Housing Benefit Rant

Monkey_boy

Sorry if this is not the correct place to vent but I have to get this off my chest and not sure if it's worth writing to the council about at all but...

We've recently (1 week ago) advised HMRC that my GF is now working more hours (kids are now older and go to school so can work more) so will be earning more money (hooray, less reliant on tax credits) and we get a letter from the council that our housing benefit is going down and I have to repay the overpayment of 45p because I didn't inform them of a change in circumstances (tax credits change) at the time it happened...now you would think this isn't a problem, but the wonderful system we have here is that they are informed by HMRC before I receive the paperwork to tell me what the new award for tax credits is, so it's impossible for me to tell them first of the change in circumstances until AFTER they know...surely these ****wits at the council know this is the case?

Does this rustle anyone else Jimmies?

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

NYM

Can't help with your question, but I have one of my own..

What are 'jimmies'...:)

Podge52

Did you inform HB at the same time as you informed HMRC of your change in circumstances?

Monkey_boy

Podge52 wrote: »

Did you inform HB at the same time as you informed HMRC of your change in circumstances?

No, because before I have always been advised by the people at the council to just send in the tax credit award when I receive it, they have never taken any informaton over the phone.

cifpower

So the rage is over 45p?

Monkey_boy

No, the rage is over the way they say I didn't inform them when the change happened, but I didn't know what the change was going to be until I get the award from HMRC, by that time they already know how much it is before I do!

I don't care it's gone down 45p, I'd rather be in a position to not even have any HB.

Historically when my GF's TC's award has been increased they send me a letter BEFORE my GF has received the award saying my HB is going down due to an increase in TC's, I just find it frustrating they get this information before I do.

tomtontom

It's a standard letter, nothing to get stressed about.

rogerblack

If only it was HB.

(dates are approximate).
1 Aug - missed getting to my appointment for ESA assessment - because I was unable to get along the path to the taxi.
3 Aug - get letter 'why diddn't you go'.
4 Aug - return letter 'I diddn't go because...'
10 Aug - two phonecalls which I missed as I was exhausted and couldn't get to the phone.
10 Aug - ESA stopped.

14 Aug - the letter (which has been with them since about the 5th) is finally received internally, and treated as a request for reconsideration.

They're intentionally ignoring mail.

I note that the decision made on the 10th was only on the basis of the phone calls. Despite the prior month them going so far as to call my doctor expressing concerns about my health due to missing the prior WCA.

(yes, I am aware of the appeal process, and have just submitted a 30000 word document (much of which is copies of earlier documents).

But you simply don't get to send letters saying 'why diddn't you' and then setup your processes to not read them, especially in the case of people who you have already decided are vulnerable.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

Monkey_boy wrote: »

No, the rage is over the way they say I didn't inform them when the change happened, but I didn't know what the change was going to be until I get the award from HMRC, by that time they already know how much it is before I do!

I don't care it's gone down 45p, I'd rather be in a position to not even have any HB.

Historically when my GF's TC's award has been increased they send me a letter BEFORE my GF has received the award saying my HB is going down due to an increase in TC's, I just find it frustrating they get this information before I do.

Most if not all Local Authorities receive real time notifications via the ATLAS systems for all social security benefits, tax and universal credits.

When HMRC updated your Tax Credit claim your Local Authority would be informed and your Housing Benefit claim updated - with my Local Authority this is done automatically without anyone seeing it - a standard letter is generated and sent out advising the claimant of any change. We often inform claimants of changes in their social security benefits or tax credits before they have received notification of the change. Sometimes when there are weekly changes and adjustments of tax credits the claimant will be swamped by dozens of Housing Benefit notifications. The ATLAS system has substantially reduced overpayments by real time updating of the Tax Credit information held by Local Authorities. Many claimants failed to inform their Council of any changes resulting in massive overpayments. You should be grateful that the system is being improved to reduce fraud and error.