administrative amendment in housing benefit

Aglon

Hello.
I really need help to understand what is going on. A week ago I received the letter that I've got housing benefir and they're gonna start to pay at 11/04/2016. But today they sent me another letter, which says:

"I am writing to tell you that your benefit has changed. The reason for this is:
there has been an administrative amendment made to your rent/council tax liability.
As a result your weekly benefit is as follows.
Period From Period To Weekly Housing Benefit
01 Apr 2016 Ongoing £0.00

The Weekly Benefit Award is: £0.00
Less Overpayment Recovery: £0.00
Net Benefit Payable: £0.00
Weekly Gross Rent/Council Tax is: £87.69
The Benefit Starts on: 01 Apr 2016
Weekly Eligible Rent/Council Tax: £0.00
Weekly Ineligible Service Charges: £0.00

---

The first payment will be: £38.42
This will be paid on: 11 Apr 2016
Payment will be made by:
Future payments will be made: 2 weeks in arrears
NON DEPENDANT DEDUCTIONS: £0.00

FINANCIAL DETAILS: APPLICABLE AMOUNT
Your weekly earned income £78.30 Single claimant between 25 and pensio £73.10
Your partner's weekly earned income £0.00
Any other income (weekly figures) £0.00 TOTAL APPLICABLE AMOUNT £73.10
Assumed Income from £2 Capital £0.00
TOTAL WEEKLY INCOME £78.30
Disregarded income £5.00
Other disregarded income £0.00
INCOME USED IN CALCULATION £73.30 "

Can you explain to me why I lost my housing benefit without receiving any money? What I've done? What I have to do now, because I have just 14 hours job for now and promised to my landlord to pay at 11/04/2016. I'm really confused here. And most frustrated thing is that they don't explain what happened.

Thanks.

HappyMJ

Do you live with the landlord? What type of property? Is the rent £380/month? Does the rent include bills or do you pay gas/electricity/water/phone/broadband and council tax separately? Housing benefit doesn't cover your contribution towards those bills.

xylophone

11/04/2016.

Surely this is the date of your benefit payment?

The first payment will be: £38.42
This will be paid on: 11 Apr 2016

Perhaps you were not eligible to receive any payment in the tax year ending 5.4.16?

pmlindyloo

So, how old are you?

How much do you earn each week?

How much savings/capital do you have?

What accommodation are you living in? What is the rent? Do you pay council tax?

What is the local housing allowance for your situation?

Housing_Benefit_Officer

Makes no sense? There is no award of HB but they are making a part payment?

Have you had any other notifications? If so what do they say?

Aglon

The first letter said this:

"We have received your claim and I am writing to tell you how much benefit you will
be getting.
Your weekly benefit is as follows:
Period From Period To Weekly Housing Benefit
29 Feb 2016 Ongoing £67.24

The Weekly Benefit Award is: £67.24
Less Overpayment Recovery: £0.00
Net Benefit Payable: £67.24
Weekly Gross Rent/Council Tax is: £87.69
The Benefit Starts on: 29 Feb 2016
Weekly Eligible Rent/Council Tax: £67.37
Weekly Ineligible Service Charges: £0.00

---

The first payment will be: £307.38
This will be paid on: 11 Apr 2016
Payment will be made by: Bank BACS
Future payments will be made: 2 weeks in arrears
NON DEPENDANT DEDUCTIONS: £0.00

FINANCIAL DETAILS: APPLICABLE AMOUNT
Your weekly earned income £78.30 Single claimant between 25 and pensio £73.10
Your partner's weekly earned income £0.00
Any other income (weekly figures) £0.00 TOTAL APPLICABLE AMOUNT £73.10
Assumed Income from £2 Capital £0.00
TOTAL WEEKLY INCOME £78.30
Disregarded income £5.00
Other disregarded income £0.00
INCOME USED IN CALCULATION £73.30

"

I'm 38. I live out of landlord. 0 savings (I used almost all my overdraft). I have just 14 hours work (7.20 per hour). Rent £380. I don't pay any bills. Shared house (double room).
I am self-employed photographer too, but I gave all 3 Invoices and it's just £154 for whole year, because I don't have many clients.

pmlindyloo

You need to ring them as these figures are almost completely wrong.

They haven't got your weekly earned income right (did you provide pay slips or just give an estimate?) They have assumed a £2 income fromm your self employment which seems about right but haven't used this to add to your salary from employment!

You need to tell them what your income is - 14 hrs at £7.20 and ask them to go through the figures and explain how they calculated them.

You will only be allowed the shared accommodation rate of local housing allowance since you are only renting a room and they will only pay the rent (not other bills) so you need to ask about that too.

Explain to your landlord what is happening and either borrow the rent from friends/family or see if he will wait until your HB is sorted out. Have you got a tenancy agreement?

Aglon

The question was - why I could lost the benefit. Am I lost it or not? And what the hell is "The reason for this is:
there has been an administrative amendment made to your rent/council tax liability."

pmlindyloo

To be honest, no one knows whether you have lost it or not as it talks of a payment and then says you have £0 award.

It appears to be a mess. Due to what we can only guess. Since you state you only just started a job it could be to do with this.

Whatever the reason you need to put it right by phoning them.

Based on what you are earning then it seems possible that you would be eligible for HB. However, we do not know what your local housing allowance rate is as this varies from council to council. Also we do not know what money they have taken from the rent you pay for council tax and other bills (as they only pay the 'rent'.)

Did your landlord write and tell them what proportion of what you pay to him is for rent?

If, after you have phoned, you're still none the wiser, take your tenancy agreement, your employment contract, your salary slips, your self employment paperwork and your latest bank statement to CAB and ask them to telephone the council on your behalf.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

1) When did you move in?
2) Could you afford the rent when you moved in?
3) Have you claimed HB in the previous 52 weeks?

Topcat1982

Could it be because the £380 includes bills? So the rent is lower than they originally thought