Housing Benefit timescale

Spicedpumpkin

Alice_Holt said:

Did you go straight to your MP rather than a local councillor first ?

  With LA issues your immediate elected representative is your ward councillor (unlike the DWP who the poster had the issue with).

   If you haven't already approached your councillor, then the MP may just refer you to them.  If you have approached your councillor and got nowhere, then your MP should be more willing to act on your behalf. 

Ahh I see thanks very much

I am just going to draft the letter over the weekend. Check on Tuesday online to see if anything has been updated about the HB, which is highly doubtful

Then send  an email to the local councillor as you advised. I've never had to do anything like this before and didnt really know the heirarchy as such. ( But you have explained it now, thank)

Im getting desperate so worth a shot 

Thanks a lot

Murphybear

Spicedpumpkin said:

Murphybear said:

Alice_Holt said:

Spicedpumpkin said:

elsien said:

Get onto your local councillor? Some are better than others, but it can make a difference. 

I have a think about it, and although I do not have faith in them I will draft one over the weekend and send Tuesday

As I'm getting nowhere at all

Thanks again

           I'd do 2 letters, one to the Head of Revenue & Benefits (or appropriate title) at your council and one to your local councillor. Copy them both in with the others letter.  

         Just being aware that you have contacted your councillor may prompt some action from the council.

    If this doesn't work then write to your MP (enclosing both letters) and a copy to the council.

I had a problem with the DWP a year ago.  I contacted my MP and he responded the same day, asked for my full details and he contacted them immediately (I shouldn’t say this but my MP is a real sweetie . ). I have no idea what he said but I had a letter from the DWP 2 days later

Many thanks for that

Did you go straight to your MP rather than a local councillor first ?

I had to google who mine were, I live in a busy London borough and everything council related is super naff

Im glad you got your problem sorted out, I do not think they realize how stressful waiting for things to be done especially when you are 7 weeks owed HB and that can lead to a section 8 eviction at 8 weeks 

Thanks for the information

Straight to my MP,  Alice has explained this very clearly

sheramber

Does your councillor hold local surgeries that you can attend to speak to them?

Spicedpumpkin

Murphybear said:

Spicedpumpkin said:

Murphybear said:

Alice_Holt said:

Spicedpumpkin said:

elsien said:

Get onto your local councillor? Some are better than others, but it can make a difference. 

I have a think about it, and although I do not have faith in them I will draft one over the weekend and send Tuesday

As I'm getting nowhere at all

Thanks again

           I'd do 2 letters, one to the Head of Revenue & Benefits (or appropriate title) at your council and one to your local councillor. Copy them both in with the others letter.  

         Just being aware that you have contacted your councillor may prompt some action from the council.

    If this doesn't work then write to your MP (enclosing both letters) and a copy to the council.

I had a problem with the DWP a year ago.  I contacted my MP and he responded the same day, asked for my full details and he contacted them immediately (I shouldn’t say this but my MP is a real sweetie . ). I have no idea what he said but I had a letter from the DWP 2 days later

Many thanks for that

Did you go straight to your MP rather than a local councillor first ?

I had to google who mine were, I live in a busy London borough and everything council related is super naff

Im glad you got your problem sorted out, I do not think they realize how stressful waiting for things to be done especially when you are 7 weeks owed HB and that can lead to a section 8 eviction at 8 weeks 

Thanks for the information

Straight to my MP,  Alice has explained this very clearly

Yes, thanks a lot
Mine is LA and yours was DWP
I shall try local councillor first my I am on a timescale as the Hb terminates mid April due my partner being SP age

Spicedpumpkin

sheramber said:

Does your councillor hold local surgeries that you can attend to speak to them?

Yes I have googled them. I think I have 3 councillors for my ward as I live in London

They hold different surgeries and different times

I am on a tight timescale sadly

I will phone/email Tuesday if there is no update on HB 

Spicedpumpkin

Did as suggested last week, waiting for the councillor to get back to me also sent a letter to head of HB, with a copy of the letter I sent the councillor

It was basically 8 weeks tomorrow that the rent needs to be paid before a section 8. eviction notice could be served, and the landlord would have done that.
So I had to borrow some money off a friend and phone the landlord to say what is happening. I paid a month to keep it  well under the 8 weeks and give us breathing space. When the council manage to do their job, the landlord will give the money back

My partner is very fragile due to terminal cancer and other heart problems, so sometimes I have to do things to avoid his stress levels leading to another heart attack

As from other threads I am now on IR ESA which is backdated to early FEB and have sent the evidence that I am on IR ESA and that the HB needs to be paid.

The HB ends as such when my partner is 66 which is mid  plus April.....what I am asking is if I have supplied the evidence well before this literally at least a month before can they terminate it ? Even though they are just slow at processing the information. I feel as though Im on a treadmill and running out of time

This is truly ridiculous how long they are taking to actually process this new information and put into payment.

As said before we will be using the below paragraph 5

A9/2019 Mixed age couples: further guidance (revised) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)