Housing benefit suspended

pop_gun · 2 April 2011 at 2:50AM

At the beginning of january i wrote to the housing benefit office to report a change in circumstances. My housing benefit was suspended and still is 4 months later. I've provided 2 months pay slips and all my bank details. I've been sent a letter confirming what i should be getting, but the money isn't being paid. whenever i go to their offices they always seem to have a range of excuses as to why it isn't being paid.

the question i want to ask is; can i take the council to court over the money they owe me? has anyone done this before?

Fiddlestick · 2 April 2011 at 11:23AM

pop_gun wrote: »

whenever i go to their offices they always seem to have a range of excuses as to why it isn't being paid.

Such as?

What have they actually told you?

fluffymovie · 2 April 2011 at 5:10PM

Take them to court seems a bit extreme don't you think? I'm assuming you'd have to find money for this?!?!

Make a formal complaint and if no response in 10 days, contact your MP and local councillor,

jim22 · 2 April 2011 at 5:17PM

MP, local councillor, citizens advice.

Wee_Willy_Harris · 2 April 2011 at 5:43PM

If you are unhappy with the service you have received from your local authority, there will be a published complaints proceedure for you to follow. Only if/when this has been exhausted will the option of further proceedings be available to you.

xfive71 · 3 April 2011 at 1:08AM

I empathise with what you are going through. Mine was held up for nine weeks as they asked for one thing or another; documents which I have submitted before.

The only advice is to keep plugging at it. Make sure you keep records of all contact you've made with the HB office (date, time and whom you speak to). If they ask for a document which you have sent, do it again. It could be that there is a lot of paperwork and they could have missed the one they are looking for amongst the many.

Good luck

allen35 · 3 April 2011 at 2:29AM

pop_gun wrote: »

At the beginning of january i wrote to the housing benefit office to report a change in circumstances. My housing benefit was suspended and still is 4 months later. I've provided 2 months pay slips and all my bank details. I've been sent a letter confirming what i should be getting, but the money isn't being paid. whenever i go to their offices they always seem to have a range of excuses as to why it isn't being paid.

the question i want to ask is; can i take the council to court over the money they owe me? has anyone done this before?

Inform your landlord of your circumstances of awaiting a payment to avoid any unneccessary action

pop_gun · 3 April 2011 at 6:30AM

Fiddlestick wrote: »

Such as?

What have they actually told you?

this is the thing. they said because of the amount they owe they would have to pay my landlord directly and needed to contact her.
they sent her some forms, which she filled out and has returned to them. they received those on the 23rd march (was alot sooner than that) and now their telling me it need to be verified with another office.

The fact of the matter is they never asked for any details. i had to chase them up and provide information i thought they might need.

i've written to my local councillor a couple of days ago and hopefully they'll take up my case.

viktory · 3 April 2011 at 9:45AM

pop_gun wrote: »

The question i want to ask is; can i take the council to court over the money they owe me? has anyone done this before?

This always irritates me. Councils have very robust complaints procedures which generally manage to solve any issues. You need to fully read, understand and utilise their policy before even thinking about court action. If this is too complicated for you, you don't stand a chance taking court action.

pop_gun · 4 April 2011 at 6:08AM

viktory wrote: »

This always irritates me. Councils have very robust complaints procedures which generally manage to solve any issues. You need to fully read, understand and utilise their policy before even thinking about court action. If this is too complicated for you, you don't stand a chance taking court action.

why the patronising tone?

on what authority can you claim to speak for all council complaints
procedures and the staff who implement them?

your arrogance is truly breathtaking.

Wee_Willy_Harris · 4 April 2011 at 6:36PM

pop_gun wrote: »

why the patronising tone?

on what authority can you claim to speak for all council complaints
procedures and the staff who implement them?

your arrogance is truly breathtaking.

Yeah. You tell it to the man. No namby-pamby, tried and tested complaints proceedure for you.... It's straight to court for those wicked pen pushers to pay you FULL compensayshun for..... um..... I'll think of something later. Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war..... Next stop... Strasburg!!!! (who will tell you the same as Victory has, only in a far more patronising manner).

Housing benefit suspended

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