Housing Benefit Declined need advice please

speedfreek1000

The contract I was working on ended on the 06/09/08 so I applied for HB & CT benefit when I applied for JSA by phone on the 08/09/08

My Contribution based JSA was awarded on the 12/09/08.

I heard nothing from the LHA (Lambeth) so called them on the 02/10 to be told I'd been sent a letter (which I didn't receive) and that they required more information off me. Id, bank statements, proof of rent, JSA award letter and a declaration that my only earnings at that time were JSA. Basically the same information I'd handed in with my JSA claim) Took this into their offices the next day.

I then got a letter on 09/10 stating 1stly that my claim was being processed as of the 16/08/09 & that my rental contract had expired so had to get my Landlord to fill in a declaration. Got this back to them on the 27/10

I then get a letter (dated 31/10) asking for proof of earning as they had a payslip dated 11/09/08 (I had provided this with with my JSA claim). So wanted either 5 weekly payslips, declaration of earning from my current employer.

I called the telephone advice line on 05/11 as I was unsure what they were after as I wasn't in employment To be be told that because I was in receipt of Contribution based JSA I should ignore this letter and they would inform the decisions panel of this.

Guess what 2 days later (07/11) I received a letter dated 31/10 saying my claim had been rejected with a calculation using figures from that payslip dated 11/09 basically saying that I was earning to much.

I called the telephone helpline yesterday and was advised not to appeal or ask for a recalculation but to bring in 2 months of bank statements to prove that this income had stopped.

One thing which need to be taken into consideration is that I received 2 further payments from that contract one on the 18/09 and one on the 25/09. The one on the 18th would reduce my benefit to £0 the other would reduce it a little. This isn't an issue as I accept the fact that this income needs to be declared and would effect my benefits payments.

Now the question is what will be my best plan of action 1stly to get this decision overturned and second to get the extra income from the contract included in the calculations?

seven-day-weekend

Don't know the answer, but am Bumping the thread up to the top of the board again so that others will see it.

Conor_3

speedfreek1000 wrote: »

Guess what 2 days later (07/11) I received a letter dated 31/10 saying my claim had been rejected with a calculation using figures from that payslip dated 11/09 basically saying that I was earning to much.

I called the telephone helpline yesterday and was advised not to appeal or ask for a recalculation but to bring in 2 months of bank statements to prove that this income had stopped.

One thing which need to be taken into consideration is that I received 2 further payments from that contract one on the 18/09 and one on the 25/09. The one on the 18th would reduce my benefit to £0 the other would reduce it a little. This isn't an issue as I accept the fact that this income needs to be declared and would effect my benefits payments.

Now the question is what will be my best plan of action 1stly to get this decision overturned and second to get the extra income from the contract included in the calculations?

My brother processes claims. I asked him about CTB as I may need to claim and said that all my payslips up to the date of the claim would show £300-£500 a week. He said that they are not allowed to include any income before the date you are awarded JSA in their calculations. Considering he used to be a manager in a previous LA and knows the rules and regs inside out chapter and verse much to the annoyance of his L.A case review and claims department, I'd say this was spot on.