Started claiming housing benefit because income dramatically dropped and we were privately renting. Completely forgot about it. I don't deal with my finances - I have a money manager and pay a monthly fee for them to deal with my icomings and outgoings and then give me anything left over. So I really did forget about it.
We then bought our first home and moved out of rented place on 20th May. I sorted all bills out etc. Then got a letter through today to new address advising that someone had been round re: housing benefits and to give them a call. This reminded me that I was still claimig housing benefits and I panicked. Rang housing benefits straight away to cancel them, but panicked when they asked when tenancy ended, thinking I was going to be in trouble for not telling them straight away. So when I told them a different date, they caught me out because someone had been round since we'd moved out and new tenants were in. My benefits had been suspended in June. I called them back and spoke to a different person and told them I want to cancel and the actual moving out date, but previous telephone call was recorded and she'll pass the information on to the person I spoke to originally.
I'm worried now. I can honestly say that I was not being fraudulent - I completely forgot I was getting housing benefits. And I don't know why I tried lying to them really about the moving out date, only because I panicked. I have no problems in paying back any over-paid benefits to them.
But have I just dug a huge hole and will I get in to big trouble for this??