Housing benefit home visit - anyone else?

redmel1621

Hi.

I am after some advice please. Yesterday we received a letter stating that an appointment has been made for officer to visit us at home. It says this is in order to discuss the benefits cap and drop in our housing benefit
The letter states we need to provide our income details as we will also have a benefits review done.

This all seems very strange as we have only just had a review done 4th November, and we are fully aware of how the benefit cap will affect us, as they have previously sent us a letter explaining this.

We phoned and spoke to them and the lady we spoke to claims that it is a legal requirement of theirs to visit EVERY household that the cap affects. I find this rather unbelievable as there is no way they have the resources and manpower to do this. She also claimed that we (and everyone else in the country) are supposed to be having 6 monthly visits to our home.... again, I find that highly unlikely.

Has anyone else had this letter?
Do I have to have this visit?

I queried the fact that we have only just had a review, but she was just evasive and kept repeating that we have to have this home visit as a legal requirement....

Can anyone shed any light on this please?

sulkisu

No idea about 6 monthly visits although I do know someone who had a home visit about 2 months ago. As long as everything is above board, I wouldn't worry about it. If you refuse the home visit, then presumably they could stop your claim and call it failing to comply.

sammyjammy

I don't think it seems unlikely, the amount of people affected by the benefit cap across the country is a very small percentage of those claiming.

Teapot55

Just a slight worry: the letter was definitely a real one from your local council? Go on their website and check that the phone number at the top of the letter is the same as on the website.

Probably no cause for concern, but better safe than sorry as there's so many scams about …;)

redmel1621

Thank you both.

I'm pretty sure they would stop our housing benefit if we refused them entry, yes.
I wasn't going to refuse entry, I just wondered if I HAD to have this appointment. It is quite stressful and I am so busy right now.

tboo

See this about visits from Wrexham

Many many moons ago visits had to be conducted within 8 weeks for all new claims (and normally unannounced) and annual forms were sent out, this all changed years ago and no annual forms or visits were done

It has all started up again but some councils don't have the resources to do it all

The main reason for visits are to stop fraudulant claims e.g claiming for a house you don't live in etc

paddedjohn

Op, the benefit cap doesn't affect as many as you'd like to think it does. Even if they want to visit every week I can't see a problem, you want assistance so you should agree to the consequences.

jetplane

Some councils working in partnership with housing providers visit everyone affected by the benefit cap. This is to see if they are in need of help with budgeting, debts, job hunting, discretionary housing payments or if they could claim an exemption. They need the rent to be paid and not all tenants make it a priority when the housing benefit reduces or stops.

redmel1621

paddedjohn wrote: »

Op, the benefit cap doesn't affect as many as you'd like to think it does. Even if they want to visit every week I can't see a problem, you want assistance so you should agree to the consequences.

I don't 'like' to think it affects anybody tbh.

And in actual fact if they wanted to visit every week then, yes, I would have an issue with it. I have as much right to live without harassment as anybody else. How would they even visit every week anyway? I am out at work 7.30-4/5 every day. I would lose my job if I had to take a day off every week, then they would have to house me and my family, pay FULL rent and council tax, as well as unemployment benefits..... That makes loads of sense doesn't it :cool:

Not everyone who receives housing benefit is unemployed and available to sit in waiting all day for a housing officer visit.

pmlindyloo

When you say you had a review done in November do you mean someone discussed your circumstances with you and gave advice about applying for a Discretionary Housing Payment, etc etc?

From my reading many councils are being proactive about helping people who are affected by the benefit cap.

Personally I see this as a good thing. I do not believe this is a statutory requirement but something your local council (which is?) have decided to do. I think it is a shame to be so annoyed about a council that seems to be genuinely trying to be proactive in helping people affected by the cap.

There are some people who will find it difficult to manage their rent because of the benefit cap (we have had posts about this) and other budgeting issues.

Unless you have had help/support/discussion about this in November then feel glad that the authorities are trying to help.

jetplane

If you work the benefit cap does not affect you.