Housing Benefit help!!!

mightyroyals

Hi

I have just returned to work after a long period on ESA and when i called to close my claim with the jobcentre i was told i would get a one month run on for council tax benefit and housing benefit.
However this morning i have just got a letter saying my housing benefit has been suspended due to the notification the dwp.

Is this normal or have i been screwed out of the run on i was told i would get.
I am really worried now as my rent is due soon and i do not get any money now until my first pay at the end of next month.

Can anyone help. sorry if it don't make much sense as i am really panicking now.

Thanks in advance

Housing_Benefit_Officer

Have you applied for your run on with the council?

Have you told the council you have started work?

They can award the run on until they know you have started work and the employment is due to last 5 weeks or more and they have verified you have been in receipt of a qualifying benefit for 26 weeks with no break.

motherbored21

Not sure on query, but just wanted to say congratulations on the new job!

mightyroyals

Housing_Benefit_Officer wrote: »

Have you applied for your run on with the council?

Have you told the council you have started work?

They can award the run on until they know you have started work and the employment is due to last 5 weeks or more and they have verified you have been in receipt of a qualifying benefit for 26 weeks with no break.

we did speak to them and they told us it was up to the dwp to tll them we were entitled to the run on?

coffeelover65

mightyroyals wrote: »

we did speak to them and they told us it was up to the dwp to tll them we were entitled to the run on?

That's wrong as its for the LA to make the decision. What will have happened is the DWP will have sent a notification to the council saying your ESA has stopped (with or without a reason for the termination). The council has then suspended your claim to prevent an overpayment of benefit and to get details of your new circumstances.

If you just want the run on, just phone up and tell them that.

OR

If you want the run on AND to claim on your new circumstances, you'll need to provide them with your new details and proof of this within a month of the suspension letter. The easiest way to start off is to supply a copy of your employment contract as most peoples first wage slip is a mess anyway due to emergency tax / training hours which are one offs / inductions etc.

Cate1976

Congrats on the job, if you've been on a qualifying benefit for at least 26 weeks, you should be entitled to the 4 week run on of Housing Benefit. The problem as you've discovered is that DWP have informed HB that you're no longer on that qualifying benefit so HB has been suspended.

The procedure is that you apply to the council for the run on which is what my hubby & I had to do. If you're working part time then you could still be entitled to some help based on low income.