housing benefit how long ??

kurjam

i am not going to be evicted i am still paying the rent myself just incase they say i am not entitled, even though i should be....
can someone else tell me if what ianian99 is saying is correct that they have to make some payment after 6 weeks....
thanks

Morglin

kurjam wrote: »

i am not going to be evicted i am still paying the rent myself just incase they say i am not entitled, even though i should be....
can someone else tell me if what ianian99 is saying is correct that they have to make some payment after 6 weeks....
thanks

This may be what is ideal, but in my experience claiming this benefit for people, it has never happened yet down here.

Perhaps it depends on the borough involved.

Lin

kurjam

i got my award today, not good news.....
i get benefit till april 9th then it stops...
but they wont backdate my claim to january as they say i should know the system as i calaimed once before !!

babyboo42

why does it stop????

kurjam

because my tax credits are going back to normal amounts, but even thats wrong. because they have my hubbys income down wrong but surely if i ring tax credits and tell them then they will stop my tax credit payment this week wont they ??
as i will have been overpayed.....its confusing.
cant affiord to lose my payments..

babyboo42

no they won't stop your tax credit,it doesn't work like that:) if there is an overpayment they calculate it then deduct it off future payments at so much a week.don't see how you will have been overpaid though.if they are taking the wrong amount into account for your hubby's wages and you can prove it then they need to know a.s.a.p.

kurjam

i have had so much trouble with them since january... and it my word against theirs and they always win...
they have our joint income as £17000 instead of £22000, so surely when they put that in their system it will come up with i have been overpayed...
as i understand it it will make adifference as i have already made changes this year regarding income and childcare so i will not get the £25000 thresehold thingy

hipisnotmine71

hi
mine took about 4/5 weeks

Morglin

kurjam wrote: »

i have had so much trouble with them since january... and it my word against theirs and they always win...
they have our joint income as £17000 instead of £22000, so surely when they put that in their system it will come up with i have been overpayed...
as i understand it it will make adifference as i have already made changes this year regarding income and childcare so i will not get the £25000 thresehold thingy

These credits are an incomprehensible nightmare.:mad:

This site may help:

http://www.taxaid.org.uk/

Lin

dag_2

is their any guide lines as to how long a council has to sort out a claim for housing benefit??

I could be wrong on this, but I think there is no legally enforceable limit on how long a local authority is allowed to take to decide on housing benefit, or council tax benefit. This is in contrast to other benefits that are paid to you directly by DWP, which have "indicators of delay".

That said, a local authority is supposed to consider making an interim payment, or payment on account, if it takes longer than 14 days. However, you will need to ask them to make an interim payment, and it's a good idea to put this in writing. That's not 14 days from when you submitted the claim, by the way - it's 14 days from the date you asked for the interim payment.

If they haven't either made an award, or made a payment on account, or explained why they are not going to make a payment on account within 14 days of you asking for it in writing, then make a formal complaint.

Like AGB863 says, there are enforceable time scales for complaint resolution. See the Local Government Ombudsman web site for more info about making formal complaints.

can someone else tell me if what ianian99 is saying is correct that they have to make some payment after 6 weeks....
thanks

Not quite - you have to have asked for a payment on account first.

A similar thing applies to local housing allowance.