Changes to income on housing benefit

kaym89

I claim housing benefit, child and working tax credits as a single parent. Back in November i received an overpayment letter stating that HMRC told housing benefit that my income had increased and i was overpaid £1400 from dec 15- october 16.

I went to the office, turns out they had my earnings too high and overpayment was reduced to £200. I honestly didn't know i had to report the occassional overtime but since december 2016 i have been down every month to report increase and decrease in income, even if it had gone up or down by a few pence.

Will this trigger a compliance interview or an investigation? I've read other threads on other forums about overpayments, it's been 9 months, will i have heard something by now? Their overpayment letters did mention without prejudice to any further action DWP may take but even when i was overpaid by official error it still said that. Any HB officers on here able to give me some advice.

Alice_Holt

No, it won't trigger any further action.
Overpayments are not uncommon.

When you notify HB about your monthly income make sure you get an acknowledgement slip and keep these filed safely.
Also, do check that the correct income and details are shown on your HB calculation notice.

kaym89

Even if it was my own fault for failing to report a change of circumstances? I have been overpaid a few times since this overpayment letter like £15 but i was told straight away by the HB officer because they process my wage slip whilst i'm there.

I have also been underpaid a few times too when i haven't worked overtime, just wish they could use RTI like they do on universal credit, saves me the hassle of constantly reporting.

I have kept every receipt in a fire proof box along with other important documents lol.

Alice_Holt

kaym89 wrote: »

Even if it was my own fault for failing to report a change of circumstances?

Yes.

You have repaid that overpayment.
No more action will be taken.

BorisThomson

Alice_Holt wrote: »

Yes.

You have repaid that overpayment.
No more action will be taken.

A failure to report a change in circumstances over a long period of time most definitely can prompt a compliance interview. Given the time that has now passed in the OP's case it is very unlikely but not impossible that they will still be contacted. I'm very surprised they did not incur an administrative penalty.

Kay, it looks like you got lucky and your failure to report has not prompted a referral. You're reporting your wages correctly now but please make sure you keep this up. Anyone that has reason to review your claim will be able to see this issue, and as a result any future inaccuracy on your claim is more likely to result in an investigation and penalty.

kaym89

Unless it was the fact that i was underpaid over £1000 during that period that may have prevented a referral? First it was reduced to £400 then i noticed one month they had me earning £490 a week so again it was reduced to £212.

Both of our faults really, but i was very lucky that they had my earnings wrong, i don't understand how they somehow thought i was earning that much though. Yes everything is correct now.

tomtom256

A referral used to be made on cases only over £2k, as the OP was below the referral wouldn't have occurred.

Its changed now so in future cases a referral may be made for a low OP of the person may just get a civil penalty.

kaym89

If i were to get some sort of penalty i should have heard something by now? Even if i were to have a compliance meeting or a formal investigation i still have all my wage slips etc to give them so shouldnt really take this long if they needed to speak to me about it.

kaym89

Although they do have all my wageslips from that period and they discovered i was underpaid.

tomtom256

If the OP was calculated in November 2016, in theory you would have heard by now for either compliance or investigations.

If you where to receive a civil penalty that would have been in the initial OP letter.

Cases like this rarely make it past a referral as it's already been dealt with by the LA.

dippy3103

BorisThomson wrote: »

A failure to report a change in circumstances over a long period of time most definitely can prompt a compliance interview. Given the time that has now passed in the OP's case it is very unlikely but not impossible that they will still be contacted. I'm very surprised they did not incur an administrative penalty.

Kay, it looks like you got lucky and your failure to report has not prompted a referral. You're reporting your wages correctly now but please make sure you keep this up. Anyone that has reason to review your claim will be able to see this issue, and as a result any future inaccuracy on your claim is more likely to result in an investigation and penalty.

An Administrative Penalty will only occurr if the case is dealt with my fraud officers as a criminal matter. That's the penalty that is a percentage of the overpayment figure depending on when the overpayment occurred.

A civil penalty is the fixed £50.