Housing Benefit and Bank Accounts.

eggburt

I was directed to this site by someone at work and wow its huge.
Anyway my query:
I currently work for a retail company and its looking very likely that many of us won't have our jobs in the very near future.
Trying to prepare as best as poss and hopefully will find work if worst comes to worst.
I was told that housing benefit/council tax would help and JSA short term.
But they also said the amount of information you have to give is staggering.

Totally understand them wanting to check you aren't rich etc but I was told they can access your bank account as and when they please and go back 10 years to check what you had and have?

This seems very intrusive?
I have no savings and am on what you would call low salary but have on occasion had cash gift(only £250) from parents a few times throughout past few years.

So what I had years ago would affect me now even though I don't have that now if that makes sense?
Never applied for any benefit before but person who told me that once you do they basically take over everything.

Getting concerned now in case I don't find job

fluffymovie

The info isn't all that awful I promise!

2 x ID
Proof of Nino
Proof of income
Proof of rent
last 2 months bank statements

If you have money paid into your account, if your parents do a statement, that is normally ok!

fickle34

Hello, i've also just applied for Housing Benefit, and I was panicking about providing bank statements because I'm on paper-free banking (and all the forms said they don't accept copies etc). I asked at the benefits office what I should do to provide the bank statements and they said that if a person doesnt have more than £6000 then they don't need to see statements, you just need to confirm the account details and tell them the balance.

Hope that's of some help to you (I know it can all be pretty daunting sometimes!!)

Fickle