I.S Suspended (Change of address problem)

davey001

I agree... there could have been an issue with post re-direction. It's hard to say one way or the other. I guess i'll find out more when i get a reply. I'll certainly ask (should it become needed) what records they have of what was sent and to what address.

As for a notification of Carer's Allowance change of address being passed to the "Income Support Dept" i can only assume (as is the case with government depts, benefits Depts and Credit Card companys) that the left hand often doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

Guess i just have to wait and see what the initial response is going to be before deciding what course of action to take next. Watch this space.

Thanks for the input!
Davey

tcr_3

The government run one central database of addresses, which the benefit computer systems pass information to and retrieve information from. So it's possible that Carer's Allowance updated their records, that's passed to the central database which then broadcasts that information to Income Support.

They then check their records to see if they've been told about the change of address. If not, they'll send out change of address forms to the new address and wait for the reply, then send out a reminder, then suspend benefit or even close the claim if no forms are forthcoming.

Or one of their letters might have come back saying you've "gone away" from your old address, or "addressee not known" ... perhaps the new occupier of your old home has sent it back to Income Support, who knows ? But if that's happened, and they don't have the new address, they'll suspend benefit straight away.

I'd maybe just phone Income Support & explain what's happened. If they're feeling sufficiently sympathetic they can book you into the Job Centre to make a statement about your address, that can be faxed to the Benefit Delivery Centre and they can simply re-open your old claim. That'd be the most sensible thing to do, considering your house move & caring responsibilities. But it's entirely up to them to decide how to play it, there's no hard & fast rule in these circumstances.

Maybe give it a try anyway.

Sorry for being a bit snippy earlier in the thread.

davey001

Ah ok.. yes i see what you mean there. Could be the case exactly as you say.

The new occupier was nice and forwarded mail early on but by feb/mar she may have got fed up with doing that understandably.

I called today but they seemed to think the best option was to await a reply to the form and enclosed letter i have sent and go from there. Once i get a reply i'll know where i stand and what to do next. Some said the CAB might be help if it goes against me initially.

No worries TCR. I've been a bit touchy on this subject lately myself so a bit edgy etc

Thanks for commenting and the info.
Cheers

tcr wrote: »

The government run one central database of addresses, which the benefit computer systems pass information to and retrieve information from. So it's possible that Carer's Allowance updated their records, that's passed to the central database which then broadcasts that information to Income Support.

They then check their records to see if they've been told about the change of address. If not, they'll send out change of address forms to the new address and wait for the reply, then send out a reminder, then suspend benefit or even close the claim if no forms are forthcoming.

Or one of their letters might have come back saying you've "gone away" from your old address, or "addressee not known" ... perhaps the new occupier of your old home has sent it back to Income Support, who knows ? But if that's happened, and they don't have the new address, they'll suspend benefit straight away.

I'd maybe just phone Income Support & explain what's happened. If they're feeling sufficiently sympathetic they can book you into the Job Centre to make a statement about your address, that can be faxed to the Benefit Delivery Centre and they can simply re-open your old claim. That'd be the most sensible thing to do, considering your house move & caring responsibilities. But it's entirely up to them to decide how to play it, there's no hard & fast rule in these circumstances.

Maybe give it a try anyway.

Sorry for being a bit snippy earlier in the thread.

davey001

Just to update:

They paid up... (almost fell out of my pram when i noticed my account had all the back payments gone in on one day in a lump sum!)

A few days later the usual computerised letter "you will get £40 odd a week income support etc".

Nothing further from them re missed payments or an explanation of how the problem occurred. I am not bothered. Just relived it's all sorted and i can pay my rent this month.