cancelling housing benefit

Sparkle_80

Hi I am currently claiming housing benefit and just received and completed my yearly review. But as of next month I will be moving back into the family home to look after my disabled and ill mother, how do i go about cancelling my housing benefit and do i still need to send off this review.

Thanks

nannytone_2

you cancel the claim on the day you move out.
is it a privaye let or social housing?

Sparkle_80

Hi it is private let. Do i not need to give housing benefit any notice?

nannytone_2

no .... but you probably need to give your landlord notice

Housing_Benefit_Officer

Complete your review otherwise your claim could be suspended or cancelled. Let them know in writing you will be vacating. Notify Council Tax separately as well.

gilett

Sparkle_80 wrote: »

how do i go about cancelling my housing benefit .

Thanks

With great difficulty lol

I 'Cancelled' my Housing Benefit in may after returning to work. I wrote 4 letters, one in May, June, July, and September. All of which were completely ignored by the local authority, who just continued paying me benefits even though they knew 4 months ago i was no longer entitled - then sent me a court threat and demand for over £400 in October. No apology for causing me financial difficulty, no explanation whatsoever.

All i got was 'Oh yes, we had a backlog'. Maybe i am naive but i don't think they can justify wasting tax payers money so flippantly. They should have stopped paying immediately when they knew i was no longer entitled to benefits, not 4 months later.

My advice? Don't trust them to cancel it just because you wrote to them or called them, expect your letters to be ignored, then expect a threatening letter 4 months later demanding hundreds of pounds. :cool:

fed_up_and_stressed

gilett wrote: »

With great difficulty lol

I 'Cancelled' my Housing Benefit in may after returning to work. I wrote 4 letters, one in May, June, July, and September. All of which were completely ignored by the local authority, who just continued paying me benefits even though they knew 4 months ago i was no longer entitled - then sent me a court threat and demand for over £400 in October. No apology for causing me financial difficulty, no explanation whatsoever.

All i got was 'Oh yes, we had a backlog'. Maybe i am naive but i don't think they can justify wasting tax payers money so flippantly. They should have stopped paying immediately when they knew i was no longer entitled to benefits, not 4 months later.

My advice? Don't trust them to cancel it just because you wrote to them or called them, expect your letters to be ignored, then expect a threatening letter 4 months later demanding hundreds of pounds. :cool:

Why did you not put to one side the money which you knew you were receiving when you weren't entitled to rather than causing yourself the financial hardship you alluded to ?

gilett

Because i didn't know it was still being paid. It goes direct to the landlord. As far as i knew i cancelled it.

NYM

gilett wrote: »

Because i didn't know it was still being paid. It goes direct to the landlord. As far as i knew i cancelled it.

Didn't your LL notice that he was being paid directly by the Council and you ?

Housing_Benefit_Officer

gilett wrote: »

Because i didn't know it was still being paid. It goes direct to the landlord. As far as i knew i cancelled it.

And of course you were paying your full rent to your landlord as you believed your claim had been cancelled so the overpayment was your landlord's to pay back.

welshbookworm

Similar problem here!
Have now sent TWO letters to Housing Benefit telling them I am not entitled any more., but they are still paying it!
I am paying my full rent and tried to pay my Council Tax but they wouldn't let me - I'm too far in credit !
Will carry on paying my rent and wait and see what happens!