I have been denied Housing Benefit backpay.

samwich1979

Cornish_piskie wrote: »

Your debts are your own and moaning that you aren't getting backpay in benefit that would help you to pay them is a bit galling. Forgive me if I've missed an answer to this, but is there a reason why you are 'supporting' your OH - is he a stay-at-home dad? There are lots of ways to cut your expenditure and, frankly, on 26k income this shouldn't be too difficult. Perhaps you need to look at a DMP if the debts are unmanageable?

I would be very surprised if you are entitled to nearly 2.5k per annum in housing benefit with that level of income so please treble check the figures to ensure you are not overpaid otherwise you will have another debt around your neck.

On the issue of claiming CTC, if you fail the identity check when you ring (for example if you give a diffierent address or name to that on their system or incorrectly answer the 'secret' question) you will be asked to go to a local office to prove your identity. I'm sure, as a tax-payer yourself, you can see the reasoning behind this? They do not insist on photographic ID. You need to find out again what you have to do to claim the tax credit you are entitled to. If you were truly in the desperate situation financially that you say you are, you would be @rsed to this.

Yes there is a reason im supporting my husband, he has been looking for work since January this year when his contract as a cleaner ended and so far hasnt been successful. He is doing all he can to rectify this as he WANTS to work.
He will be looking after our son in the meantime when i go back to work in just over a weeks time.

I have cut back on our expenditure a lot.
Our rent was £595 in our old house, we moved in June and now pay £475.
Ive managed to get vodafone to cut our mobile contacts in half, mine for example is now only £10 a month for a Blackberry contract!
We hardly ever go out drinking or on days out.
I shop at only the cheapest supermarkets like Lidl and FarmFoods.
I buy the cheapest nappies possible for my son.
We have never had Sky tv, just freeview/ freesat.
All other costs are bills and debt payments so these are unavoidable.

So i think im doing my best budgeting here.

I am on a DMP with the CAB since july which is helping somewhat.

I will check with HB on the amount i am receiving but i really dont understand how they work benefits out as ive never had to deal with this before.

I will give it another go with the TC's and see how far i get!!

samwich1979

Ive just realised i missed a load of comments on page 3 so have read through them.

I am really quite upset to be honest at the amount of people bashing me because i have been given HB.
I asked for help, i was given it and ive quite happily taken it as i was told this is what i am entitled to, its not my fault its more than what some of you on lower wages get is it? Maybe it differs depending on were you live? i dont know.

Yes i have been getting on my soapbox a bit over this but after the worry and stress ive gone through this summer over not having enough money to feed my family etc plus having a new baby and having to deal with rocketing Blood Pressure (which im now on meds for) i just feel like being denied something i could of had in june is a big deal.

None of this is "a wind up" its me and my life and what me and my family are going through, just like many people are these day with the economy.
I know there are others out there less well of than me and its not a good thing and more help should be available to them but please dont tell me to "be grateful" for what ive got and stop moaning.

Everyone has their own story of hardship to tell and we all ask for help from time to time, i just wish people could help without being so judgmental and just give facts that they need to get what it is they require.

MamaMoo_2

I do find it extremely confusing that on 26k you're entitled to so much.
I'm a SAHM, hubby works 30 hours a week minimum wage, meaning he pulls in about £650 a month after tax. We get TC's of £102 pw, and until this month haven't claimed HB, and we've been very comfortable financially. My only debt is with Brighthouse, and that's paid weekly on time.
Perhaps rather than chasing £300, you should be reconsidering your DMP. Have you tried offering the £1 token payment to them for a period of time to try and scrape back some savings?
Have you checked around to make sure you're getting the best deal on Gas/Electricity/insurance etc.
Also, maybe try switching to a different formula milk? I know Cow & Gate are cheaper. With the age your child is, maybe look in to moving on to the 6month plus milk? Unlike the first stage, shops can do special offers on the 6m+ stuff, eg Boots often do buy 2 get 1 free across all their baby stuff. It's great for stocking up on nappies too.
Also, have a look around Asda. If you stick to own brand, you can get some good deals. I've just done a weekly shop for 3 of us for under £30, and there's plenty to eat

Tigsteroonie

Hmmmm. I earn £16k and am supporting a partner (stay at home dad, income £3k as carer's allowance) and a toddler.

We're not entitled to any HB.

I want to move to within the same Council area as the OP lives

chigley

samwich1979 wrote: »

having to deal with rocketing Blood Pressure (which im now on meds for)

Calm down dear....

Cornish_piskie

samwich1979 wrote: »

Ive just realised i missed a load of comments on page 3 so have read through them.

I am really quite upset to be honest at the amount of people bashing me because i have been given HB.
I asked for help, i was given it and ive quite happily taken it as i was told this is what i am entitled to, its not my fault its more than what some of you on lower wages get is it? Maybe it differs depending on were you live? i dont know.

Yes i have been getting on my soapbox a bit over this but after the worry and stress ive gone through this summer over not having enough money to feed my family etc plus having a new baby and having to deal with rocketing Blood Pressure (which im now on meds for) i just feel like being denied something i could of had in june is a big deal.

None of this is "a wind up" its me and my life and what me and my family are going through, just like many people are these day with the economy.
I know there are others out there less well of than me and its not a good thing and more help should be available to them but please dont tell me to "be grateful" for what ive got and stop moaning.

Everyone has their own story of hardship to tell and we all ask for help from time to time, i just wish people could help without being so judgmental and just give facts that they need to get what it is they require.

The problem is that you've offered up your exact financial circumstances for scrutiny, you've bemoaned the fact that you can't claw back a back payment as your reason for not claiming before isn't one listed (I'm afraid that that is just tough luck) and those reading this who are in similar circustances or less well off but get less in benefits than you have stated you will get are bound to mention the difference and question how it can be so.

If you wished only to get an answer to your question then your OP should have not included your financial facts and figures, just a general question on back payments. Also moaning about the burden of your debts (I presume these are self-inflicted) and the cost of formula milk is bound to wind people up - I think you know that :cool:

Your outgoings seem to be not too high, your budgeting seems sound enough and without your debts you would be pretty comfortably off.

samwich1979

MamaMoo wrote: »

I do find it extremely confusing that on 26k you're entitled to so much.
I'm a SAHM, hubby works 30 hours a week minimum wage, meaning he pulls in about £650 a month after tax. We get TC's of £102 pw, and until this month haven't claimed HB, and we've been very comfortable financially. My only debt is with Brighthouse, and that's paid weekly on time.
Perhaps rather than chasing £300, you should be reconsidering your DMP. Have you tried offering the £1 token payment to them for a period of time to try and scrape back some savings?
Have you checked around to make sure you're getting the best deal on Gas/Electricity/insurance etc.
Also, maybe try switching to a different formula milk? I know Cow & Gate are cheaper. With the age your child is, maybe look in to moving on to the 6month plus milk? Unlike the first stage, shops can do special offers on the 6m+ stuff, eg Boots often do buy 2 get 1 free across all their baby stuff. It's great for stocking up on nappies too.
Also, have a look around Asda. If you stick to own brand, you can get some good deals. I've just done a weekly shop for 3 of us for under £30, and there's plenty to eat

All creditors i owe money to have been offered £1 a month but only DWP will accept it so im still trying to sort it all out with CAB.
Barclays are just a nightmare and Scottish Power................well they are just something else!

Not thought of different formula, we use Aptamil for my son which is great but they dont do 6 month+ milk just 1 year+, so dont know if changing brand would upset his stomach?

I get a good deal at Lidl on the nappies, £15 a month we spend on 3 huge bags and they normally go over a month tbh.

A £35 shop normally lasts us a week and a bit, so not bad but we dont eat as much as we probably should.

Really unsure as to why some get more HB than others considering their income, again it may be down to individual councils and there rules?

MamaMoo_2

samwich1979 wrote: »

Ive just realised i missed a load of comments on page 3 so have read through them.

I am really quite upset to be honest at the amount of people bashing me because i have been given HB.
I asked for help, i was given it and ive quite happily taken it as i was told this is what i am entitled to, its not my fault its more than what some of you on lower wages get is it? Maybe it differs depending on were you live? i dont know.

Yes i have been getting on my soapbox a bit over this but after the worry and stress ive gone through this summer over not having enough money to feed my family etc plus having a new baby and having to deal with rocketing Blood Pressure (which im now on meds for) i just feel like being denied something i could of had in june is a big deal.

None of this is "a wind up" its me and my life and what me and my family are going through, just like many people are these day with the economy.
I know there are others out there less well of than me and its not a good thing and more help should be available to them but please dont tell me to "be grateful" for what ive got and stop moaning.

Everyone has their own story of hardship to tell and we all ask for help from time to time, i just wish people could help without being so judgmental and just give facts that they need to get what it is they require.

I think people are more bashing the system for giving you the help, not bashing you for taking it.
You have to admit, when people on 16k can't get HB, it seems a bit stupid that the system will give someone on 10k more 2.5k in benefits.
I know a lot of people will also find your moaning about 'not being able to feed your family' on a 25k income rather unbelievable, especially when millions do it on much less, because they were responsible enough to live within their means.
It can be quite irritating for a lot of people to see someone with 2/3x their salary pleading poverty.

Cornish_piskie

MamaMoo wrote: »

I think people are more bashing the system for giving you the help, not bashing you for taking it.
You have to admit, when people on 16k can't get HB, it seems a bit stupid that the system will give someone on 10k more 2.5k in benefits.
I know a lot of people will also find your moaning about 'not being able to feed your family' on a 25k income rather unbelievable, especially when millions do it on much less, because they were responsible enough to live within their means.
It can be quite irritating for a lot of people to see someone with 2/3x their salary pleading poverty.

Good post MamaMoo:)

I fully agree with the MSE statement of this board being for advice and not for judgement but I also think that some posters rather court judgement so perhaps the statement should also counsel posters on what information they should give out.

samwich1979

Cornish_piskie wrote: »

The problem is that you've offered up your exact financial circumstances for scrutiny, you've bemoaned the fact that you can't claw back a back payment as your reason for not claiming before isn't one listed (I'm afraid that that is just tough luck) and those reading this who are in similar circustances or less well off but get less in benefits than you have stated you will get are bound to mention the difference and question how it can be so.

If you wished only to get an answer to your question then your OP should have not included your financial facts and figures, just a general question on back payments. Also moaning about the burden of your debts (I presume these are self-inflicted) and the cost of formula milk is bound to wind people up - I think you know that :cool:

Your outgoings seem to be not too high, your budgeting seems sound enough and without your debts you would be pretty comfortably off.

My debts are due to being the sole earner and not being able to cover what i could when my husband was working.

I have defaulted on my loan because i couldnt afford the payments anymore due to maternity pay and losing £300 a month.

This snowballed as my DD'S on my current account bounced then ive has silly charges which made me go over my overdraft, hence more charges. This account has now defaulted and closed.

I have an old Scottish Power bill from when i was on pre-pay meters at my old address, its charges which built up somehow over a very cold winter.

And a £70 crisis loan from DWP from May when i had no money left for formula or nappies for my son and had 2 weeks until i got paid. I couldnt pay this back in full as they wanted a week later as i obviously had no money and i had all of the above to deal with too.

So not really self inflicted.