What happens when you stop a housing benefit claim?

kst101

I am moving in with my boyfriend soon and as our joint income will be higher I will not be entitled to any benefits. I have informed the housing benefits department that I want to stop my claim.

Does anyone know what happens when you stop your claim? I currently have an overpayment which reduces my benefit and have been told this will be passed onto the overpayments team. Will I have to pay this immediately? I have read if you are offered a payment plan that you need to give full income and expenditure details and that it has to be paid off in 6 months.

One final question - will any review of my housing benefit entitlement be carried out when my claim is stopped?

fluffymovie

So, Your application for your award to be terminated will be passed to an assessment officer and they will close it on their system and send you letters.
The outstanding overpayment will be passed to their overpayment team to pursue which normally involves issuing an invoice for repayment in full. You then contact and set up an arrangement using the income / expenditure form you mentioned but it is'n't statutory that this has to be paid in 6 months although that may be your local council's policy.

Your claim may be reviewed by the assessor depending on how long it's been since they last heard from you and if there is any reason to think it's necessary.

kst101

Thank you Do you know roughly how long it takes for me to get the invoice (or is it a "how long is a piece of string" type of thing?

fluffymovie

In my council we run invoices every day so should be fairly quick