Housing benefit reduced?

mrshtobe

I applied for hb in September just gone. I was awarded just over £100 a fortnight. Recently my rent went up and it increased to £105 a fortnight. So imagine my shock today when I get a cheque for £50!! What's going on? Could this be related to my tax Cred? I got a one off holiday payment for all the holiday I'd accrued whilst on maternity and didn't realise I'd have to inform them. That took out income to just under 24k for 2013/2014 and apparently over the cut off (prep year was just under 38k so didn't claim).

Anyway. This year I'm not working and I don't have an income at all but I don't think they take that into account due to it not being £2500 less as all I earned last year was £1700 inc holiday and las maternity payments.

I didn't think this would affect hb as I applied in September and they can see from my payslip I'm no longer employed and my bank statement shows I don't have an income over than child benefit! I gave them all my oh wageslips too.

Can anyone help? I'm due another baby in 11 days and I can't cope with this anxiety.

pmlindyloo

mrshtobe wrote: »

I applied for hb in September just gone. I was awarded just over £100 a fortnight. Recently my rent went up and it increased to £105 a fortnight. So imagine my shock today when I get a cheque for £50!! What's going on? Could this be related to my tax Cred? I got a one off holiday payment for all the holiday I'd accrued whilst on maternity and didn't realise I'd have to inform them. That took out income to just under 24k for 2013/2014 and apparently over the cut off (prep year was just under 38k so didn't claim).

Anyway. This year I'm not working and I don't have an income at all but I don't think they take that into account due to it not being £2500 less as all I earned last year was £1700 inc holiday and las maternity payments.

I didn't think this would affect hb as I applied in September and they can see from my payslip I'm no longer employed and my bank statement shows I don't have an income over than child benefit! I gave them all my oh wageslips too.

Can anyone help? I'm due another baby in 11 days and I can't cope with this anxiety.

May I suggest that you get all your paperwork regarding tax credits/housing benefit/P60s/bank statements/salary slips/maternity pay and go to CAB and ask for a benefit check up?

They will be able to make some phone calls to see what is happening and put your mind at rest.

All this anxiety is not good for you or the baby.

mrshtobe

I don't know whether it's just better to accept it and wait? I will have to add new baby to claim and my oh gets his start date for new job on Friday so I'd have to ring again? Should I just leave it and sort it all out when new baby and job sorted? I can't think straight I'm so upset and confused?

pmlindyloo

mrshtobe wrote: »

I don't know whether it's just better to accept it and wait? I will have to add new baby to claim and my oh gets his start date for new job on Friday so I'd have to ring again? Should I just leave it and sort it all out when new baby and job sorted? I can't think straight I'm so upset and confused?

Up to you, of course, but I am sure you will be very busy when the new baby arrives and it would be good to check that everything is in order now and then just report the change of circumstances as they happen.

I only suggested CAB because often in these cases trying to deal with it yourself can just up the stress levels particularly as at the moment tax credits are very difficult to contact.

Even if CAB are unable to telephone they can at least tell you what you should be getting by doing a quick benefit check. They could do all 3 scenarios, - now, when your OH starts his job and when your baby is born.

Don't forget you'll need both your and your OH's paperwork/bank statements if you go to CAB.

mrshtobe

sorry I'm so confused, the income last year is 22014.67 +592+1241.97 (maternity leave - £100 for every week & holiday entitlement)
=23848.64

She asked me what we'd be getting this year - £22014.67 as I don't have any income at all. But oh is to sign onto new job next week at minimum wage. I can't give them those figures yet until he has a contract and new baby coming in 11 days so she said to call again when that had happened.

I just want to know why this has affected my housing benefit when they knew of all income etc when I applied in September?

pmlindyloo

It is so difficult for anyone to advise from a distance without the paperwork to check- sorry.

Who was the cheque from? Was there a letter with it? The council re: your HB? If your rent went up and then you were awarded more money could this be a back payment?

I'm just stabbing in the dark really. Put the money aside if you're unsure, have a cup of tea and then relax. Enjoy the weekend. Nothing you can do until Monday anyway.

mrshtobe

I get my hb via cheque. I'm registered online and it has my current entitlement which has decreased to £25ish per week (I get a check for it fortnightly. I wish they'd tell me before they do this so I have a chance to defend myself! I have all of our earning together, I suppose I need to print bank statements etc but oh is at work until next Sunday and no time off so that's going to be hard.

Caz3121

mrshtobe wrote: »

She asked me what we'd be getting this year - £22014.67 as I don't have any income at all. But oh is to sign onto new job next week at minimum wage.

I assume the £22,014 is his current salary if he was to work the full year. As he is moving jobs part way through the year your answer to what you would be getting is
income from old job since 6th April (2-3 months?) + estimated income from new job (£14k x 8 months?)...this added together would be your estimate (JSA may need to be added to this not sure)...this will likely be a higher number than £14k and a lower number than £22k

If estimated for this year comes to more than £21,348 (£23,848 income less £2.5k) the award will be based on the £23,848 from last year
If the estimate for this year is less than £21,348 then they will use the estimated number + £2.5k....so in your case, if the estimate is £17.5k, they will use £20k and base your award on that instead of the £23,848

Housing_Benefit_Officer

Every £1 your income increases your Housing Benefit reduces by 65p.

mrshtobe

The housing benefit team had all details of my final tax year earnings, final pay slip including rest of maternity, holiday entitlement. They had my tax credits letter and child benefit letter. They had my partners p60 and all our most recent bank statements so I don't understand how the can say we earned any more than what we'd given them in September.

mrshtobe

Estimated income this year if I'm correct will be £16520.50 inc 12 weeks old job pay and 40 weeks new job pay. I have over estimated a bit and obviously can't get an exact amount until he starts.

How do I make sure I'm calculating weekly hours correctly when he works 4 12hr shifts and then is off for 4 days?