Please Help!!!!

cherub1969

Hi all, hope you can help me know how i stand with this problem.
In september i started working and advised council about this straight away, I was paying my full rent for weeks, then one day i had to go into council about council tax, i was advised by an advisor to make a claim for housing benefit to see if i qualified for any help. so i did and i was asked to take all the relevant information in like bank statements,working tax benefit entitlement forms, and so on, done all that was asked of me..Had to go into council a few times after this as kept getting letters giving me different entitlement amounts, always asked exactly how much of my rent do i have to pay even though it said it in letters they had sent to me when i was awarded entitlement..Anyway i got a letter last week saying they had over paid entitlement and they want it back. I went in to see them last satuarday to ask what had happened, apparently they had not taken my working tax credits into account, even though they had a copy of my tax award and i had taken this in when asked in the begining, I think this has been a fault on the councils part not mine, i always paid what was asked from me. i should never have claimed, i am now in debt and sick with worry please help. xx

lebly

make a complaint. Appeal decision. Do you have it in writing? If you have it in writing ultimatley their fault. Not much help but I think that is the way to go. Good luck

cherub1969

Yes I have a receipt for when i took credit award in to them, and i know for a fact they know i had taken it in when asked as lady in the council showed me it on the screen..
She told me not to be put off claiming for housing benefit, forget it rather pay full rent less worry..
Have not been in debt since i was in my twenties, now i am in debt for over 400 pounds council tax and housing benefit. Thanks to the council.

exil

even if it's the council's fault you'll still have to pay it back. However they should reclaim it out of benefit to come rather than in one go. See the Citizens Advice Bureau.

exil

Better to post this on the Benefits forum, you'll get more response - this forum is about tax rather than benefits.

Ross01

You are liable for the overpayment, even if the LA has made a mistake, as long as it is reasonable for you to realise you were being overpaid. The commissioners decision make clear that you have a responsibility to read the notification letters. If when you received the assessment letter it did not list tax credit under your earned income, they would say you should have noticed the mistake.