MSE Parents Club Part 11

searching_me

mfd i tell them everything i am always above board and i never let anything slip just incase i have people knocking at my door for money and still the benefit system mess me around everytime x

SusanC_2

searching_me wrote: »

if you'd gone through the stress of them complaining you'd been overpaid and they wanted it back NOW! .. £5 a week for that security is more then worth it x

We were never overpaid but we spent so much time giving them information (and complaining about/correcting their mistakes) that it was almost a part time job.

My_Fathers_Daughter

searching_me wrote: »

mfd i tell them everything i am always above board and i never let anything slip just incase i have people knocking at my door for money and still the benefit system mess me around everytime x

I understand that you have had a bad experience and I will shut up about it. But FWIW I think you may be cutting your nose off

Feel free to punch me in the nose next time you see me xxx

redmel1621

searching_me wrote: »

entitled to says im only allowed £5 a week in housing benefits if i went for it ... nahhhhh you're alright *rolleyes* x

I don't blame ya hon! I had a nightmare with them last year......For a fiver, it is not worth the hassle.

searching_me

SusanC wrote: »

We were never overpaid but we spent so much time giving them information (and complaining about/correcting their mistakes) that it was almost a part time job.

london rush everything (has to be done in a month) and then if they over pay take it back .. and sheffield take 3-4 months and they want to know the far end of a fart ... and they STILL messed every year by at least £200 .. how??? you can tell me that as i havent got a clue ...

sorry after the year ive had with the benefit system and paying back over £1100 just to london alone my opinion is low of them plus id like to think someone who really really needs the money is better off with it then me x

searching_me

My_Fathers_Daughter wrote: »

I understand that you have had a bad experience and I will shut up about it. But FWIW I think you may be cutting your nose off

Feel free to punch me in the nose next time you see me xxx

awwww no punches .. just your opinion and that you're allowed x

SusanC_2

My_Fathers_Daughter wrote: »

But then again I have no experience of the systems from a claimant POV so I should probably shut up

I've claimed three times:
First time: received HB after about six months and CTB after about a year.
Second time: no significant problems
Third time: A complete nightmare - took four months to receive first cheque. Benefit incorrectly stopped without warning twice even though after the first incident we made a formal complaint and became the example in training. We had to go in almost every week with information - within eighteen months I had a whole ringbinder full from the correspondence between us.

It is the same people who do the council tax though and they tried to take me to court because they were too busy to read their correspondence.

I think it probably works well if your circumstances are constant (i.e. no fluctuating income or temporary/occasional jobs) but personally it was the times of great variability that I was claiming and the times of stability that I wasn't. The system doesn't seem to be able to cope if you are non-standard in any way.

searching_me

susan thats the same problem i had because im part time and non salary i had to show 3-4 payslips and explain 6 times why they were all slightly different ...

right off to the shop be back soon x

SusanC_2

searching_me wrote: »

london rush everything (has to be done in a month) and then if they over pay take it back .. and sheffield take 3-4 months and they want to know the far end of a fart ... and they STILL messed every year by at least £200 .. how??? you can tell me that as i havent got a clue ...

This is why I had a (ridiculously) complicated spreadsheet to check all their calculations. Our calculations didn't give enough information for you to know if they were doing it right and giving you the correct allowances - I only knew because we had to have a special meeting because of all the problems.

Fritha_2

*sidles in*

*posts a link to this month's Warrington sling meet*

*sidles out again*