council 'random' check, what do i say ?

Bogof_Babe

If you keep all your stuff in the flat, have your mail sent there, visit it daily, and there are no other occupants who might be construed as lodgers, then I would answer something like this...

No, I am not living away from home at the moment. However I occasionally need overnight support from my family due to ***** (name of medical condition), which can be substantiated by my GP ***** (name and surgery address of GP).

I intend to resume permanent residence at my flat as soon as my medical condition permits me to, which is estimated to be by ****** (month).

The address where I spend occasional nights due to the above circumstances is ********. The occupiers will also verify the reason why I am currently having to prevail upon their assistance, and will confirm that in no way is this a permanent arrangement.

healy

If as you have said before you are spending more time away than actually at the flat I think you may have problems with your claim. Also considering your situation it doesnt sound a "random" enquiry because it sounds very specific to what you are doing.

kronas

the form is a version of what i fillled in for my initial application, yes all my stuff is there and bills etc go there.

cattie wrote:

Do you think there is a possibilty someone may have reported you as not living at the flat?

If there is the slightest chance of this then you need to state on the form that due to health reasons you are presently having to spend nights away from home. It's best to be truthful rather than put your benefit at risk & have them investigating you.

no chance, the tennant downstairs seems ok with me and the rest of them keep to themselves, ive had a change of benefit recently so i suspect this 'random' check is related.

Smashing wrote:

How often are you staying away from the flat?

im there everyday when fit enough, i go through peaks and troughs so its hard to say, right now im not sleeping there.

astonsmummy

I would just say no, it's not like you are never there, when i was pregnant and after i had my baby i satyd at my mums sometimes, but i still lived at my flat.

kronas

i know nobody has said it but i have genuine reasons as to why im not there fulltime, im seeing a number of people at my local hospital for diffarent reasons and have 'probelms' im not saying nobody else does but i just dont want people to presume something.

if anyone has anything further to input as advice it is appreciated.

Savvy_Sue

I think that's a good and clear answer from Bogof Babe, but I would make one change.

Bogof_Babe wrote:

I intend to resume permanent residence at my flat as soon as my medical condition permits me to, which is estimated to be by ****** (month).

I would leave that sentence out altogether. You've made it clear that you don't always sleep there, that sentence suggests that you've moved out temporarily, which I don't think is the case, is it?

NAR

"not sleeping there" and "not there every day" does imply absence, so therefore B-Babes advice for reply is very sound IMHO.

peter999

Bogof_Babe wrote:

No, I am not living away from home at the moment. However I occasionally need overnight support

...I intend to resume permanent residence at my flat as soon as my medical condition permits me to, which is estimated to be by ****** (month).

The address where I spend occasional nights due to the above circumstances is ********. The occupiers will also verify the reason why I am currently having to prevail upon their assistance, and will confirm that in no way is this a permanent arrangement.

This is contradictory & implies you are not permanently resident.

HB will be suspended immediately while claim is verified.
HB have no choice particularly where you may not have notified an important change in circumstance, such as your resident status which HB is based on.

The fact that you occasionally visit someone, sleep elsewhere is not relevant.

peter999

peter999

kronas wrote:

.. ive had a change of benefit recently so i suspect this 'random' check is related.

My council used to do HB Reviews at fixed periods of 6 months/1 year or not at all.

Now they do HB Reviews at random periods, which I guess may be triggered by a change of benefit they may have been notified of.

It's normal for anyone on benefits to become paranoid that these random checks indicate there is a problem somewhere.
.

kronas

peter999 wrote:

My council used to do HB Reviews at fixed periods of 6 months/1 year or not at all.

Now they do HB Reviews at random periods, which I guess may be triggered by a change of benefit they may have been notified of.

It's normal for anyone on benefits to become paranoid that these random checks indicate there is a problem somewhere.
.

im not paranoid, as soon as i moved in i was wondering when the time would come.....it didnt, until the change of benefit then a week or two latter i get the form.

prior to it arriving i did phone then hand in evidence of my new benefit.