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Council benefits tip
Wiggly_Worm
Posts: 217 Forumite
Sorry, can't tell you how to beat the system, I'm not Einstein (think even he'd have a problem there...)!
BUT, as someone hugely in debt too, I thought I'd pass this on:
If the benefits system has at some stage made an overpayment, and is now clawing that money back by extracting a chunk from your weekly payment, the *maximum* amount they are allowed to take is £8.55 a week. Maximum.
Because of *their* administrative error back in February, they decided in October to sting me for £13.55 a week. My benefits payment is not huge, and it's been darned hard making ends meet I can tell you. Thanks to the local CAB I've been able to ring Liberata, get a form to reduce the payments (yes there's an official form, did you know this?
) and raise merry hell about their underhand, unhelpful and downright *stupid* system :mad:
Anyway, I've requested I only pay £2 a week now, and they can go whistle. Grr.
Hope someone finds this helpful. :xmassign:
BUT, as someone hugely in debt too, I thought I'd pass this on:
If the benefits system has at some stage made an overpayment, and is now clawing that money back by extracting a chunk from your weekly payment, the *maximum* amount they are allowed to take is £8.55 a week. Maximum.
Because of *their* administrative error back in February, they decided in October to sting me for £13.55 a week. My benefits payment is not huge, and it's been darned hard making ends meet I can tell you. Thanks to the local CAB I've been able to ring Liberata, get a form to reduce the payments (yes there's an official form, did you know this?
) and raise merry hell about their underhand, unhelpful and downright *stupid* system :mad:Anyway, I've requested I only pay £2 a week now, and they can go whistle. Grr.
Hope someone finds this helpful. :xmassign:
:TProud to be dealing with my debts :T
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Comments
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Nice one Wiggly, wish I'd known that way back when, they always messed my claims up :rolleyes:Honorary Northern Bird bestowed by AnselmI'm a Board Guide and volunteer to help get your forum questions answered and keep the forum running smoothly on Special Occasions, Green/Ethical, Motoring/Overseas/UK Travel & Flood boards, it's not part of my role to deal with reportable posts. Report inappropriate or illegal posts to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. Views are MINE & not official MSE ones
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It's a sad day now when you can't even trust public bodies any more!"Some say the cup is half empty, while others say it is half full. However, this is skirting around the issue. The real problem is that the cup is too big."0
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You don't have to go via CAB - if the overpayment recovery amount is too high, you can appeal against the rate yourself. You would have to send an SOA and demonstrate that it was too much for you to find each week and make an appropriate offer. This works for overpaid Council Tax benefit and rent allowance. Just a point to consider, however - if you are in Council accommodation and it is to recover an overpaid rent allowance claim, bear in mind the overpayment is deducted from your ongoing claim and therefore it shows up on your rent account as ARREARS so it has the effect of putting you in debt with your landlord as well. Nasty, eh?????
Minimum acceptable repayment for overpaid rent allowance is £2.85 pw if on benefits, £5 pw if working (less for council tax benefit) - it's always worth a try!
HTH, Stella xx0 -
go on the wigely £2 is not much every week manHOW MY CURRENT SAVINGS ARE GOING.
credit union savings = £1,300 :T
bank savings = £300.30
£2 savers club= £2 :j
20p savers club=£7.60 :j
if u like what i say please thank me. :dance:0
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