Will I have to pay back HB?

RazWaz

I ended my JSA claim in june after starting a new part time job, and because of my low wage (£4.92 an hour) I carried on getting the full award of Housing Benefit (£90 a week).

I told the HB people that I was going to claim working tax credits (I'm disabled so can claim even though I'm under 25) and they said when I get the award notice to bring it in and they will work out what I'm entitled to.

To cut a long story short, I'm deaf and can't use a phone, and tax credits people messed up my claim in a couple of ways, but I couldn't call them to sort it out. I got annoyed trying to figure out what was going on so went to the tax office myself today and got it all sorted, and I'll be paid within 10 days or so and things should be backdated to the day I started working. I got told I'd be getting about £80 a week.

As far as I know my housing benefit will be reduced once they know about the tax credits, but will they claim back money from the last 4 months? Just want to point out again it was the tax credit peoples fault the claim took 4 months and they have admitted this.

Mupette

I think they will want their money back, doesn't matter who's fault it is. Sorry

RazWaz

Meh, was expecting it but still not nice. Anyone got any idea how much I'll lose? I already make up an extra £10 for my rent (it's £100 a week but HB is £90)

fluffymovie

We disregard arrears as capital and so if it won't take you over 6000, you shouldn't have an overpayment.

We can check tax credits via a computer link so let the council know it's likely your award will come through soon and they can check for it.

We do use weekly payments for the preceding week tho so sometimes you can get small overpayments. By this I mean, if you get paid weekly say on 8th of October we'd use from 2nd.

Hth

RazWaz

I should be way under the 6000 mark, wont even be nudging 3000. Glad to know I probably wont be forking out months worth of stuff. Taken a day off work to get everything sorted next week as I need to go back to tax office (I'm stuck on a week 1 code) so I'll call into the Local One Stop Shop to tell them about tax credits then.