hi all Thank you for all your advice which I m very grateful for. An update now I asked NatWest to provide evidence of closing balances of my ac****s and received a reply that they could not find any information and asked for full account numbers. I do not have my old account numbers because I shredded and destroyed all evidence last year having been 3 years previous when natwest foreclosed on me and I had to include all monies owing on my debt relief order. I wrote to the housing department and enclosed a letter from NatWest asking for all details of my bank balances which I believe they hold on their records and took the letter and copy letter into the department by hand the day after receiving the letter from NatWest. Having not heard anything for a week I today telephoned the housing department to find out what progress had been made. Also in my letter to them I gave full authorisation for them to find out for themselves what my closing balances were. The person dealing with my investigation was away today and I managed to get through to someone who told me that no such communication has been received by myself and the person concerned dealing with my case was away and will give me a ring on Monday. I handed my communication at the reception desk in a large envelope marked private and confidential addressed to the person who is dealing with my investigation. I fail to understand that this person did not receive my letter. Added to all the above I received a letter telling me that unless I provide information required re my closing balances from 4 years ago on my NatWest accounts my housing benefit will be suspended. I have done everything asked and cannot do any more until NatWest provide the evidence required. I am beside myself and cannot sleep with worrying about this ordeal. I have done nothing wrong and will possibly be made homeless which is out of my control Any advice please

I attended my appointment with the housing benefit fraud department on 21 Feb. They pointed out that 4 years ago I had £7,000 in a savings account which at the time I gave evidence of. Because I had a 3part time job at the time I applied for housing benefit and received a small amount each month. I had to use my savings each month to make up my rent because my part time job was only a temp one and some weeks I was not required therefore no money was coming in. My savings gradually dwindled which I informed the housing department of. eventually I had nothing left in my savings account and with a large overdraft on top which I could not afford to pay off I was offered a loan of £7,000 by Natwest to cover £4,000 overdraft which left £3,000 which soon dwindled away and eventually NatWest asked to foreclose my account with them and pay back the £7,000 which I could not afford to do. With other debts mounting up I was advised by the national debt helpline to go for a debt relief order which I did and now the £7,000 is part of it. During the interview they brought up the fact that I had £7,000 in a savings account and asked me where it went to which I explained as above. This was 4 years ago and I found it difficult to remember the order of my financial events but thought I did well in explaining. I had to open a cashminder account two years ago with the co-op and housing benefit department told me at the time of the interview that I should have informed them when a bank account is closed and any new accounts opened. I replied that I had no idea that this was the case. However; today I have just received a letter from them asking me to provide all evidence from NatWest that the account was closed and the balances. I do not have a problem with this as the balances were - £7,000 Also they have asked me to provide all evidence of when I opened the co-op bank account from the beginning to up to date. I have today telephoned the co-op and asked them to provide this information but they want £190 for back statements which I cannot afford so have opted for the opening statement for £5. I am tomorrow popping into the NatWest bank to ask them to provide the closing balances asked for by the housing department but I am so afraid that I will be asked for a fee. I have one calendar month to provide this information any advice please as I am so frightened that the housing benefit department will suspend my housing benefit. I cannot believe this is happening and have not been able to sleep properly since all this started.

I only claim housing benefit for my rent; I do not have any savings or own my home and the only income is my state pension

I have told them about my nhs pension and which they have taken into account when working out my housing benefit

well; I have been racking my brains and the only thing I can think of is that I opened a Halifax account 3 and half years ago and never used it and tore up everything but I have never had a statement and also I opened a post office account for my working tax credits which finished when I retired and there is nothing in it and I have not used it for over 2 years. Do you think they have picked up on this. When I signed a declaration I forgot about the Halifax account but think I declared the post office account when I told them about my working tax credit I have no evidence of these accounts now because I have since thrown these out.

Letter from local council requesting an interview under caution to review savings/capital; I have none but still worries me

hi My friend has no correspondence coming to my house nor me either to his house so everything ok on that front; I may be worrying about nothing but this letter has really spooked me and I am thinking of anything they can get me on. I have no savings or capital, I do not live with anyone, in fact I am as clean as a whistle but I am still worrying.

I do not live with my partner but he does stay over sometimes for the weekend but I mostly stay with him for the weekend. I have stayed over for 4-5 days before; does this affect my housing benefit. I have tried to research whether it affects my benefit if I stay away but all it has shown is if anyone stays with you which I believe cannot be more than 3 days. My partner has his own house and does not claim any benefits being retired after having worked all his life.

The letter only mentioned capital and savings so perhaps I am worrying about nothing. Would the letter have a different format if it was about something else?

Hi I was wondering if someone has seen a friend stay over and reported it. Also I sometimes stay away for a few nights at a friend's house; could this possibly be the reason for an investigation Thank you for any advice

hi mr p I have just taken your advice and contacted my local age concern office and spoke to a very helpful lady who has basically told me not to worry about it and to take along bank statements to prove I only have my state pension paid into it. I have no other bank accounts or investments so they have nothing to investigate and she has recently been through the same with another client and they made a mistake. It still concerns me that they can send this type of communication out and worry elderly people

I just cannot imagine why this has happened because I only have my state pension so they surely have nothing on me but thank you for your advice; I will contact my local age concern and see what happens thank you for your advice

I cannot afford a solicitor to attend but my main reason for concern is that I have no capital or savings and worry that someone has written to them suggesting that I have. How can I get legal help please

hi The letter states that the interview will be conducted under caution because we need to talk to you about your capital; savings

I have today received a letter from my local council stating that they have reason to conduct an investigation into a claim for housing benefit and council tax support and have been given a date and time to attend an interview regarding any capital or savings I may have and which I have not declared. Although I have no savings or capital I am still worried and would like to know whether this is just a standard letter that is sent out I look forward to your replies. i am an oap and this kind of thing worries me.

Why O why do they not inform you in advance of suspending your allowance? If I owed the dwp money they would soon let me know Xmas on my own is bad enough but without any money to boot!!!!! I have been swearing all day. I have worked all my life until losing my job at the age of 59 and after 8 months on jsa found a job in a hotel which lasted for 18 months until I became ill; NOT MY FAULT !!!!! Anyway; I have the tele and some pasta in the cupboard

Finding out today that dwp have suspended my esa without informing me because they only take into account the first 3 months of my 6 month fit note because it was an initial one; grrrrrrrrrrrr Only found out when my debit card was declined and now after rushing to my gp asking for another fit note finding out that I can't pick it up until tomorrow and then having to rush it to jcp if I can get an emergency appt. I have no money for the bus fare so will have to walk to the jcp which is a good 30 mins walk from my home and I suffer from bad feet!!!!! As the jcp are not open xmas eve I'm hoping to get things sorted out tomorrow and if not I will have no money over xmas

Thank you Astro1 I will telephone jcp and explain my circumstances so hopefully I will receive my payment before xmas;

Thank you astro1 I am hoping to pick up the fit note tomorrow and I shall take it straight to jcp so perhaps I will have some money for xmas

Thank you for your advice I applied for a crisis loan and because I told them I had £20 in the bank I was told to reapply tomorrow. That means another hour waiting on the telephone. My main concern is that I was not informed that my esa would be suspended because if I had been told I would have asked my gp for a medical certificate in time

Hi I went to the atm this morning to withdraw my esa and it had not been paid. I telephoned them and was told that they have suspended payment because they only allow 3 months on an initial medical certificate although it does not run out until February and I started claiming esa in October. I was not informed that this was their practice and just posting this to inform anyone else in a similar situation to make sure that their gp issues another 3 month certificate before the initial 3 month period ends. I have asked my gp for another certificate but will not be able to get it into the job centre until tomorrow which will delay any payment due and will leave me with no money over the xmas period. I live alone and will not be eligible for my state pension until March 2013. I have had better christmases

I am seeking advice regarding my esa payment. I returned all the relevant forms and evidence required by the office two weeks ago and on phoning this morning have been told that my case is now being processed by the emergency processing team and will be processed in three working days. My ssp ran out on 16 October when I applied for esa because I have a medical certificate until February 2013. I have had no income since my last ssp payment and am now desperate. What is the emergency processing? does it mean they will send me a payment? I am entitled to my state pension from March 2013 and have been sent an ATOS medical form to fill out. Will I be required to attend a medical ? I would add that I live alone and have no dependents

I don't feel that male influence is needed;

My friend would never think about doing that because she feels that she must look after her son no matter what I personally would never have allowed my child to treat me disrespectfully but I brought them up like that The trouble with my friend is that she left their father 4 years ago and feels guilty that she disrupted the family unit and is very sensitive and her sons play on this Having not been in this situation; I left my alcoholic husband when my children were very young and brought them up for 14 years on my own and found my confidence along the way with no guilt involved; just needed to give a loving stable home to my children without all the guilt involved and they have turned out ok My friend is off work at the moment with depression because of all the stress Her younger son has aspergers which at 16 years brings its own problems but he has started college and loves it although he gives her a hard time but coupled with this 20 year old who is in receipt of jsa that he gambles away life is difficult for her Its easy for someone to comment on how she should tackle her problems at home and I would be very different because she tells me I am too hard but it worked out ok with mine; one running her own business and the other one having a high profile job but she is not in the same place She is such a lovely lady and feels that her sons will not love her if she comes down "hard" with them Every parent should feel they are in control of their children but when depression takes over it makes it more difficult

I am of the feeling that my friend's son will not cooperate too and I fear that my friend is frightened of him. I too was brought up to respect my mother as my children do of me and was never ever frightened of them because children need boundaries in their lives