Housing benefit investigation

[Longo]

I received a letter last week to say that I need to be interviewed as they think there was something wrong with my claim. It is today and I'm terrorfied!
Was claiming HB and council tax as a single parent until end of may when DP moved in with us. He has stayed a couple of nights a week in that time to spend time with DD and give me a hand at night time.
Any idea what they might ask me, I have one of those faces look guilty regardless of what I am being asked.
The letter also said that someone from Income support is going to be at the interview?
Any advice you can give me would be much appreciated.

Did you report the change of circumstances to HB/IS when he moved in?

And has he actually moved in (as in, all his stuff, staying all the time, post sent to your address etc) or just started staying over a couple of times a week? Its not clear from what you say.

I told them at the end of may that he was moving in that weekend, they said that was fine and sent out new council tax bill etc. He has been moved in officially from that weekend.

Right so you no longer claim anything as a single parent - IS or HB/CTB?

Do you have a record of reporting the change in circumstances?

If you are not claiming anything as single then I don't see what the problem is. Might be that they have screwed up, or maybe they are looking at the period before he moved in.

Don't let them confuddle you. Take your time to answer, don't rush into answering even if they pressure you. Ask them to repeat things, or repeat them back and ask if you have understood correctly. Take notes.

So did he stay a few nights a week before he officially moved in?

Thanks Anarchy, they must be doing it from my claim before he moved in as not claiming anything now, will try and remain calm but I am a scaredy cat!!
Eldon, he did stay a few times, but no more than once or twice a week.

As far as I know, the old 'he only stayed twice a week' or 'he can stay 4 times a week before it affects your benefits' argument is not true.

I think that they look at how he contributes to the houselhold rather than if he is there 3 or 4 nights. So if he has his post there, contributes to the household bills etc etc. then they will look upon it as you are no longer a single parent.

Obviously if he has now moved in and all is sorted then maybe they just need to formally confirm their records.

Take him with you to support you.

They might be trying to prove he moved in before you declared it in that case.

Same advice really. Make sure you don't agree with anything you arent 100% sure of. If he really only stayed once or twice a week at the most that should be ok, so long as he wasn't paying the bills or using address for correspondence/his own claims etc.

Good luck. Try the Consumer Action Group benefits advice board if you need detailed advice.

is dp father of dd ? If so they could be suggetsign he was making a contribution tot he hosuehold before moving in , thus affecting your claim to be a lone parent

Ok thank you. Hopefully it will be ok, got nothing to hide so hopefully they will see that!

is itn worded as a 'customer compliance' interview?

It sounds like someone has informed them that your dp was living there before you declared it. I was told by a compliance officer from IS that they can stay once or twice a week as long as they arent living there or deemed to be re post there etc. It could be they chave been given scarce information so want to speak to you. Thats why i had mine. the officer that visited me admitted they do have a lot of vindictive accusations made but still have to check them out.