Worried sick please help
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Fedup777
Posts: 3 Newbie
I have today received a letter from DWP telling me I must go to an interview or my benefits will stop. It doesn't say under caution. I've rang to rearrange but it's going to voicemail (the app is 9am and I have a child at school 30 mins away so would never make it)
I claim income support and council tax support. I recently applied for housing benefit but haven't heard anything yet.
The letter says "we're reviewing your benefits and circumstances" and "we need to talk to you about some changes which may affect your benefits" and I must go or benefits will stop, I must bring ID and bank statements.
Background: split with husband late 2015. I stayed in the marital home (owned solely by him) with our 2 children. Began claiming child tax credit, income support and council tax support in Jan 2016. Ex moved in with his friend.
Had a phone call mid 2016 asking a few questions because "id not been on benefit long", just like why am I claiming, does ex see the kids and where.
Feb 2017 I moved in to a refuge and then between family and the marital home until end March when I found a property to rent. The reason for this is that ex is violent and kept coming be to the house and being removed by police. The marital home was sold end March.
There was some profit from the sale but not much, after debts approx 10k. We agreed that it would be easier for ex to keep the 10k and I keep the car (worth about 5.5k), and everything out of the house.
My landlord wasn't keen on renting to me unless I paid the rent upfront for 12 months (this was the 12th house I'd seen and I was homeless) so ex paid the rent to the landlord on the condition I repaid him with my housing benefit.
I applied for housing benefit and council tax support on this house but not heard anything as yet.
I get £500 a month from ex, though this will apparently be decreasing soon as he now rents his own place by himself. He sees the kids at my home as he doesn't have space at his place or any transport for them (his van has 2 seats). He does not stay overnight.
We have many joint accounts but they are all in debt, not me have been used since 2014. They are technically closed as we can't use them but open as they are in debt. His post does not come to my house. All the bills for my house are in my name and paid from my bank. The car has always been in my name and is solely mine.
I have no idea what this interview is about but I'm panicking because it is hard enough with a toddler and a tween on my own, without the stress of this!!!! The ex thinks it's all hilarious and I'm so fed up!!!!
What is this all about?!!
I claim income support and council tax support. I recently applied for housing benefit but haven't heard anything yet.
The letter says "we're reviewing your benefits and circumstances" and "we need to talk to you about some changes which may affect your benefits" and I must go or benefits will stop, I must bring ID and bank statements.
Background: split with husband late 2015. I stayed in the marital home (owned solely by him) with our 2 children. Began claiming child tax credit, income support and council tax support in Jan 2016. Ex moved in with his friend.
Had a phone call mid 2016 asking a few questions because "id not been on benefit long", just like why am I claiming, does ex see the kids and where.
Feb 2017 I moved in to a refuge and then between family and the marital home until end March when I found a property to rent. The reason for this is that ex is violent and kept coming be to the house and being removed by police. The marital home was sold end March.
There was some profit from the sale but not much, after debts approx 10k. We agreed that it would be easier for ex to keep the 10k and I keep the car (worth about 5.5k), and everything out of the house.
My landlord wasn't keen on renting to me unless I paid the rent upfront for 12 months (this was the 12th house I'd seen and I was homeless) so ex paid the rent to the landlord on the condition I repaid him with my housing benefit.
I applied for housing benefit and council tax support on this house but not heard anything as yet.
I get £500 a month from ex, though this will apparently be decreasing soon as he now rents his own place by himself. He sees the kids at my home as he doesn't have space at his place or any transport for them (his van has 2 seats). He does not stay overnight.
We have many joint accounts but they are all in debt, not me have been used since 2014. They are technically closed as we can't use them but open as they are in debt. His post does not come to my house. All the bills for my house are in my name and paid from my bank. The car has always been in my name and is solely mine.
I have no idea what this interview is about but I'm panicking because it is hard enough with a toddler and a tween on my own, without the stress of this!!!! The ex thinks it's all hilarious and I'm so fed up!!!!
What is this all about?!!
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Comments
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I have today received a letter from DWP telling me I must go to an interview or my benefits will stop. It doesn't say under caution. I've rang to rearrange but it's going to voicemail (the app is 9am and I have a child at school 30 mins away so would never make it)
I claim income support and council tax support. I recently applied for housing benefit but haven't heard anything yet.
The letter says "we're reviewing your benefits and circumstances" and "we need to talk to you about some changes which may affect your benefits" and I must go or benefits will stop, I must bring ID and bank statements.
Background: split with husband late 2015. I stayed in the marital home (owned solely by him) with our 2 children. Began claiming child tax credit, income support and council tax support in Jan 2016. Ex moved in with his friend.
Had a phone call mid 2016 asking a few questions because "id not been on benefit long", just like why am I claiming, does ex see the kids and where.
Feb 2017 I moved in to a refuge and then between family and the marital home until end March when I found a property to rent. The reason for this is that ex is violent and kept coming be to the house and being removed by police. The marital home was sold end March.
There was some profit from the sale but not much, after debts approx 10k. We agreed that it would be easier for ex to keep the 10k and I keep the car (worth about 5.5k), and everything out of the house.
My landlord wasn't keen on renting to me unless I paid the rent upfront for 12 months (this was the 12th house I'd seen and I was homeless) so ex paid the rent to the landlord on the condition I repaid him with my housing benefit.
I applied for housing benefit and council tax support on this house but not heard anything as yet.
I get £500 a month from ex, though this will apparently be decreasing soon as he now rents his own place by himself. He sees the kids at my home as he doesn't have space at his place or any transport for them (his van has 2 seats). He does not stay overnight.
We have many joint accounts but they are all in debt, not me have been used since 2014. They are technically closed as we can't use them but open as they are in debt. His post does not come to my house. All the bills for my house are in my name and paid from my bank. The car has always been in my name and is solely mine.
I have no idea what this interview is about but I'm panicking because it is hard enough with a toddler and a tween on my own, without the stress of this!!!! The ex thinks it's all hilarious and I'm so fed up!!!!
What is this all about?!!
So you applied for housing benefit when you don't currently have liability for rent because it's been paid? That's fraud!
The landlord has probably told them you don't owe any rent and they want to know why you applied.0 -
So you applied for housing benefit when you don't currently have liability for rent because it's been paid? That's fraud!
The landlord has probably told them you don't owe any rent and they want to know why you applied.
This is incorrect. In the case of paying 6 months up front in order to find housing HB can still be paid.
Unless the HB is paid directly to the landlord then I do not see how the LL would be involved.
OP, if you have done nothing wrong then just attend and answer any questions they may have.
It is more likely that the fact that you are linked financially with your ex on the bank accounts has come to light or someone has reported your ex visiting you or..........
Try not to second guess. If you have done nothing wrong then everything should be sorted in the long run.0 -
It is very important that you attend.
Can you get a family member or friend to get your child to school that day?0 -
Thank you for the replies.
Housing benefit isn't paid to landlord, I was under the impression that as I borrowed the money to pay the rent upfront that I still qualified?
My youngest turned 2 at the end of April. My other child is 7.
I just phoned my ex and asked him if he would help by proving he lives elsewhere and he laughed. Nice eh. Nobody knows I claim benefits other than one relative who might have spitefully done this as we recently fell out (but only a couple of weeks ago)0 -
It sounds like you'll be calling them again probably Monday to make a rearranged appointment. I'd be tempted to ask if there is any documentation you can get that will particularly assist their investigation. I got invited to such an interview over 2 years ago... I had wrongly assumed that they were interested in whether my partner was living with me since I'd been enquiring about how my benefit entitlements would be handled if/when she moved in with me (she was moving to UK from abroad). However when I called (after some manipulation to try to get to speak to the actual investigating staff member) to rearrange appointment (I wanted to bring it forward because it was making me so ill with worry at a time I was trying to get my partner to the UK) they divulged they had information that I had an enormous savings account with x amount in from years ago with y bank... a bizarre time to investigate such years on but their data was easily proven false. In the absence of any information that you further get I would just get together dates of events, details of contacts you've had with them etc, details of former partner and account details including statements.. rental stuff..... plus a passport or the like as proof of ID of course... but also anything else that could be materially involved and of factual use. Be prepared to sign a statement confirming your account of whatever matters they're investigating."Do not attribute to conspiracy what can adequately be explained by incompetence" - rogerblack0
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He finds it funny? Does he want your children to be homeless? Get him to give you a photocopy of his rental agreement and that will prove he lives elsewhere.There was some profit from the sale but not much, after debts approx 10k. We agreed that it would be easier for ex to keep the 10k and I keep the car (worth about 5.5k), and everything out of the house.
Could also be this, the sale of your house which is an asset. Money used to pay off debts then £10k went to your ex. They might want to ask where the money went.0
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