Overpayment of Housing Benefits £14k

NYM

superbigal36 wrote: »

The op wont have to pay anything back as their disposable income will drop from £42 a week to a minus figure once the £300 a month stops coming in.

Have the HB told you when they will stop paying you yet ?

I'm sure that she will have to make an arrangement to pay. It is a criminal offence to fail to notify a change of circumstances.
They won't let her 'get away' with it.

It's vitally important that a Statement of Affairs is drawn up to show where her income is spent.

Paying towards her parents mortgage is not a legitimate expense so she'll make some savings there.

dippy3103

superbigal36 wrote: »

The op wont have to pay anything back as their disposable income will drop from £42 a week to a minus figure once the £300 a month stops coming in.

Have the HB told you when they will stop paying you yet ?

It will be recovered & the LA will attach either benefits or wages to do so. They may take a lower amount each week but it will be recovered irrespective of the o/p having very little dispisable income.

The onus remains on the clm't to report changes. Simply not checking your bank statements will not cut it as a reason.

Bottom line is she has had £14k of public money she wasn't entitled to and she will have to repay it. In addition to that she may face criminal proceedings

NYM

... they had been sending letters to which I did not receive

I'm still confused how HB continued to be paid if the OP didn't respond to any correspondence they sent her?

Housing_Benefit_Officer

NYM wrote: »

I'm still confused how HB continued to be paid if the OP didn't respond to any correspondence they sent her?

Because claims now have no end date and run continuously. If no letters were ever returned there would be no reason to investigate.