Housing Benefit & Council Tax Nightmare Due To Wrong Information Provided!

j3251

My friend is a single mother,she was in a 1 bedroom house via housing association.

She saw a 2 bedroom house advertised,private let,thought it would be ideal with spare room for child.

She popped into housing benefit and council tax office,spoke with a benefits advisor enquiring how much housing benefit & council tax benefit she would be entitled too etc

Advised she would be entitled to full housing benefit,would only have to pay roughly £28 towards her council tax.

Viewed 2 bedroom house,accepted it,signed tenancy,popped into housing benefit office to put claim through as per advised previously.

Advised everything was put through electronically/online (apparently the new way office was doing things)

After a period of time she is mortified,shocked to find her rent is not being covered fully,she is to pay £150 towards rent, £98 towards council tax!

She got in touch with housing benefit office who advise someone will call her back,keeps getting fobbed off.

Is there anything that can be done about this?She is mortified as she went ahead on the wrong information/advice provided by benefits advisor prior to signing up new tenancy etc

Turns out benefits advisor ticked a wrong box,instead of ticking her maternity pay is weekly she put it down as fortnightly!

She is unable to afford the rent difference + council tax!Also gave up her housing association house as she required a 2 bedroom,was advised turnover for 2 bedroom was very low etc

Any help/advice would be appreciated

lighting_up_the_chalice

Firstly, in the shorter term, she needs to apply for DHP. As the error was the councils, they should look favourably upon the application.

Longer term, if DHP is refused or when it runs out, she should seek advice from the Homeless service. As the property is unaffordable, and she acted in good faith, they SHOULD be able to assist. That may not mean Social Housing or instant accommodation, but it will be suitable, long term and affordable.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

The HB/CTS is correct. There is nothing to appeal against.

DHP is the only route I can see as there will be no increase in HB.

Did they give her a printout of the trial calculation?

j3251

Friend saying she was told she can't apply for DHP until her maternity payment runs out?

She has a bit of paper advisor had wrote on for her to take away,don't think she has an actual print out though will ask her later today.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

j3251 wrote: »

Friend saying she was told she can't apply for DHP until her maternity payment runs out?

She has a bit of paper advisor had wrote on for her to take away,don't think she has an actual print out though will ask her later today.

She can apply for DHP at any time - only rule is she can claim some HB. When her maternity pay runs out then it is likely she will qualify for full help towards her rent so she won't be able to claim DHP!

I would tell her to make an official complaint about the mis-advice - there could be a training need.