Housing Benefit advice please?

missminx

Hi all, my partner was laid off when they stopped all the agency workers in the factory where he was based so now the only income is mine. We have housing benefit which started in August. Having not received benefits for many years, I am wondering why we have been sent a review form in the post? I expected them to review it over time, but it feels like we only just filled everything out and provided the proof only to start again!
Also I keep getting new council tax bills through for different amounts?! The paperwork I have had was so complicated that the advisers got confused. They just don't seem able to make their minds up... :think:

Does anyone know how oftetn it is normally reviewed? Will we be filling these out all the time?

fluffymovie

Hi

An intervention can be any time from 3 months to 3 years and is normally a random claim number sample so I wouldn't be too concerned.

I would assume that you are on Tax Credits as that is what causes the most recalculations to benefit awards.

Council tax benefit is a bit of a mare tbh and what happens is that we load a claim and if you have changes which are due to take effect in the future, we preload these. Then 2 weeks before that change, our system recalculates your award and any new benefit is awarded. If this is a change to that which was awarded before, new notification letters are issued and so is a new bill.

We find that Tax Credits tend to change maybe 6 times in a year and so you get 6 recalculations which then affect your benefit until the next change as council tax benefit is paid to the end of the tax year.

It is very frustrating to receive a number of letters and bills and we recognise that but it does concern me that you say the assessors can't explain them.

If I might give an example,

Claim starts 01.10.10 and you are awarded £10 per week Ctax benefit. This is paid onto your account from 01.10.10 - 31.03.11 and a new bill is issued for the remainder.

Your Child Tax credit increases on 01.11.10 so a new letter comes out 2 weeks before and the benefit which is awarded from 01.11.10 is adjusted and a new bill is issued.

You are then awarded income support on 01.12.10 and again, a new bill is issued as you shouldn't have any council tax to pay from 01.12.10.

Perhaps visit the council in person and they may be able to explain it to you whilst you sit with them?

missminx

Thank you for reply. I will respond more fully, didn't want to r&r but have to go out. Shall fill it all in all over again then
Your advice is very helpful, much appreciated.

missminx

Your post was very helpful. I will fill it in and send it back and hope we get a few months before we have to do it again! Do I have to send all the paperwork off with it or just my payslips?

Re Council tax: Do I just pay the most recent one I receive then? Afraid of underpaying.

Thanks :A