Temporary changes ending benefits: what next?

gilbutre

Hi, if a couple on housing benefits goes through a temporary income increase that puts their total income above threshold (meaning they should receive zero because of this change), can their claim be simply "resumed" after the temporary increase or do they have to make a fresh claim and start the whole thing from scratch?

Housing_Benefit_Officer

gilbutre wrote: »

Hi, if a couple on housing benefits goes through a temporary income increase that puts their total income above threshold (meaning they should receive zero because of this change), can their claim be simply "resumed" after the temporary increase or do they have to make a fresh claim and start the whole thing from scratch?

How long is the change likely to last?

gilbutre

Probably 3 months.

dippy3103

gilbutre wrote: »

Probably 3 months.

You will need to re claim. Depending on which benefits you may be able to do a rapid reclaim. Though it really does depend on the nature of the change that ended the claim.

Detroit

If you've been on certain benefits such as ESA or JSA and you stop being entitled to HB due to employment, you may be entitled to HB for the first 4 weeks of your new circumstances.
When you report your change of circumstances, ask about HB run on.
After the 4 weeks HB would stop if your income is over the threshold.

gilbutre

OK that sucks. What if we report the change after the 3 months passed and after income switched back to how it was before? This way we'll have an overpayment but at at least we won't have to go through many weeks without HB (fresh claims take ages to process)

nannytone_2

that would be benefit fraud.

means tested benefit is calculated using the current household income.

to have a substantial increase ( and it would be to stop all means tested benefit) and not declare it ( knowing that you would not be entitled to benefit if you did) would be looked upon very seriously and quite possibly lead to prosecution

gilbutre

I understand, I was only asking. Also the "not declare it" part in your sentence is technically inaccurate since I was asking about merely postponing declaration. Again I'm just asking.

dippy3103

gilbutre wrote: »

I understand, I was only asking. Also the "not declare it" part in your sentence is technically inaccurate since I was asking about merely postponing declaration. Again I'm just asking.

It's a criminal offence to fail to report a change in circumstances within one month. Leaving it 3 months then reporting retrospectively is not an option.

McKneff

Its not innacurate because you woud, ar time be commitinf fraud and if they catch up with you in that time they will also see it as fraud. 'Well, I was going to tell you is no defence.

Caz3121

many benefits require changes to be notified within 30 days
not sure why you would be any better off delaying the claim...

extra income > notify > HB stops (possibly after runon) > bank savings from income > new claim made > use savings > new HB claim

extra income > don't notify > HB continues > bank savings from income/housing benefit > notify > HB stops > overpayment calculated > use savings > new HB claim
+ possible investigation/fine