bit confused over benefits situation .. hopefully someone is up early :)

jasonwatkins

looby75 wrote: »

A lot of people in LA housing or HA have their water rates included in their rent. HB doesn't cover the water rates, but it's still paid to the council as "rent"

That's exactly what my situation is, but I think the bulk of mine is for water rates as I only have to pay a small amount towards the actual rent itself.

Well i'm back

Went to my local branch and spoke to someone on the phone and they confirmed that the £15.44 payment I received today was a single day's payment and that the other benefit actually officially stopped on the 20th of November.

He said he would get me an ESA3 form sent out but I said i'd ask if they had one I could fill out there and then. They didn't, so I jumped on a bus down to another Job Centre I knew of, which was about an hour's bus ride all told, and they did have the form.

So I filled it out there and then and asked them to send it in via the internal courier system. I triple checked it, so I hope I haven't made any mistakes as I really don't need any further delays.

I ticked the relevant boxes saying that I didn't have any other benefits apart from HB and CT, which I suppose is technically correct as the ESA has now stopped.

Anyway, it's in now so i'll give it a day or two and start chasing it. They told me it could take 3-5 days to get processed and, if it's done by the end of this week, I could get a payment next week.

How much that will be is anybody's guess ..

He did kind of hint that because I essentially "ignored" or, as he said it, "misinterpreted" the letter they sent me that it might not be given any kind of priority but we'll see.

Torry_Quine

jasonwatkins wrote: »

That's exactly what my situation is, but I think the bulk of mine is for water rates as I only have to pay a small amount towards the actual rent itself.

Well i'm back

Went to my local branch and spoke to someone on the phone and they confirmed that the £15.44 payment I received today was a single day's payment and that the other benefit actually officially stopped on the 20th of November.

He said he would get me an ESA3 form sent out but I said i'd ask if they had one I could fill out there and then. They didn't, so I jumped on a bus down to another Job Centre I knew of, which was about an hour's bus ride all told, and they did have the form.

So I filled it out there and then and asked them to send it in via the internal courier system. I triple checked it, so I hope I haven't made any mistakes as I really don't need any further delays.

I ticked the relevant boxes saying that I didn't have any other benefits apart from HB and CT, which I suppose is technically correct as the ESA has now stopped.

Anyway, it's in now so i'll give it a day or two and start chasing it. They told me it could take 3-5 days to get processed and, if it's done by the end of this week, I could get a payment next week.

How much that will be is anybody's guess ..

He did kind of hint that because I essentially "ignored" or, as he said it, "misinterpreted" the letter they sent me that it might not be given any kind of priority but we'll see.

That's good to hear and I hope that things go smoothly from here. Keep warm and best wishes.

looby75

fingers crossed they get it sorted soon.

jasonwatkins

Thankyou nice MSE people

Dunroamin

looby75 wrote: »

A lot of people in LA housing or HA have their water rates included in their rent. HB doesn't cover the water rates, but it's still paid to the council as "rent"

My rent is £73 a week but £13 of that is water rates, so I pay that amount to the council via their rents system.

Thanks.

That doesn't seem very fair when other people have to pay for their water out of their general income.

princessdon

Dunroamin wrote: »

Thanks.

That doesn't seem very fair when other people have to pay for their water out of their general income.

What they mean is the total rental includes water

Say the bill is £100 pw including rent and water and no benefits that's what you pay, the bill is rent on the invoice.

If on benefits they'd get a bill for £10 pw (if that was the water part of the bill), rent paid, water isn't, but the invoice says rent.

It's more common in Scotland though

Dunroamin

princessdon wrote: »

What they mean is the total rental includes water

Say the bill is £100 pw including rent and water and no benefits that's what you pay, the bill is rent on the invoice.

If on benefits they'd get a bill for £10 pw (if that was the water part of the bill), rent paid, water isn't, but the invoice says rent.

It's more common in Scotland though

Thanks for the explanation - I thought I must have misunderstood!:o