Why has my HB been reduced?

System

This discussion was created from comments split from: Looking for advice on what benefit entitlements I might have..

MPCSouthwark

I am looking for advise. 
I have checked the benefits calculator which disagrees with my council reducing my HB by £50 a week. Despite numerous emails and phone calls I received zero response.
I live on my own in a privately rented property.

I received the following 
£173.93.  State pension weekly
£ 12.38 Pension Credit weekly
£55.77 private pension weekly

Total £242.07

The weekly amount for lha is £159.95.

I used to receive £155.45 HB weekly. This has been reduced to £119.20 weekly alongside an overpayment of £435 (no explanation given)

I have asked many times for an explanation - no response. I have contacted the local councillor - she has had no response.
 Last week I sent all my personal details to Citizens advice.

Has anyone any idea why the sudden deduction? My income has not changed since April 2024.

tacpot12

Your income looks too high to receive Pension Credit. I checked this with a benefits calculator and the Pension Credit Entitlement calculator at gov.uk. When you started receiving the private pension did you tell the Pensions Service? 

You might have an Assessed Income Period (AIP). Your Pension Credit award letter will tell you if you have an AIP. You may have one if you’re aged 75 or over and you started getting Pension Credit before 6 April 2016. If you have one, then you only need to tell the Pensions Service about changes to your pension income when you AIP ends, so you might remain entitled to the level of pension cerdit you are receiving, but you also needed to tell the HB Office at your council when you started to receive the private pension.

The overpayment is exactly 12 times the difference between your current and previous HB award, so you it appears you were overpaid for 12 weeks. 

Do you have any savings? Has your amount of savings increased? 

You should also be aware that HB doesn't take into account the private pension you acutally receive unless this is higher than the amount you could receive. If you are not taking all the private pension you are able to do so, HB is entitled to take the amount you are entitled to receive into account. (This is called Notional Income). The HB office should be able to tell you if they have used any notional income in assessing your HB.

Your councellor should be able to get a response from the HB office if you cannot. I would contact the councillor and point out that the difficultities that the shortfall and the lack of response is causing you. 

pmlindyloo

I believe the OP is receiving the Savings Credit part of Pension Credit not the Guarantee Pension Credit which would automatically make them entitled to full housing benefit (it appears that they have never received full HB).

So the housing benefit is calculated separately.

Pension Credit

I have racked my brains about why this deduction for HB has occurred which seems to have taken place about 3 months ago (according to the overpayment)

The OP says that their income has not changed in this time. tacpot makes a good point about the private pension but I am wondering why the overpayment only occurred approx. 3 months ago.

The OP is certainly entitled to a full explanation about this so keep telephoning HB and ask to speak to a manager. Plus follow up with CA and your counsellor.