them aware that you are going to be unable to pay your rent in full until your HB is sorted, this is vital, communication is key. show them your documentation also.

Secondly your going to have to be like bear with a sore head, push them to the max, phone, email and even shout, and if a few weeks have went passed get you MP involved.

you may need to ask for hardship/crisis loans, however be careful with these as these need to be paid back.

Original poster
madeitagain · 06/11/2015 20:58

No Surly is just repeating what I had said up thread. The HB people I spoke to said it could take up to 18 days to get it reinstated.

OP posts:
MNHQ
EmmanuelleMumsnet · 07/11/2015 14:35

Hi all,

Just popping on with our usual reminder on threads like these that although we're awed daily by the astonishing support our members give each other through life's trickier twists and turns, we'd always caution anyone never to give more of themselves to another poster, emotionally or financially, than they can afford to spare.

BlueJug · 07/11/2015 15:37

It wasn't obvious what the OP meant since you had to know the dates of half-term and when the rent was due to know when it was stopped from etc. That, however is irrelevant .

Personal comments about people's jobs are just rude. I thought Surly was being kind and offered her help. She and others have offered good advice but every situation is different.

I also work part time in this (very general) area - and it really different from borough to borough and depends on circumstances.

StrawberryTeaLeaf · 07/11/2015 16:53

Blue one just had to realise why OP was talking about her overdraft.

If a poster wants to issue the snotty rebuke that HB is for rent not children's parties repeatedly while repeatedly saying that they have x years of relevant job experience, all the time failing to understand the OP they will inevitably be corrected.

Original poster
madeitagain · 12/11/2015 22:26

I have received housing benefit again however they have deduced 2 weeks from my entitlement in the back pay because my documents were not processed until the due date? I am outraged. What can I do about it? It amounts to about 400 pounds.

OP posts:
StrawberryTeaLeaf · 12/11/2015 22:55

Complain in writing. It's a lot of money.

The general rule always used to be that if things were on time the award would be backdated appropriately. That can't have changed can it? 'Due date' means due date.

Original poster
madeitagain · 12/11/2015 23:01

I have a receipt for the documents on the due date.I looked up a legal dictionary and from what I have read it is unlawful to penalise a person fwho submits documents on or before the due date.

OP posts:
W0ndering · 12/11/2015 23:02

In the first instance call and query with HB- ask why there is a break in claim when the documents were handed in on time? Hopefully the adviser will be able to sort on the phone with you there and then. If not- Send an appeal letter with a copy of your receipt/ proof showing your documents were handed in within the deadline ( keep copy and proof if the letter too). State due to this there should be no break in claim and award should be ongoing. Any break will cause financial hardship to you and your children and therefore the two weeks needs to be instated. See what response you receive from here as any refusal letter should hold details of how to appeal. From there I would then contact councillor for help as you are keeping to the rules but have lost two weeks money that you are entitled to through no fault of your own.

Original poster
madeitagain · 12/11/2015 23:44

Thanks that is helpful. I am really upset and anxious about it. Being so short of money and now severely is indebt is hard. Sometimes I wonder if people who make these arbitrary decisions have any idea of the impact on people's lives.

OP posts:
SurlyValentine · 12/11/2015 23:59

Get an appeal in tomorrow against the decision dated (whatever date your claim was re-instated). Your appeal has to be made in writing (you can't appeal over the phone) and it must be signed by you, so you can't appeal in an e-mail, but you can write your appeal, sign it and then scan it or photograph it and send by email, to get it there quicker.

You need to say that you are appealing against the amount of HB awarded and the dates for which it has been awarded.

You should also apply for a payment from the Discretionary Housing Payment fund - there should be info about this on your council's website.

barefootzenhippy · 13/11/2015 00:03

It's easy to prove as you have a receipt - give them a call in the morning and they should be able to sort it out. If they don't agree to pay the rest of the money they owe you send in a written complaint with photocopies of the receipt and other paperwork.

I'm so glad I don't need to claim hb anymore, the fact that they can just stop your money despite you jumping through all their hoops was a constant source of stress for us Angry Sad I really hope they sort this out quickly for you Thanks

SurlyValentine · 13/11/2015 00:03

Believe it or not, the vast majority of HB assessors (the ones I've met over the years, in any case) do care greatly about their job. It certainly matters to me that decisions I make affected how much money people have in their pockets at the end of the week. When I suspend or cancel an award it's because I really have no alternative, and senior management would be questioning me if I didn't suspend or cancel.

I'm sorry that your council's assessors don't seem to share this perspective.

knobblyknee · 13/11/2015 00:31

Phone a solicitor and get them to deal with it.
Best of luck. Been there, done that, worn the t-shirt.

Baconyum · 13/11/2015 06:21

Wow! Some posters really don't know what its like to be in this position.

Yes put appeal in but also get onto MP asap. This needs sorted asap. Councillors are rarely effective if even interested.

Ime the only way to get this stuff sorted is be a nuisance!

The pp saying it could take months is right and this is not unusual.

MsJamieFraser · 13/11/2015 07:50

2 weeks back pay amounts to £400? and you say you are working also OP? where do you live? In my area 2 weeks back pay would be no more than £220.

Appeal against the decision, however for me knowing this system it will not be over ruled, but then again I am surprised you have got your HB back so quickly, I had to deal with a tenant yesterday who is 7 weeks into her claim and still no further forward.