Housing Benefit Intervention form - Sent after deadline ! will they suspend benefits?

katesheet

Housing Benefit Intervention form - Sent after deadline ! will they suspend benefits?

Regarding a claimant who is receiving housing benefit, and on ESA.

The local council has sent a Intervention form,

which is a questionnaire asking things incase there has been a change of circumstance.

Changes such as the individuals
finances, status, partner, health, income etc.


They also want evidence sent for other benefits/income etc.


Now,

They gave a date for it to be hand written competed and emailed back by.

and if Not received by this date their benefit would be suspended (housing benefit)
- a deadline date.


Have had alot happening so the form with evidence will not be sent in time, and will be a few days later than their deadline date.


This is causing a lot of anxiety so your answers to all the questions would be appreciated.

Let’s take the worse case scenario, they will suspend the benefit.

1) As the form will be sent late, is there a high chance they might suspend/stop paying housing benefit (which would cause financial hardship on the person)

2) What are the next steps/stages for the housing benefit to be reinstated ? a new fresh application?

or it would not be a fresh application for housing benefit, they would just reinstate the old benefit.

3) in the worse case scenario, as these things take weeks to sort out, how many weeks/months can it be that the claimant will receive no housing benefit before they re-award it?

for example they could be without it for as long as 8 weeks?


4) Due to this 'non' payment for weeks, when they reinstate the benefit would they backdate it to the original date of the 'missed' weeks of housing benefit received,  so the claimant hasn't lost any money ?

5) Has this happened to you, or anyone you know? what was the outcome?

6) Why have they sent this intervention form? - do they suspect something? a change?

7) Have you received this  intervention form?

8) Could they send you this letter because they detect benefit fraud?

9) If they suspend benefits due  to being sent late, would they just suspend housing benefit? or ESA would be suspended too?

10) How do they let you know they have suspended your housing benefit, by letter? or email? or text?

they require the submitted form sent to them by email.

Can you please give your answer – in 1) 2) 3) 4..10) format for easy clarification please, this is causing much anxiety especially coming towards Christmas.

(answering as many as you can)

thanks xx

DE_612183

Have you asked the relevant council these same questions?

Many councils will operate in slightly different ways, so not knowing which one or having first hand experience will limit the replies you get to your questions.

8dayweek

1. Yes potentially, deadline dates are sometimes automated so if nothing received by the deadline an automated suspension may be input.

2. New claims for Housing Benefit cannot be made unless pension age / specified accommodation / temporary accommodation. Until you have a decision, the HB claim remains active. 

 3. It would depend on the Council and how quickly they process the information once received (plus Xmas period means there’s fewer working days over the next few weeks).

4. Yes if the HB claim remains unchanged it would continue, without break. 

5. I would suggest calling the Council to tell them the HB Review Form was returned on X date, so they can make a note of it (or ask for an extension to the original deadline). 

6. Most HB claims are reviewed periodically, my local council do this annually. 

7. Each local Council will have different admin practices, but pretty much any benefit claim of any description has reviews at points. 

8. Not necessarily, more likely just a standard periodic review. 

9. ESA is unlikely to be affected by HB review. The fact ESA remains in situ is helpful as it’s a passporting benefit. 

10. I would imagine by letter, but it depends on your Council and whether you’ve signed up to any kind of different method of contact etc. 

katesheet

8dayweek said:

10. I would imagine by letter, but it depends on your Council and whether you’ve signed up to any kind of different method of contact etc.

thanks.

What would they typically say in the letter?

"you missed the deadline, your hb has been suspended, please submit the evidence and form to re-instate them"

what would they say possibly, to give you the opportunity to reinstate the housing benefit?

thanks xx

chapea

hi i had the same letter for council tax. Apparently they had sent out original letter with details of how to fill in online mid November by post. I did not receive this but last week they sent out a second and they had already suspended the council tax support 

I was able to fill out the details online which only took 5/10 mins   Two days later they had updated my account and the money I owe for the rest of the tax year is being split into last three months instead of four as next payment was due 28th December  and presumably not enough time to restart it.  Obv other councils may take longer 

katesheet

chapea said:

hi i had the same letter for council tax. Apparently they had sent out original letter with details of how to fill in online mid November by post. I did not receive this but last week they sent out a second and they had already suspended the council tax support 

I was able to fill out the details online which only took 5/10 mins   Two days later they had updated my account and the money I owe for the rest of the tax year is being split into last three months instead of four as next payment was due 28th December  and presumably not enough time to restart it.  Obv other councils may take longer 

thanks x. Can you elabrate on what happened after you filled out the details which took 5/10 minutes

what happened 2 days later in regards to receiving your council tax?

do you mean 2 days later they gave you back the money you lost in that suspended period? and backdated you?

do you mean 2 days later they have let yuou know you will get your Suspended money back, split into the last 3 months?


in otherwords have they suspended you But as you have filled the form in (late) they are giving you that lost money back anyway, so you havent lost money?


thanks xx

chapea

Hi after I submitted the updated details 2 days later they sent me an email with updated amounts   As my next payment was going to be 28th December instead of paying over the next 4 months until 28th March (they probably couldn’t reinstate my direct debit for me to pay as normal due to being so close to payment)  my new schedule is 28/1, 28/2, and 28/3 no payment 28/12. 

I have not lost any money in council tax support but have to pay the amount still owed to them over 3 months instead of 4 

katesheet

chapea said:

hi i had the same letter for council tax. Apparently they had sent out original letter with details of how to fill in online mid November by post. I did not receive this but last week they sent out a second and they had already suspended the council tax support 

I was able to fill out the details online which only took 5/10 mins   Two days later they had updated my account and the money I owe for the rest of the tax year is being split into last three months instead of four as next payment was due 28th December  and presumably not enough time to restart it.  Obv other councils may take longer 

That is awesome xx,

just to confirm your account was suspended, you submitted the required details then within 2 days they updated your account?

how were they able to update it within 2 days? I thought councils take ages with the workload and seeing other peoples applications?

our letter says "within 30 days we will get back"  but yours was 2 days.

or Was it an automatic system that did it in 2 days?


thanks xx

chapea

it was quick. I have had reviews take much longer than no way of telling how long yours will take all councils will be different. 

It wasn’t automated as they re-did my occupational pension figures they calculated it 3p per week different to when I originally let them know it had increased. 

All you can do is send your updated details as requested and wait. I get a review letter every couple of years even though I update them to any changes but have never had a problem with them