Just thought i would provide you with an update as to what happened. I received a letter asking me to attend an office interview. i admitted i had worked etc and they just have deducted it from my benefit payments to repay it. The man interviewing me was nice and supportive. Just said its important to tell them of changes etc. He said once is a mistake but more times they will investigate further

Does this mean they have acted wrongly by questioning me over the phone without informing me of my rights?

I have just received an income support payment

Thats sweet then

I have read every possible bit of info google can bring up. Is the offence so bad that it would go to court? I only worked for a few weeks?

Definitely the job center. They said they will send a interview letter but there was no mention of it being under caution. Recon I would just get a caution then?

I received an IS payment on the 31 jan and expect to tomorrow. I received my housing benefit yesterday AFTER i received this phone call. I received the call last friday. Anyway i know i committed an offence when i worked for 3 weeks last summer. What would the likely punishment be for it? I estimate i earned MAX of £800 during this period. I am unsure of what my housing benefit amount was as it was paid to my land-lord but i doubt it would have been more than £200 a week.

I would like to know of the likely punishment. My housing benefit has not been stopped. I will know if my Income support has been stopped tomorrow. Surely me stopping my housing benefit by telling them of my address change shows i had intention to inform them of a change of circumstances, even if it wasn't the correct agency. I thought it was both Council. I received income support as i was estranged and in full time education. When i applied they back dated it to before i had the tenancy in 2011 suggesting that the income support was not based on me having an address?

"someone" from the job center rang me and said we want to have an interview about this. He did not however mention under caution. I have yet to receive a letter about it but expect to soon. I am just assuming that whats it will be, and expect it to be realistically. He told me i would receive a letter

Anyone with legal knowledge can you please take a look at Coventry City Council v Vassell [2011] AND R v Passmore 2007

Also, could anyone advise me on where to get free legal advise in this area? Thanks in advance. I'm 19 by the way.

I recently recieved a phone call about work I did last summer without telling the job centre. I worked for approximately 3 weeks. During this time i was on housing benefit and income support. I have been living away from my parents since july 2011 and am a full time student with no other income so i was entitled to these benefits. I moved out of the address of which i received housing benefit around july 2012. I have now moved into a place for which i get housing benefit. This tenancy started on 2 jan 2013. Between moving in and moving out i have been living at different friends housing every night or where ever i can stay. I told the council that i was moving out so the housing benefit was stopped however the income support was not stopped. ( i thought they were the same people) I understand that as i was working i was not entitled to benefit which is fair enough. However, would i have still been entitled to income support despite not having a permanent address? If i was not the amount over-paid would be around £1700, but the eligibility criteria is that i am estranged from parents ( which i am) and that i am in full time education with no other income. I meet this criteria. What would a likely punishment be if they decided to take action? This is a first offence.