Housing benefit advice...

clb776

Hi does anyone know what happens if you can't provide proof required in a time limit given by the la?

I can provide most of it but am missing the p45 for my husband which won't be recieved by us until 5 days after the deadline!

My rent was due last week, I get paid and tax credits on Friday but this is not going to cover it and is now our only income, ( and child benefit but had that last week which we are living off at the moment), am getting worried!! My council tax is also due next week.

allen35

Speak to the council and inform them of why you can't supply the evidence requested within the time limit, should be ok, inform council tax dep't you have placed a claim for CT benefit, they should be ok too.

Inform your landlord of the problems you are having and once again inform them a claim has been placed for HB and you are awaiting a decision but you expect benefit to be backdated to (DATE of claim)

I find that if you communicate with creditors before things get out of hand they are there to help in emergencies such as whatyou are experiencing at present.

Mrs_Arcanum

Bare in mind HB is always paid 4 weeks in arrears.

HappyMJ

Mrs_Arcanum wrote: »

Bare in mind HB is always paid 4 weeks in arrears.

2 weeks around here.:)

allen35

If there was going to be problems a Local Authority can use discretion and pay HB weekly, for instance if it's in the claimants best interets or if a landlord threatens eviction but normally it will be 4 weeks in arrears.

clb776

I am worried that they will not backdate it to the original date, but hopefulyl if I contact them then they will increase the deadline.

fluffymovie

HB is paid 4 weekly in arrears to landlords and fortnightly in arrears to claimants.

It is not reasonable for the LA not to delay assessing your claim if you have provided all you have. This is known as a payment on account.

Worse case scenario, your claim is considered defective and closed but my LA will tell you why they can't pay and give you another month to provide it and to have your claim paid the Monday following the date you claimed.

Hope this helps

AnxiousMum

As it's not the end of the current tax year, would it not be LAST years P45 they would be asking for? As the current year still has several weeks in it, and then it takes time to get the P45s out.....would pay records be acceptable to them? They can't insist on end of year paperwork for a current year that hasn't ended yet!

terryw

AnxiousMum wrote: »

As it's not the end of the current tax year, would it not be LAST years P45 they would be asking for? As the current year still has several weeks in it, and then it takes time to get the P45s out.....would pay records be acceptable to them? They can't insist on end of year paperwork for a current year that hasn't ended yet!

I think you're thinking of a P60.

Evansangel

Ours was taking ages to arrive, turns out DHs old employers sent it to the wrong address. The council gave us an extension in the end as we had to wait for the only person who worked in Payroll to come in on the one day she worked to do a Statement of earnings and then post it out to us.

Ours is also paid 2 weeks in arrears

clb776

Just an update!!! I went and told them, and provided them
With everything else. Whilst I was there they said I had a letter been sent that day asking me for my new tax credit award notice ( I explained I didn't have this and tax credits said it could take upto 4 weeks AFTER the 4 week run on had been paid) which they made me put in writing, which I did. I received this letter this morning. My claim has been suspended! I used all my wages and working tax credits and child tax credits to pay my rent! Luckily it covered it all with aroind £4 to spare !!! I was due to get a payment for housing benefit on Friday, obviously I won't now! It won't go back into payment until I provide the award letter, so I have called up tax credits again and have been told I will get it within 3 weeks ( a week has already passed since the payment I guess!!!) I went into the council offices after work and explained! They said all they can do is do a referral and ask them to find my tax credits details internally! Until they have this the claim probably won't be looked at and then it can take between 2-4 weeks to go back into payment!!! Have no idea what I am going to do!! We have run out of food apart from a couple of things in the freezer which will do tommorrow and the next nights dinner, and then it's over!! Can't borrow any money from anyone, can't apply for a discretionary housing payment, just have to wait until the 8th for payday or until this gets sorted out!!!

I have called