LHA - need advice urgently.

OwenGriff

The jobcentre has a vunerable person diary system where you can book into to see an advisor and get the problem sorted there and then ask for one, they are called ajacs appts. Also the jobcentre is now open to compensation on your jsa claim if found to be negligent, so ask for the forms to complete.

real1314

Saturnalia wrote: »

I applied for JSA & LHA right away. As January went on I realised I'd heard nothing about the LHA so got in touch (I know it's a rubbish defence but I went into depression after the sudden job loss and wasn't keeping on top of things) I found out that while the JC had told the housing dept I was unemployed & on JSA, they hadn't sent the forms necessary for my LHA to start again. They told me to fill in the form online & they'd be in touch.

Is this the council who told you to apply online or JC?
If the council, did they send you forms when they got details from the JC?


I did the online application and waited a couple of weeksThe council online application? , I'd still heard nothing so at the start of Feb I called again. They then claimed they didn't get my online form and had written to me on 4 Jan - I never had that letter You started off by saying that "as jan went on I hadn't had my LHA" and you make no reference to having filled in an online form at that point. You say here that they wrote to you on 4th jan about not receiving an online form - it doesn't fit?

. So they asked me to apply online agsain, and I did so.

I called at the start of last week and got an appointment at the office for Thurs. I was asked to take my passport, proof of NI, proof of JSA, letter from my landlord telling them about my rent, utility bill etc.

I went and took the paperwork and the person who saw me didn't even look at it, said there was no need. I asked him to take photocopies and give me a receipt but he refused to. He said the system was down and he couldn't give me a decision that day but I'd hear either Monday (yesterday) or today at the latest.

Are you saying he didn't actaully take any details of copies of your documents but told you that a decision would be made? That makes no sense at all. If you are saying they'd actually received an application, from which they asked for documents, was it an online application? And what documents did they ask for? / what did you take in?



All they have been able to do is give me another appointment for 6 March. I have to take in the same paperwork they asked for last time and wouldn't even look at - of course there is no record on my file of me taking it last time! No record either of the form I filled in, and they are saying now my claim may only be processed from the start of Feb, when they got the second form, even though there is a note on my file that I signed on as unemployed on 23 Dec. So 5 weeks I was eligible for LHA and they now can't say if they will give it to me or not.

So, they have a form that was received in feb? So why did they write to you in jan as stated above?

What on earth can I do? Who can help me with this? Is it worth contacting Shelter, my MP? Going to the housing office with all my docs and refusing to leave until I'm seen?

I have no earthly way of raising the rent money in 2 days and nowhere to go if I have to leave. Terrified.

Your telling of events needs a clear timeline so that people can try to identify what may have gone wrong, and give you good advice.

Can you give date by date events, stating which department you dealt with each time (JC / Council / Any others) ; What they said / asked ; And what you said / did / provided in response. :cool:

fluffymovie

You should not have to provide evidence of JSA as we are linked to DWP. I would now suggest a complaint is a good idea quoting maladministration. A bank statement won't tell them what JSA you are on so that is poor advice.

They should check CIS for jsa but they may need the proof of rent form.

real1314

OwenGriff wrote: »

The jobcentre has a vunerable person diary system where you can book into to see an advisor and get the problem sorted there and then ask for one, they are called ajacs appts. Also the jobcentre is now open to compensation on your jsa claim if found to be negligent, so ask for the forms to complete.

I don't think it's the jobcentre that the OP has the problem with, although I could be wrong as it's not very clear. :cool:

Saturnalia

My comments in red - I hope this helps, do ask if you need to know anything else.

I applied for JSA & LHA right away. As January went on I realised I'd heard nothing about the LHA so got in touch (I know it's a rubbish defence but I went into depression after the sudden job loss and wasn't keeping on top of things) I found out that while the JC had told the housing dept I was unemployed & on JSA, they hadn't sent the forms necessary for my LHA to start again. They told me to fill in the form online & they'd be in touch.

Is this the council who told you to apply online or JC?
If the council, did they send you forms when they got details from the JC?

I called the JobCentre for a rapid reclaim on 23 Dec as my job had been 12 weeks long. They asked if I wanted to claim LHA too, I said yes and they said I would hear from the council about it. I heard nothing.

I called the council in mid-Jan. They said (as above) they hadn't had the forms from the JC although it was on my record I was on JSA from 23 Dec. I then filled in the first online application for LHA.


I did the online application and waited a couple of weeksThe council online application? ,

Yes.

I'd still heard nothing so at the start of Feb I called again. They then claimed they didn't get my online form and had written to me on 4 Jan - I never had that letter You started off by saying that "as jan went on I hadn't had my LHA" and you make no reference to having filled in an online form at that point. You say here that they wrote to you on 4th jan about not receiving an online form - it doesn't fit?

The first online form I filled in was circa 10 Jan. That was after the first call I made to the council to chase the claim.

The council claims they wrote to me on 4 Jan - I don't know what was in that letter - I DID NOT receive the letter and have not had a copy sent to me since then either, despite asking for a copy.

. So they asked me to apply online agsain, and I did so.

I called at the start of last week and got an appointment at the office for Thurs. I was asked to take my passport, proof of NI, proof of JSA, letter from my landlord telling them about my rent, utility bill etc.

I went and took the paperwork and the person who saw me didn't even look at it, said there was no need. I asked him to take photocopies and give me a receipt but he refused to. He said the system was down and he couldn't give me a decision that day but I'd hear either Monday (yesterday) or today at the latest.

Are you saying he didn't actaully take any details of copies of your documents but told you that a decision would be made? That makes no sense at all. If you are saying they'd actually received an application, from which they asked for documents, was it an online application? And what documents did they ask for? / what did you take in?

I filled in the 2nd online form after my phone call to the council at the start of Feb.

I called again on 20 Feb and got the appointment to take my documents in on 23 Feb. Again, I'd had to chase, there was no contact from the council at all.

I was asked to take my passport, proof of NI, proof of JSA, letter from my landlord telling them about my rent, utility bill etc. Which I took. I took the paperwork out of my handbag and had it in a pile on the desk in front of me, I said to the assessor "here is the documentation you asked for" he asked me had any of my circumstances changed since my last LHA claim last Aug, I replied no, he said they had all my info on file and didn't need to see it again. I asked him to take copies and give me a receipt (to cover my own back) but he refused.

He did not even pick up and look at the paperwork I took in.


All they have been able to do is give me another appointment for 6 March. I have to take in the same paperwork they asked for last time and wouldn't even look at - of course there is no record on my file of me taking it last time! No record either of the form I filled in, and they are saying now my claim may only be processed from the start of Feb, when they got the second form, even though there is a note on my file that I signed on as unemployed on 23 Dec. So 5 weeks I was eligible for LHA and they now can't say if they will give it to me or not.

So, they have a form that was received in feb? So why did they write to you in jan as stated above?

Because they received notification from the JC that I was unemployed and wanted to claim LHA. This is the letter dated 4 Jan that I did not receive.

Saturnalia

I went and sat in the council office for over 2 hours yesterday (Friday) morning and was not seen. I kept asking at the desk when my turn would be but was fobbed off and numbered tickets after mine were seen before me. I had to leave as I had to go to the place I'm working at next week for a handover session, so I got home and phoned the office instead. The advisor I spoke to looked at my case and said everything was in order, I should have received benefit sooner, and apologised (the first person I have spoken to about this whole mess who has said the words "I'm sorry"! I told him so and thanked him for it).

The assessor dealing with my claim is part-time and back in the office on Monday, so apparently my claim has been marked as urgent for them to see. I asked if I could have a call or e-mail once the claim has been done, and I was told to call by lunchtime if I hadn't heard anything as mine should be the first one dealt with that day.

So we shall see. I hope this all happens on Monday but as it has all been such a disaster so far I'm not holding my breath.

john539

Saturnalia wrote: »

So we shall see. I hope this all happens on Monday but as it has all been such a disaster so far I'm not holding my breath.

One things for certain, you'll know better next time, to check everything they do, not to assume anything.

Saturnalia

Well, guess what, nothing. First thing Monday morning, my backside!

I'm in work this week and just don't have any time to be dealing with this eff-up!

Saturnalia

Spent most of my lunch break on hold, finally got through, explained the problem and got the usual excuse of the supposed long backlog. The advisor dealing with my claim wasn't in the office this morn and the person I spoke to on Friday should never have told me that they were, apparently!

BUT - I got a call back at 3:45 and the claim has been assessed and I will get the money by Monday. (So they say - I'm not sure this isn't yet another stalling technique, but if it is, they left the message on my voicemail.)

Which is very helpful as I have £10 to last me 4 days and am borrowing my Tube fares to work this week!!!

Saturnalia

And breathe... the money was paid into my account today! They only appear to have paid just under 9 weeks rather than the 10 I was out of work, but I know LHA is paid in 2-weeks arrears so I may be due some more in a fortnight. (It's awkward as I'm working this week, have no work (yet, but that can change!) for next week, then another two weeks of work beginning the Monday after next.) But at least now I'm in the system and the council has always been great before about freezing my claim when I have work, as long as I give them my payslips & JSA letters as soon as I have them.

Still hoping this run of temp work will lead on to more and I won't have to claim again!