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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Help with housing benefit

21 replies

Grazia22 · 28/08/2016 08:25

I got house benefit three years ago.When my rent was increased I send new contract .They sent me papers that I was given too much benefit and they will reduce it and Weekly paid it back.They wrote it could be my or officer mistake and other action were not taken. I called them asking if I need to send our new P60 they said they already checked them and have an access to it.So I ignored it.After one year they sent me a letter saying that they were advised there was change in my circumstances change of capital and I need to sent two months bank statements.Should I send credit card statements too?They say that I have one month for it.Should I will be worry about that?Did you have a similar situation?I did not contact them with updates as they told me they have access to my income.If I have some cash paid in my statement should I worry about that?Please help!After searching Internet and reading all the posts here I started be worry.My husband's and my salary didn't increase but my husband gets bonuses

OP posts:

chickenowner · 28/08/2016 08:28

You need to be honest with them and send them what they have asked for. If you don't you may lose your housing benefit and even be fined.

chickenowner · 28/08/2016 08:29

I should have said, and try not to worry :-)

monkeysox · 28/08/2016 08:33

I would expect them to take away the bonus amount from what they've paid you.

Alfieisnoisy · 28/08/2016 08:45

Just send the two months bank statements they are asking for. It's just to check your income. You can adjust the printout to show only deposits into the account if needed.
I had this last year when due to an error they overpaid my HB by £100 a month for seven months....bloody nightmare, only just finished repaying it.

PlanIsNoPlan · 28/08/2016 08:57

Just bank statements, not credit card statements. Sending in 2 months is normal. Calculating HB is very complicated and worked out by a computer programme - they will need to recalculate your entitlement based on the bonuses (income) and will reclaim any overpayment from your current entitlement.

totalrecall1 · 28/08/2016 09:01

Wont' you just get what you are entitled to? If you are earning more through bonuses presumably you will get less housing benefit. Which is fair isn't it? If you don't get the bonus every month and it was a one off I would send more that 2 months to prove that money is not regular income.

hotdiggedy · 28/08/2016 09:39

Don't worry at all. Totally normal to send in bank statements. How much extra has been paid on to your account? You will just repay some money back over a period of time. Don't send credit card statements in. If I were you I would just send your payslips to them every couple of months.

Original poster

Grazia22 · 28/08/2016 12:34

Thank you girls.I never know how much money my husband will get due to bonuses.I told them I got the housing benefit and for two years they did not ask about everything.When my rent was increased I send them contract.They revised it and contacted HMRC by themselves.I was waiting for the reply from them and got calculation that I was overpaid and they will take it back monthly from my next benefits.So I understood they checking our salary by themselves in other case they would contacted me about more documents.And now they sent me letter that they were advised that my capital has changed and I need to sent bank statements.What I will do.Do they have access to bank accounts too? I am just worry I have some cash paid in from family as a present for my son not much.Should I inform them as well abou this?

OP posts:

Original poster

Grazia22 · 28/08/2016 12:36

This year my husband earned less than last year.My salary did not change.Do they contact Revenue to give them yearly income?

OP posts:

Birdsgottafly · 28/08/2016 14:41

So have they got proof of your Husbands, new income? Do they know about it?

Birdsgottafly · 28/08/2016 14:45

To answer your first point:

It's only bank statements that they want, for their up-to-date evidence of proof of entitlement.

You should have had a 'statement' from HB, with the breakdown of what you are entitled to and why (your income level anything that is disregarded).

They give you One Month as standard, to get the evidence to them, that's across the country.

You can ask for a recalculation at any time.

minsmum · 28/08/2016 14:56

The law is that if your circumstances change you must inform them within 1 month of the change. This is what you sign. It is not for them to check your income has changed. If your wage or your partners wage goes up or down you should inform them. They should also be informed about bonuses.
The law also states that if the change is in your favour, your housing benefit goes up, they can only go back a month. If it is in their favour, benefit goes down, they have to amend your benefit from the date of the change.

Original poster

Grazia22 · 28/08/2016 23:24

Thank you minsmum.Am I going to be in trouble because of that?.I honestly didn't know.I told them that my husband bonuses vary at the first meeting.When they told me that they have access to my husband salary I thought they will check by themselves especially I knew this is not big difference.I didn't tell that my rent went a bit up to as they said I will not get more allowance.I am so scarred now

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hotdiggedy · 29/08/2016 00:19

If they had access to your bank statements why would they ask you to send two in? Its normal to be asked to send in 2 or 3 bank statements, stop worrying! If your husband was paid less this year then its fine. How much was the gift to your son?

Original poster

Grazia22 · 29/08/2016 12:43

It was £800 .I don't know if they have an access to account.Last year when they did calculation because of my rent increase they didn't ask me about statements or P60.They checked by themselves.This year they send letter and said that they were advise that my capital has change so I need to send bank statement.If it would be income I wouldn't be worry because I know they have an access to Revenue.But they put Capital so it means for me they had to contact bank.Am I right? I am worry about that cash.

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hotdiggedy · 29/08/2016 22:44

No I wouldnt worry about the £800. I think they start to reduce the amount of money you have once you are £6000 in the bank and as far as i know, if you have around £16000 then you cant get any help from them. I dont think they have access to your bank account.

Really, dont worry about it.

Original poster

Grazia22 · 29/08/2016 23:12

Thank you hotdihgedy.
I don't know why they have sent me a letter that there were advised my capital has changed.I understand income could change due my husband bonuses.But they sent me a letter that my capital had change

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Original poster

Grazia22 · 29/08/2016 23:15

So it means cash isn't it, savings (don't have).Earlier somebody put that they had checked the cash on statements and had to explain.What they usually write when they asking about bank statements?I know that my income had changed but they put capital not income

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GrumpyDullard · 29/08/2016 23:23

Benefits have lots of systems designed to stop fraud. These include information from HMRC and cross-checking details held by banks, among others. You do have a duty to report any changes but I know how hard it can be to keep track of things when you do not have a regular income. Best to send in wageslips every couple of months to make sure your benefit is right.

As far as money in your bank account is concerned, it makes no difference to your benefit if there is less than £6,000 in your and your partner's combined accounts. Money you receive as a gift from friends or family is not included as income (they call it 'voluntary payments').

Be honest and, if you have been overpaid, it will be taken out of your ongoing entitlement as before. You are very unlikely to be in trouble if it is just a matter of your partner's wages going up and down and you haven't deliberately hidden anything from the council.

hotdiggedy · 29/08/2016 23:45

Well I just had a look online and it says that money in your bank account is classed as capital but really, dont worry at all!

WatchingFromTheWings · 29/08/2016 23:46

I've had HB in the past. You can have up to £16,000 in savings and still claim. They really won't be concerned about £800.

I did find HB a PITA for recalculating though. At one point they were recalculating mine monthly! I then made a point of regularly sending in my payslips as it meant there was no miscalculation in either their favour or mine.

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