Housing Benefit Suspended *Solved*

d122y

Today, totally out of the blue. I've received a letter from the council titled: Suspension of housing benefit and council tax support
I'm currently on ESA for mental health issues and have no reason as to why they would suspend my housing benefit?

The letter reads,
I refer to your claim for housing benefit, I must inform that your claim has been suspended on **********. This is because we require a full update of your current circumstances?

My letter also includes me to return the following that apply to myself;

Proof of Earnings
Non-Dependant Income
Proof Of tax credit
Proof of employment and support allowance
Proof of all Capital

I'm really confused as to why this has landed on my door and for what possible reason? Maybe it's my illness kicking into over drive, but it's really got me worked up? Nothing has changed, I'm still the same as I was when I first claimed.

The only change I've made to my claim; getting the payments paid to me and not my land lord which was completed the week before xmas, I received a cheque.

Please help me

regards

Housing_Benefit_Officer

Are you working on the side?
Do you receive any Tax Credits?
Do you have any secret savings you have failed to declare?
Is there anyone else living with you?

It could be one of three things:-

1) A periodic review to verify your household and financial circumstances.

2) DWP have notified the Council your ESA has stopped or is due to stop - so they need to verify your household and financial circumstances.

3) They have proof of wrongdoing. Completing the review form will reinforce their prosecution against you - however they wouldn't suspend you claim as that would tip you off they were investigating you.

d122y

Thanks Housing Benefit Officer for your reply.

I'm not working, Don't have any tax credits or Savings and I live alone

I just claim ESA and do what is expected of me, My next medical isn't due till March time. It's this time of year I have it.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

d122y wrote: »

I'm not working, Don't have any tax credits or Savings and I live alone

Then either a periodic review or your ESA might be stopping or stopped so they need to check your circumstances.

d122y

I received an ESA payment last night, So as far I know i'm still in receipt of it and don't have a reason not to be?

help4help2013

as per your same thread on another site it might be best for you to wait until Monday it may only be a random compliance check

d122y

I worry a lot

Housing_Benefit_Officer

d122y wrote: »

I received an ESA payment last night, So as far I know i'm still in receipt of it and don't have a reason not to be?

Then probably a randomly chosen periodic review.

Complete and return the review form together with proof of bank accounts and ESA.

d122y

Even tho i've done nothing wrong, I feel like I have by someone elses standards..

thanks for your replies

Housing_Benefit_Officer

d122y wrote: »

Even tho i've done nothing wrong, I feel like I have by someone elses standards..

thanks for your replies

If you claim benefits then expect you household and financial circumstances to be periodically checked. When large quantities of taxpayers money are being paid to cover housing costs and council tax liabilities then it is own right and proper and to be expected that the recipient is periodically reviewed to ensure the right person is receiving the right benefit at the right time - and they are not on the fiddle.

In the old days - before Labour scrapped reviews - you would have had to complete Housing Benefit review form every 60 weeks. Some were reviewed every 13 weeks or 26 weeks or 40 weeks or 52 weeks depending on the risk of fraud and overpayment. Now, thanks to the last Labour Government, there is no end date for a Housing Benefit claim. So some people haven't been reviewed for 5 or 6 years.

People are expected to notify the benefits department of any changes to household and financial circumstances as and when they happen.

catz1ct

Housing_Benefit_Officer wrote: »

In the old days - before Labour scrapped reviews - you would have had to complete Housing Benefit review form every 60 weeks. Some were reviewed every 13 weeks or 26 weeks or 40 weeks or 52 weeks depending on the risk of fraud and overpayment. Now, thanks to the last Labour Government, there is no end date for a Housing Benefit claim. So some people haven't been reviewed for 5 or 6 years.

People are expected to notify the benefits department of any changes to household and financial circumstances as and when they happen.

I wish they still did this!