Periodic benefit review

Nat23 · 17 November 2019 at 4:11PM

Hi all I recently went self employed. I contacted housing benefit they re did my payments everything sorted. 4 days later I recieve a letter of periodic benefit review for council tax and housing benefit I already gave them all my details I called up they said it was fine and just needed to see a pay slip from my partner which I sent in she said on the phone it just happend to fall on this time me going self employed and receiving this letter they select 100 at random and I was one of the 100 has anyone else had this? I cant help but wonder the week or 2 I advertised to see what interest I had before going self employed someone has reported me not knowing I was self employed kind of thing hope that makes sense 🙈 if I had been reported would they have told me everything is as it should be but I have a really bitter ex maybe I'm just thinking too much into it. Is this routine what she told me? Thanks in advance

Alice_Holt · 17 November 2019 at 4:38PM

You may need to update the HB dept of your council regularly as you are self-employed.
Do you anticipate much variation in your earnings?

I would have a chat with them about the info they require since HB is calculated on a weekly basis (but can be averaged out over a longer period), and ensure you document and keep receipts of info you have supplied.

Try to build up a reasonable relationship with the HB dept, and not to be suspicious when you are asked for earnings information, in order that they can calculate your benefit correctly.

I would suggest you look at your benefit calculation notices carefully, and double check the correct earnings figures have been used. These may help, but your council is likely to have its own guide:
https://www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/media/1288/housing-benefit-notification-letters-explained.pdf
https://www.telford.gov.uk/info/20283/housing_benefit/884/understanding_your_benefit_notification_letter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fwi2oioJ5ds

You don't want to face an overpayment bill due to failure to supply (or document notification of) changes in circumstances such as varying weekly income.

If someone had reported you, then I would expect your benefit claim to be subject to a compliance investigation (possibly under caution) rather than a random review.

Edit: BTW you may wish to delete your duplicated thread to avoid confusion.

sportsarb · 17 November 2019 at 4:46PM

Periodic benefit reviews are a thing, especially on income related benefits, and it is genuine that they are randomly selected. It may be that they are focusing on a certain thing though, they could be selecting 100 random claims where self employment is a thing, and yours was selected from this pool of claims.

[Deleted User] · 17 November 2019 at 6:15PM

Has happened to me only twice in 20 years.

Periodic benefit review

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