HELP! Housing Benefit hasn't been paid to me yet!!!

RBay

Hello,

We applied for Housing Benefit last month and our application was successful. We were then told that £270 was release to our Nationwide account on the 26th June. It's now 3rd of July and it's still not in our account. Our rent was due on 28th June. I have paid half the rent but we have been late paying so many times. I'm now worried that we'll be evicted for not paying our rent on time.

Has anyone else experienced a delay in the HB bank transfer like this? It's now been 6 working days. I have spoken to the council and they told me that the money has been paid so it's the banks problem. I checked they had the right bank details.

Seems strange for the money to take this long to show up in my account.

McKneff

ring the bank, sharpish.

RBay

Did that.....they were as helpful as a chocolate teapot. They told me that they can't see any transactions due.

nannytone_2

phone housing benefit and make sure they have the account details logged correctly

RBay

I called housing benefit and found out what the problem is. Someone, while processing my payment typed in 1 wrong number on my sort code. Even though they had the correct sort code.
After a loooong discussion with the duty manager it turns out I have no choice but to wait for the payment to be returned to HB from the bank so the HB can repay it to the correct account.
I feel a little hard done by since it was a human error on their end.
Now I wont be getting the payment for at least another week.

[Deleted User]

I think you need to go to the CAB because I suspect it will take a lot longer than a week for the money to be returned. I'd also get your councillor involved to apply pressure to HB.

And ask for a letter from HB advising what went wrong so you have proof if your landlord does kick up.

I do sympathise, my HB (change in cicumstances) took 2 months to be processed and caused awful problems.

NYM

The Bank has no obligation to return the payment unless the account number/sort code the payment went to, doesn't exist.

You didn't make the mistake, the Council did and should pay you without delay.

dodger1

RBay wrote: »

Hello,

We applied for Housing Benefit last month and our application was successful. We were then told that £270 was release to our Nationwide account on the 26th June. It's now 3rd of July and it's still not in our account. Our rent was due on 28th June. I have paid half the rent but we have been late paying so many times. I'm now worried that we'll be evicted for not paying our rent on time.

No need to worry about that unless you're already behind with your rent. For the eviction process to even start where it's solely based on rent arrears there has to be two full months rent overdue. Don't ignore though, speak to your LL and tell them why there is a hold up.

RBay

I spoke to the bank and they assured me that the sort code doesn't exist so the money will be returned to the sender within 5 working days of them receiving it. Hopefully HB will sort it out promptly. I will be calling them daily to make sure they process the payment as soon as they get the money returned.

I also spoke to my landlord and paid him half of the rent. He doesn't know that we're now claiming HB. Not sure whether to tell him or not. Some LLs don't like having tenants claiming HB.
Anyway, I told him he'll get the rest of the money ASAP. He wasn't happy about it but wasn't overly angry at the same time. He said he understands that times are hard.

I just hope the HB sort this out quick, but after speaking to the line manager I don't have very high hopes for this to be a quick process. He sounded like a weaselly dumb*ss.

dodger1

Not sure what it's like where you live but here it's so much easier to go in and see people at the benefits office. Things seem to get sorted out so much quicker face to face and I have to say the different staff I've seen are very helpful.

MamaMoo_2

RBay wrote: »

I spoke to the bank and they assured me that the sort code doesn't exist so the money will be returned to the sender within 5 working days of them receiving it. Hopefully HB will sort it out promptly. I will be calling them daily to make sure they process the payment as soon as they get the money returned.

I also spoke to my landlord and paid him half of the rent. He doesn't know that we're now claiming HB. Not sure whether to tell him or not. Some LLs don't like having tenants claiming HB.
Anyway, I told him he'll get the rest of the money ASAP. He wasn't happy about it but wasn't overly angry at the same time. He said he understands that times are hard.

I just hope the HB sort this out quick, but after speaking to the line manager I don't have very high hopes for this to be a quick process. He sounded like a weaselly dumb*ss.

Just as an aside, you need to inform your LL you're claiming benefits as it could affect his LL insurance. If you do not inform him, it could render his insurance void.