Can you simply end your housing benefit claim?

jijoploolop

Hi all, I'm new so be gentle! I currently rent from my half brother and get housing benefit towards the rent. All above board and the council know that we are related. I have had a small pay rise at work that may mean I won't receive hb any more but I don't want to carry on with my claim. What I'd actually like to do is pay my brother without any help with a view to buying the property from him one day. Is it possible to write to them to explain that my salary has increased and I'd like to end my claim?
Thanks in advance.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

jijoploolop wrote: »

Hi all, I'm new so be gentle! I currently rent from my half brother and get housing benefit towards the rent. All above board and the council know that we are related. I have had a small pay rise at work that may mean I won't receive hb any more but I don't want to carry on with my claim. What I'd actually like to do is pay my brother without any help with a view to buying the property from him one day. Is it possible to write to them to explain that my salary has increased and I'd like to end my claim?
Thanks in advance.

You are supposed to notify of any change of financial or household circumstances as and when they happen. Write to them explaining when your wages increased and ask for your claim to be cancelled.

jijoploolop

Ooh dear. They increased as of my January pay packet! Should I photo copy December and January pay slips and send that in my letter? Thanks for your reply.

nannytone_2

they wont acce[t [hoto copies and will want to see originals.
you will probably have an overpayment but it shouldn't be too much after such a short time

jijoploolop

That's great, Thank you. I'll write a letter now and put both wage slips in. So I need to write something along the lines of; due to an increase in salary i would like to end my claim for housing benefit. Please see wage slips as evidence of pay rise.

emmsie123

Always photocopy originals, just in case they get lost.

missmontana

Go in and see them, they will scan your wage slips and stop your claim.

jijoploolop

Unfortunately due to my working hours the offices are closed by the time I finish and don't open until after I start! I might call them today and let them know what my plans are and I'll send the letter guaranteed delivery so it definitely arrives tomorrow.

restless6

jijoploolop wrote: »

Unfortunately due to my working hours the offices are closed by the time I finish and don't open until after I start! I might call them today and let them know what my plans are and I'll send the letter guaranteed delivery so it definitely arrives tomorrow.

You could email them and then you have proof that you sent the documents.
Ask for a read receipt and then you can show when the email was looked at.

No need to go into the office.
The longer you leave it, the more you will have to pay back.

t0rt0ise

Just a heads up about read receipts.. people don't have to allow a receipt to be sent. Official bodies often have emailers set so as to automatically refuse to send a receipt.

jijoploolop

Thanks for your replies. I called them and they suspended my claim whilst I was in the phone. They told me to email to say I'd had an increase in my salary and would like my housing benefit to be stopped from the 1st of February. I have had an automated response email but it has given me a reference number which I can quote if I need to call them. I didn't realise it would be this easy!