Benefit payment & OR Help

Ifonlyi

My partner and my self have in August gone Bankrupt, we were not given an IPA, but my partner’s wage is still waiting for the nil tax code.
Any way my problem is we applied for housing benefit and council tax before bankruptcy but did not hear back until now due to a back log, so we did not list it on income as we weren’t getting it, now we have the letter to state we are entitled to some, and were advised by CAB to let the Official receiver now about this but also amend our budget around it, we have also been paid the £500 back dated payment into the bank from housing benefit which we also were told to tell the OR about. My question is, will the OR take the £500 benefit money and also has any one had any problems changing their budget after receiving benefits.

Thanks for any advice

Margey

I would call/visit CAB. Ideally go in and speak to someone because they would give you some advice on what to do and what will happen. You can search for your CAB online.

Ifonlyi

I did see CAB and as I said they told me to contact OR and advise them of the payment and the extra benefit, I have done this but I have had no reply at the moment so I am trying to see if others have had a back dated housing benefit payment taken off them or had to change there SOA with regards to adding housing benefit, I just trying to get a feel off what might happen as I feeling anxious about it.

Thank you

fermi

They can't force you to give it up directly.

But if you have earned income then the OR can apparently average out the backdated benefit payment over the next 12 months, and so increase any IPA amount accordingly. (As long as it doesn't exceed the amount of your earned income that is).

Ifonlyi

My partner has no IPA at the moment but from what you are saying then one may be started buy the OR spreading the earned income to the amount of backdated benefit over the year:eek: