housing benefit

selina1987

i was claiming housing benefit last year on my previous address and stopped the benefit due to a pay increase and i was not entilted. i moved into my new property and recently i have had to claim housing benefit again and ive been waiting ages i have supplied everything that i can supply but they r asking for my old bank account statements due to making a previous claim i cant supply this as the account has been closed too long i have made a statment stating that if needs be i will supply my bank statement monthly to prove my capital!! does anyone know if they will not let me carry on with my claim??

Caz3121

if it was only last year then you should be able to get a replacement statement from your bank. They obviously know you had this account and maybe want to check there is not a large balance sitting in it (I bet you wish!)

selina1987

i wish i had a big bank balance i have rang the bank they said they cant supply it. it was about january last year

afc80

selina1987 wrote: »

i wish i had a big bank balance i have rang the bank they said they cant supply it. it was about january last year

the hb regulations changed last year in relation to proof of capital, if you put the amount that is in your bank account on the hb form and it is under £6000 they no longer need to ask for evidence. It is at the LAs discretion.

they should also be making a payment on account to you within 14 days of receipt of your claim, in fact i would insist that they make a payment on account to you.

dmg24

selina1987 wrote: »

i wish i had a big bank balance i have rang the bank they said they cant supply it. it was about january last year

The bank are talking rubbish. Their records will go back at least six years. Which bank is it? Call back and speak to someone else.

afc80

they, the bank can order paper statements but it will cost you, the customer.

AsknAnswer2

Banks are legally obliged to keep information on accounts for seven years after an account is closed and are obliged to provide information to the data subject (you) over the last 6 years - though they can charge you £10 for this and can take 40 days to provide the information.

You would need to make the request in writing. They may ask you for verification of your identity. The easiest way to do this is to pop into your local branch with evidence of your identity and ask them to photocopy it, verify it and forward it to the person who will deal with your request.

selina1987

afc80 wrote: »

the hb regulations changed last year in relation to proof of capital, if you put the amount that is in your bank account on the hb form and it is under £6000 they no longer need to ask for evidence. It is at the LAs discretion.

they should also be making a payment on account to you within 14 days of receipt of your claim, in fact i would insist that they make a payment on account to you.

thanks for your advice what do u suggest i do i sent my claim in 28th april?

afc80

If you have done everything within your power to provide evidence in relation to your claim the LA have to make a payment on account based on the application form received and the evidence provided so far in support of your claim.

i would phone and or write/email the council asking that they immediately make a payment on account.

As i said earlier there is also no need for them to be asking for evidence of capital unless they suspect that you are concealing income/capital from them.

if you claimed hb earlier in the year and they have statements from that claim it should have been easy enough for them to decide if you had large amounts of capital or regular payments going through the account that need to be checked.

my guess is that the LA that you are dealing with dont know the HB regulations, it is not uncommon for LAs still to be asking for capital evidence when the DWP have said that they no longer need to do so.

selina1987

i have done everything that i can possibly do!!! thanks for the advice ill write a letter today

sunnyone

The banks can charge a maximum of £10 for copies of your last 6 years of bank statements.