Tax Credits & HB

mum_2_ellis

NO longer needed

Thanks in advance

creditcardhelp11

They have the authority to discuss your benefits with each other as you signed a disclaimer. You are legally obliged to inform your LA of any change of circumstance which could affect benefit. Failure to do so is benefit fraud.

mum_2_ellis

NO longer needed

MsShorty

The answer to your question is 'yes'. The Housing Benefit Department at your local council do have access to the information about your Tax Credits from HMRC. Their computer systems now 'talk to each other'. If you have a change in the amount of your tax credits, Housing Benefit will be informed.

Despite this, I continue to send my Tax Credits Award to Housing Benefit, each time I get a new award, just to be sure they have the latest information and that I am fulfilling my obligations in terms of informing them.

mum_2_ellis

yes i agree with that msshorty - thanks for the infortmation. As I say I have booked an appt. to discuss this with them on Tuesday

bestpud

I don't think they can automatically access this information tbh.

All this talk of joined up systems is a myth. Of course they can find out and will if they suspect something is up with a claim, but it's not a case of tapping in the details and up pops all other benefit info!! The system is nowhere near that sophisticated.

turkleton

A new system has been put into place in the last year or so where HMRC can now send tax credits info through to the HB office. In my council they call it ATLAS but it may have a different name in different places and it works alongside the data that the DWP send regarding IS/JSA/ESA claims starting and ending.

I would still keep the HB office informed of any changes and not presume that the HMRC would have done this.

Hope this helps.

[Deleted User]

Yes they do. Yes it's called ATLAS, part of the move towards universal credit. I notified Tax Credits of a change of circumstances and I did not immediately inform HB as I was waiting for my new award notice to come through. In the meantime my claim was suspended without my knowledge as HB knew I had reported a change. This does not remove your obligation to report the change yourself.

HappyMJ

Deleted_User wrote: »

Yes they do. Yes it's called ATLAS, part of the move towards universal credit. I notified Tax Credits of a change of circumstances and I did not immediately inform HB as I was waiting for my new award notice to come through. In the meantime my claim was suspended without my knowledge as HB knew I had reported a change. This does not remove your obligation to report the change yourself.

ATLAS was planned long before universal credit was thought about.

bestpud

Ah ok, I stand corrected.

Hopefully a lot more fraudsters will be picked up!

mum_2_ellis

no longer needed