housing benefit error confuzzled!

meeps

hiya- I tried to find a thread similar to our situation and didn't come across it, so apologies if this has been done before...

we have been renting for 5 years, and dh was on the same salary up until a payrise last april- we notified the council housing benefit department, and at the same time notified about the rent going up £20pm. We got a receipt and the documents returned, and a recalculation notice and I thought no more of it.
dh has got another payrise this april, and I ran through all the maths on the most recent benefit notice, and saw his weekly income was pre last years increase.

so.... I think the payrise didn't get put in the system and we have been overpaid for a year. I talked to a lady there today and asked if we are going to owe them money and she said 'well of course you are its means tested'

I will be going in with all of the payslips and letters but would like to know how its going to work

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrgh! tax credits on the other hand processed the payrise perfectly last time, but now I am trying to get through to tell them about this one they are too busy so I am hoping its ok to wait for the renewal pack we are yet to receive.

thanks if you managed to read through this and sorry if its explained badly lol, maths not being my strong point is why I didn't notice the error till now..

msmicawber

Hi meeps,

I'm not surprised, really, as I had loads of problems with HB miscalcualtions over the years. What they usually do is to reduce your payments by about £8 per week to claw back the overpayment, rather than demanding it back in one chunk. I hope that helps ease your mind a little.

minimadtrix

What exactly did your receipt say? If it says they have payslips for x, y and z period, then it would be down to what they call a Local Authority error - as they failed to update their records.

Maybe its worth asking them what information was submitted on the date of the receipt. They should be able to tell you that if the receipt does not give enough detail.

meeps

"thank you for your information reference housing and/or council tax benefit received today. If you supplied original documents, these will be enclosed with this letter. We will contact you if we require further information. Please keep this letter safe until your claim has been processed, as it is your receipt."

I had sent dh's june 2007 payslip as requested (talked to them in april but explained the may payslip wouldn't be his regular amount as it would include a months back pay of the payrise, and they agreed I should wait until it was one for his regular amount) and our rent increase letter.

I then got a recalculation with the statement of reason being 'RO descision received' but I didn't sit and run through the maths as I can't make head nor tail of the applicable amounts breakdown.

minimadtrix

What a lovely basic letter!!!!
I would suggest speaking to them again and asking what payslips they have on record - simply ask them what paperwork (wage slips) they have received from yourself since April last year (whenever the date was you think they had. I would thinkthe that whoever you speak to should be able to confirm what payslips you are missing.

Also, if you read through the decision, have they just said that it is based on the rent officer's decision, or have they also included a part regarding 'based on your wages?' That obviously would say if they have taken note of the pay increase.

HTH

meeps

I am going to go in on monday with every payslip he ever had lol, every letter and calculation from them, bank statements, and hopefully dh himself... the trouble is they probably can't work out what it will be this year until we can give them the june payslip, but at least we should be able to sort out the last years thing.

thanks for your help guys.