Housing Benefit and Savings Statements

Matthewbrown

I am agree with your views.

dmg24

jetta_wales wrote: »

It's not in the hope of them not looking at bank statements it's knowing that there's only so far back they go to consider your finances.

I was a young Mum myself (19) but if I offended teen Mums with 4 kids by 4 dads on full state support then no I'm not bothered by that lol.

If you were a young mum yourself then you should know better. What makes you better any than someone with more children, you both made that choice?

If the LA is aware that a house has been sold in the past few years, they often look further into finances. Of course, I'm sure you'll pick up the pieces for the OP's relative if they get investigated for fraud, won't you?

33degrees

Typically when applying for Housing Benefit the claimant is asked to provide the three most recent bank statements. If the elderly relative waits for four months till she has three with no hint of the large sums that left her account then unless she's asked questions regarding her finances prior to that period then I fail to see how she would commit benefit fraud by not volunteering information that isn't sought.

jetta_wales

dmg24 wrote: »

If you were a young mum yourself then you should know better. What makes you better any than someone with more children, you both made that choice?

If the LA is aware that a house has been sold in the past few years, they often look further into finances. Of course, I'm sure you'll pick up the pieces for the OP's relative if they get investigated for fraud, won't you?

No because I was married and owned my own home at 18.

It would be fraud if she lies or fails to declare something they ask about. However there is only so far back that they will go and if you provide all they ask for for the period they ask about and they deem you eligible then you ARE eligible.

bunny999

There is a question on the claim form that asks if you have sold a property or given away money in the last three years. So if they lie and withhold information this is fraud.

Arg

Why isn't it fraud when the jobcentre withholds information or downright denies people what their entitled to?

Arg

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Why would she give large sums to her children when she needs to claim means tested benefits? I've never heard of a divorce settlement being based on a verbal agreement and I doubt that anyone else has either!

On this forum we help people get what their entitled to.

bunny999

Arg wrote: »

On this forum we help people get what their entitled to.

She will find out what she is "entitled" to by telling the truth, not by trying to cover up the fact that she has given away large sums of money.

jetta_wales

bunny999 wrote: »

She will find out what she is "entitled" to by telling the truth, not by trying to cover up the fact that she has given away large sums of money.

Not giving information you are not asked for and not required to give is not covering anything up.

____________________________

If there is a question about having sold property then this could indeed be a hurdle for her and that you will have to look into. How much did she actually receive from the sale and give to her children? Could her ex give written testament to the verbal agreement that they had?

Unless the money was not too much then you might find this one just comes down to chance really on how the decision maker that gets her case decides to call it.

Even with having to declare the sale of the house IF it is a question on the form, it would still likely be in her favour for itnot to be quite as recent as in the last 3 months as you know for fact they will ask for these statements.

fluffymovie

I would just add that some LA's (mine being one) don't ask to see evidence of capital if below £6000 for working age and £10,000 for Pension age so might not be an issue as she only has £1000.

I would however suggest that she is open about this as to give away funds so close to a claim does cause me concern as a benefit bod and if DWP or Pension Service get wind of this any other way (such as anon referral), she will be in a real mess.

If she has nothing to hide, she has no cause to hide anything imho!