HB overpayment - do I have to pay it back?

ceejaydee23

thing is fluffy, my council were even paying the HB into the wrong rent account to begin with! it was a rent account that was dormant from my old address, I was chasing this for 3 months, as kept asking my housing association if the benefits had come through yet, and each month they were manually transferring, each time i made a call they kept telling me things were rectified, but then i had the shock they told me id omitted to tell them about my tax credits, i was like OH NO I DIDNT, i sent all the paperwork in and have a receipt to prove it, So fingers crossed, I'll soon know the outcome regarding things soon enough i guess.

Xiderpunk

Incredulous as to why tax payers money can be overpaid to claimants. Surely the government should be committed to paying LESS housing benefit, it makes me wonder how commonly this occurs!

cit_k

Xiderpunk wrote: »

Incredulous as to why tax payers money can be overpaid to claimants. Surely the government should be committed to paying LESS housing benefit, it makes me wonder how commonly this occurs!

Errors amount to more than all fraud according to dwp stats.

viktory

fluffymovie wrote: »

Ceejaydee, it isn't a get out clause - at the end of the day, you have received more money than you should have done, you have had the benefit of that money and are now being asked to pay it back at a low level with no interest.

She can't pay it back, she needs the money to pay for her Sky subscription

cit_k wrote: »

Errors amount to more than all fraud according to dwp stats.

All the more important that it is paid back then.

AnxiousMum

ceejaydee23 wrote: »

I Went to CAB today! OMG i'm soooo glad i did!

There is a letter they can send off, As they have knowledge of what our local councils paperwork is like and YES its their get out clause that i should have KNOWN that THEY got it wrong, but the man at CAB said unless the paperwork is 100% crystal clear in how it works out the claim then how can we KNOW they got it right! we just assume they have!

So I now have to fill in all the CAB's money forms and send them bk in to get an appointment with the Money advisor, My god its a wight off my shoulders it really is!

Flutterby I suggest you do exactly the same thing x

I would assume, that if the award letter stated what your household income was, and you knew that the amount was actually higher as your CTC and WTC was not included, then at that point it is up to you to ensure that they have the correct information. I wouldn't be adding more to that sky subscription just yet!

dave030445

If they under paid you using the wrong figures you would want the money back. You owe them the money so just pay it and stop trying to find ways of not paying it back.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

they omitted liability, by the wording of the letter. even though you have paid some off, you should be able to recover the payments, if the LA digs heals in, a chat with your MP will suffice, he will be able to get to the bottom and if they are taking payment unlawfully instruct them to pay it back with apologies, perhaps order a judicial review of the case also?

atrixblue.-MFR-.

dave030445 wrote: »

If they under paid you using the wrong figures you would want the money back. You owe them the money so just pay it and stop trying to find ways of not paying it back.

you owe me five grand! suck it up and pay me back! and dont try and find a way out of it! (your words)