Can I please scream out loud within the very safe and comforting arms of CAG??? I'll take that as a YES as long as I don't shatter the chandeliers. Simple question! If the council admit to being totally overwhelmed by the increase in the volume of those claiming HB and CT reduction, why don't they just take on more staff to deal with the backlog and process claims in a timely manner instead of inflicting even more stress, anxiety and frustration on claimants when simple reclaims for continued HB and CT reduction take two months and more to process???? My last claim for HB in Dec 12 took three months to process. When you're on JSA and DWP are messing with your benefits as well - it's almost impossible to get anyone to listen. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!! With all the number crunching and statistics that are being undertaken by every dept in the council for auditing purposes, you would assume that they would be more than capable of forecasting significant increases in volume of those claiming benefits and develop an appropriate strategy to deal with it!!!! Rant over! I'm calm now ---- cup of tea and a home-made muffin works every time Imp

Hi, I received a letter 2 days ago asking me to attend an interview under caution under suspicion of benefit fraud. I rang the DWP to ask what I was being investigated for and was told I had capital of over £16000. Looking back on bank statements I now realise that I did go over that limit due to my dad paying in £5000 for my birthday last year and I stayed over that limit for 6 months. Firstly I didn't even know about the £16000 limit so if I had known I would of course have informed them of me being over it. Also my personal circumstances at the time were terrible so my bank balance was the least of my worries. I was very close to being hospitalised for severe depression, my chronic illness was really bad, I had just broken up with my fiancé and my grandma was dying. I never meant to commit the fraud and feel terrible that I have, even though I did it completely unintentionally. What will happen to me? I'm so scared. Dani

Hi, first time I have used this site. Looking for advice for a friend who has been told by council that she will only receive HB/CTB for 26 weeks from the date she separated from her husband i.e. May 2013. She is aged 60 and receives ESA- no other income or capital. She jointly owns her former marital home which is occupied by her husband. Their relationship has broken down due to domestic violence and no reconciliation likely. She has obtained housing association flat and wishes to accept tenancy but is unable to pay rent if HB ceased in Nov 2013 (26 weeks after separation). House is worth £80,000 and no outstanding mortgage. husband still in property- he is in poor health and aged 67. Does not wish to try to sell property and unlikely due to husbands age and health. I looked at HB regs and it looks to me that what the council are telling her is correct? Any advice on whether there is anything else she could do? Thanks in anticipation.

HI I'm new to this forum and have read that much about this I thought I would just start my own thread I'm not sure if I'm been stupid or paranoid or if its true but I'm worried I may be committing fraud ????? I will start from the beginning and explain the best I can ...last June me and my ex of 14years separated we have had a VERY messy relationship (cheating domestic violence etc..) and something happened last year I won't go into it and we split up he moved to his mams and stayed there for a while before moving away just before Xmass , he came up every forth night to see his kids paid his maintenance etc.... And everything was going fine . However about 2mths ago we started seeing each other when he came to see the kids I started going for days out with them and one thing led to another and now when he comes I let him stay over at mine which is once or twice a month I don't see us as a couple just two people having fun and enjoying ourselves and I could not live with him again for many reasons (it's complicated) and I am no way ready to commit to anything serious with anyone . However I work part time and claim housing and ct benefit and since my ex has started staying over my friends tell me I'm committing benefit fraud so after searching on the Internet for the rules of housing benefit I have come across some horror stories of women who have partners staying over and they are been accused of fraud even more so when there partner is there ex . This is really worrying me I have only ever claimed HB once about 10 years ago and that was only for a short period of time so I do not know much about this sort of thing any help and advice would be great Thanks : )

This is a bit of a long story and I hope some one can help. I have had an interview under caution and been accused of benefit fraud dating back to December 2010. In November 2010 I moved from the family home I shared with my father due to personal reasons and moved into a flat 200 miles away. As I was unemployed my father was my guarantor. I struggled to make ends meet until December 2010 when I emailed my father stating that I was unable to afford to live, the housing benefit did not quite cover all my rent and my flat was electric storage heaters on a pre-payment key that I was putting nearly £80 a week on and still not having much warmth. My father agreed to start paying me a £150 per month towards the rent (as a guarantor he knew he would be chased if I did not pay), my electricity, my broadband and food. This payment continued until June 2012 when I moved into a rented house, the same price but with gas central heating. My father continued to help me financially with bills but the amount was reduced to £120 per month. I explained all this to the person who interviewed me but I was told that this should have been declared so that the amount could have been deducted from my JSA, thus meaning I would still not be able to pay my bills. All the paypoint receipts I had for my electricity when I was on a pre-payment meter were thrown away when I moved house, I didn't think I would need them again. I have had my JSA stopped and have been told its more than likely I will be charged and have to pay it all back. Is there anything I can do to get myself out of this situation? My dad was just helping me so I didn't become homeless, starve or freeze to death. I am worried sick about this. Thanks

Before i was on Employment and Support Allowance, i was claiming Job-Seekers Allowance Like most people, i received a Sanction, i appealed as the sanction was in contravention of my disability. Four months down the line i have now received a letter from the DWP saying they have rejected my appeal and passed my appeal up to the appeals and tribunals service. What happens now, and to pass my details to the independent appeals service should have been my choice, why has the DWP done this without my consent, even though i am not going to object to them passing my details onto the appeals and tribunals service. Why was i not given the choice???

Hi, A decade ago my friend was trying to buy a flat but couldn't get a mortgage on her own. I offered to be the other name on a joint mortgage so that she could buy it. We got a joint mortgage. She put up the entire deposit for the flat, paid for everything when it was being done up etc. We lived there together at first but soon she moved elsewhere and rented it to me and other tenants. I claimed several years of housing and council tax benefit as a tenant and not as an owner when earning almost nothing at all. Our agreement had been that, as I was putting in no money, etc, I would not be a part owner. I have received an Interview Under Caution letter as the council "have information that suggests I may have been part owner of the property which was not declared when claiming the Housing/council tax benefit." What should I do? Will my name on the mortgage mean that I'm f**ked even though neither of us view it as my property? Help. I'm very frightened.

can anyone tell me how does housing benefit work if i am moving from my parents home to the other side of the country? i have never had too claim it before, however i am going to be a father in a month and wish to move closer to my child. i am fully able and prepared to work. any advice would be greatly received.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22991447 Tribunals in London, Liverpool, Glasgow and Birmingham will offer feedback when they overturn rulings on employment and support allowance (ESA) on appeal. Critics of the test used to determine eligibility claim it is flawed. But ministers say 85% of decisions have been upheld on appeal since 2008. 'Learn lessons' All those in receipt of ESA - formerly known as incapacity benefit - and new applicants are having their claims reviewed in a process begun by the last Labour government and accelerated by the coalition. The Work Capability Assessment conducted by private contractor Atos has proved controversial, with campaigners saying that it has made too many wrong decisions which are overturned on appeal. The explanations provided by the judges will be analysed by the Department for Work and Pensions over the summer. Work and pensions minister Esther McVey said: "With recent changes to disability benefits we need to make sure the appeals process is transparent and working well. "We will use this information to learn lessons and improve the standard of decision-making and appeals processes. It will also be helpful for claimants to understand why an appeal has been allowed or dismissed."

My brother is being prosecuted for benefit fraud he had been claiming dla higher mobility for 10 years. He suffers from asthma, osteoarthritis and high blood pressure. He was granted the higher rate mobility so he got a car. He worked as a driver for a steel company he did not have to do a lot of work with carrying etc. He took his pain killers and was always in pain his wagon was only 11 foot long not a big one but he struggled with getting in and out of but did it to look after his family and keep a roof over their heads. His knee does give way often and he has fallen from his wagon twice with his knee giving way under him. Now the manager of the place where he worked told the dwp that there was nothing wrong with him, but how do they know they only saw him 1-2 minutes a day and only been there 12 months The lads always called him slug because he drags his leg and shuffles his feet to walk and they were always taking the mickey out of him. The guy has done this doesn't like him and it was obvious too. My brother does have mobility problems but tries to keep it to himself as he just gets on with things. His car was took off him last year and it was over a year ago since he was interviewed and now it is at court. Our solicitor has told him to plead not guilty as he does have problems and the fact that they say he has not told them the changes in his health but how can he tell them that when he has gone worse over the years. Also his condition fluctuates so he has good days and bad days. After a day at work he would go home and be asleep before his tea was on the table and he would and still does cease up. They are advising to take it to crown court for a trial I am wondering if anyone has been through this and if you think he should go down the path the solicitor has advised.

I had an accident 03/08/2012, I was rear ended while stationary on the M25 The other driver accepted full liability as did his insurance company. 2 days after the accident my foot ballooned and I was unable to walk without crutches until December 2012. In February 2013 I was given a £1000 interim payment by the insurance company. In May 2013 the insurance company made an offer of £74000 but I queried that as I have no long term prognosis and may never be able to walk on uneven ground ever again (suspected complex regional pain syndrome to my ankle) I will lose much more than £75k in the 17 years that I have left to work. My fee earner passed my case onto the top solicitor with the company as he said they don't make 1st offers of that amount unless my foot was seriously injured (I already knew it was knackered) the solicitor put in for an interim payment of £10000 to help offest some of my losses in wages (nothing earned from August 2012 until May 2013 so far losses of £20k plus ), I now have a job but the wages are significantly lower than what I received as a builder. They have said that they are disappointed that I had rejected their offer and that there would be no more interim payments. What they are effectivly saying is you must be skint and desperate so take the £75k or wait for what your entitled to and get your house repossessed and go bankrupt while you wait. This is not fair and gives me the impression that only the rich can wait long enough to get what they are entitled to. It is unfair that I am now not only disabled possibly for life but I will soon be homeless and skint how is this fair ?. I find it hard to believe that since last August I have only received £1000 as an interim payment but they offer £75000 (74K plus the 1K I have already had) so they already know that this isn't a fraudulent claim from the medical evidence but they are legally allowed to withhold interim payments to starve me into accepting their offer even though I have said i'm not willing to settle at all until I know my prognosis for the future. I have already lost over £22k in wages and they have the proof of this. I think that as car insurance is a legal requirement that they should have a legal requirement to ensure that my suffering is minimised which should include my financial situation. If I took the £75k then within 3 to 4 years I would be unemployed (and unemployable) so the tax payers would need to pay to keep me, this would be wrong as up till the accident I could pay my own way, the insurance pay out should ensure that I am financially independant of the state as I was before the accident. This current method allows the insurance companies to transfer their requirements onto the state so they can expand their profits and at the expense of the poor genuine claimants like myself. I know it's a ramble/rant but I'm really frustrated over this. I'm new to the site am I allowed to name and shame the insurance company ?.

I haven't been on here for a long long time so feel free to move the thread if I've posted in the wrong place. Basically, I received a letter from a local authority I used to live in years ago requesting I pay £110 for my former partners housing benefit claim in the year 2000. This is the first I've heard anything about this debt, how on earth am I meant to have any record of that?! It says on the letters that he was the claimant but he has a tendency to go quiet & hide so they've clearly decided to chase me instead. Not the first time I've had DCAs contact me looking for him despite the fact we split up in 2001! What on earth do I do with this? My issues are that firstly, I am not the claimant. He was a violent person and very controlling so I had no knowledge of what was going in or out financially at the time, he dealt with all of the money. My second issue is the time frame. Waiting 13 years to chase a debt doesn't sound very reasonable to me. I have no way of verifying their claims & have received no proof of its existence. They've now passed the debt on to Stirling Park who have started threatogramming me so I want this nipped in the bud pronto. All help graciously received!

Hello. I am new to this site, I joined up after reading similar cases to mine and seeing the help they received. I am being accused of benefit fraud and I am terrified. My daughter is 5 next month. and her father did not live with us, although we were in a relationship. I claimed IS, HB and CTB. In August last year we were called in for an interview. we were told they had been watching us and decided we were living together. He visits my house almost daily as we are together and I have his daughter here. He also stays overnight sometimes. I had an interview in 2010 for a similar thing, and I explained that he did not live with me, but he stayed over a few nights a week, and I was told this was fine and acceptable behaviour. Unfortunatly they only keep this info for 14 months so I can not get paperwork to prove this, although I have a note from them stating that I was interviewed in2010 and no changes were made. They are now saying they have seen his car at my house, sometimes in the morning, and seen him coming and giong, and say he lives here. I never said he's never here as I was told he was allowed to be. Now today I have recieved a court summons, today is Saturday and the court summons os friday so I dont have much time to get myself ready. I am going to a solicitor on Monday but where do I stand? Yes, they have seen him being here, and I admitted that he stays a few nights a week, but I was told by the lady in the job centre that this was ok. He has been living with his family and sometimes friends so he does not have a tenancy anywhere else. I sent them bills in his name at his familys address but they are saying that he uses it as a mail address only. I have a letter from the council saying they are allowed by law to make negative assumptions about us, and they assume his letters/driving licence/car insurance/bank account at his familys address is just used for a mail drop address. They also have pics from my facebook where we have been on holidays together, but again, just because we were in a relationship, does not mean we live together. They stopped my income supprt and housing benefit and I am not working so I had to let him move in and I needed him to support us, and I told them as soon as he moved in. He moved in on a sunday and I told them Monday morning he moved in and provided his income details. Now they are saying they did not know we got tax credits and were overpaid then as well, and I am also having to answer to that in court, even thogh I provided them with all his income details. Half of me is looking forward to going to court as hopefully they will be more realistic and see sense, but the other half is obviously terrified. I am also now 19 weeks pregnant again and I really don't need this stress. PLease advise, I will answer any questions you have to help you advise me.

Housing Benefit Reviews, Appeals, DisputeForm and Guidance If you have received a Housing Benefit ‘Decision Notice’ and disagree with the decision that has been made there is a three stage process to be followed: Stage 1 Ask the Council to Review its Decision. (NO COSTS) Stage 2 Take your Housing Benefit case to a Tribunal. (NO COSTS) Stage 3 Judicial Review (YES- LEGAL COSTS) STAGE1: Asking the Council to Review its Decision If you think the Council has made a wrong decision about your Housing Benefit, you can ask the Council to look at its decision again. What sort of decisions can you ask the Council to look at again? You can ask the council to take another look at its decision if it says: Ø Your application for housing benefit has been turned down. Ø You aren’t entitled to housing benefit anymore. Ø You‘re entitled to less housing benefit than you think you should get. Ø It has paid you too much housing benefit, and wants you to pay some of it back. Ø It will start paying housing benefit from a certain date, but you think it should be sooner i.e. if you had asked for your claim to be backdated. Ø It is going to pay your housing benefit direct to your landlord in the future. How to ask the Council to review a Housing Benefit decision You must write to the council within one calendar month of the date on the decision letter. If you leave it later than this, the council may say that it doesn’t have to look at your case. If the council’s letter doesn’t explain why they’ve made the decision, you can ask them to write to you with a proper explanation. If this happens, you’ll get extra time to appeal. The days between the council receiving your letter asking for reasons and replying to you don’t count towards the one-month time limit. In your letter to the council, try to explain clearly why you think the decisionis wrong. Include evidence if possible. For example: Ø If the council is wrong about how many children you have, you could send them your child benefit award letter Ø If it says that you’re earning more than you actually do, send photocopies of your payslips. Ø If the figure amounts used to reach the decision are incorrect. It's always best to hand the letter in to the council’s offices - (Always make sure you get a receipt - including the date you handed over the letter - and keep it somewhere safe). If you post the letter – (Always get a certificate of posting and/or use recorded delivery and remember to keep a note of the date of posting, along with a photocopy). What happens when the Council reviews a Housing Benefit decision? Your case will be looked at by a different decision maker from the one who made the original decision. The decision maker will take into account the reasons for the original decision, and any new information you have provided. You may be asked for more information at this point. If this is required the council will write to you again requesting the information they require. You will then get a letter from the council telling you if the decision has been changed or not. The time it takes for the council to decide will depend on how complicated your case is. STAGE 2: Taking Your Case to a Tribunal If you have asked the Council to review its decision and it doesn't change its mind, you may be able to appeal to a tribunal. This will involve a judge looking at your case, and making a decision on it. At a tribunal, a judge will look into your case and make a decision based on your evidence and the council’s evidence. You can attend the hearing if you wish. It’s best seek advice before going down this route, as Tribunals are quite complicated and time-consuming. Are there any Legal costs in Appealing to a Tribunal? NO There aren’t any legal costs What you can’t use a Tribunal for Some decisions made by a Council can’t be taken to a tribunal i.e. those to do with how frequently your benefit is paid. Tribunals also don’t deal with administrative problems, like if there’s been a delay or lack of courtesy from the council. If you think you’ve been treated badly, you should take this up with the Council’s Customer Service Department. Starting your Appeal to Tribunal You can download a Step by Step Guide from the Ministry of Justice website: http://www.justice.gov.uk/tribunals/sscs/appeals You must ask for an appeal in writing. The council may give you a form to fill in, or you (or your adviser) could write a letter. Make it clear what you are appealing against, and why you think the decision is wrong. If possible, include evidence to support your case. Your appeal form or letter must reach the council within one month of the date on the decision letter. If you miss this deadline, you’ll need to ask the council to accept your appeal even though it’s late. Make sure you explain why you are applying late i.e. if you have been ill. If the Council says you haven’t given enough information When the Council looks at your letter, it might decide that you haven’t given proper reasons for an appeal. The Council may write to you and ask for more information. After that, if the Council still thinks you haven’t given enough information, it will ask the Tribunals Service to decide whether your appeal should go ahead. If theTribunal Service is satisfied that you’ve given enough information, the appeal can proceed. If not, your appeal won’t be allowed. Next stages in Appealing against a decision on your Housing Benefit The next step is for the Tribunals Service, which runs courts and tribunals in England and Wales – to decide whether you have a right to appeal or not. If it says that you do have a right of appeal, your appeal can go ahead. If it says you don’t, you won’t be able to carry on with your appeal. You’ll be sent a ‘pre-hearing enquiry form’ if your appeal is given the go-ahead. You must fill this in and send it back within 14 days. The appeal process will end if you don’t send back the form on time. If you can’t meet the deadline, it’s very important to contact the tribunal and let them know why. The form will ask you what sort of hearing you want. This can be either: Ø An Oral Hearing – You or Your Representative will need to go along to the tribunal. Ø Paper Hearing - You don’t have to attend. An oral hearing gives you a chance to put your case in person and answer any questions about your situation. The form also asks for details of your representative, if you have one. This is so the tribunal can send copies of your appeal papers direct to them. If you need a Translator or Interpreter to attend the hearing, make sure you let the tribunal and your representative know well in advance. Preparing for a Housing Benefit Tribunal Hearing Before the hearing takes place, you’ll need to put together evidence for your case and send it to the tribunal. If you’ve asked for an Oral Hearing, the Tribunal will let you where and when this will be held. They will tell you this at least 14 days before the Hearing takes place. It should be held somewhere you can get to fairly easily. (You will be able to claim travel expenses). If you can’t go because of a medical condition, you can ask for the Hearing to be held at your home. For a Paper Hearing, you won’t be told when it will take place, so make sure you send your evidence in as soon as possible. What happens at a Housing Benefit Tribunal Hearing? The Tribunal will involve the evidence being looked at by a legally qualified judge. They will consider all the facts, take into account what the law says and come to a decision. At an oral hearing, you or your representative will get a chance to explain your situation. If you go to the hearing, try not to be nervous or emotional. Make sure you present the facts as clearly as you can. The council may send someone to put forward their case as well. The judge will usually make a decision that day, or you can wait for the decision to be sent to you in writing. STAGE 3: Judicial Review If you don’t agree with the tribunal’s decision You might be able to appear to another, Higher Tribunal – known as an ‘Upper Tribunal’– if you don’t agree with the decision. It’s only possible to do this if you believe that the Tribunal didn’t apply the law properly. You will need to talk to someone who has specialist knowledge of benefits law, such as a solicitor or a welfare rights officer. Applying for a judicial review of a council’s decision Sometimes it's possible to use a process called 'judicial review' to challenge the council’s original decision in court. Judicial review can only be used to challenge the way the council made the decision, not the actual decision itself. It’s a complicated and expensive legal process, and you’ll need to get help from a solicitor or law centre. Appendix 1 contains Housing Benefit Dispute Form and Guidance (In PDF Format):

Hi-I hope I've found the right forum for my question which is onbehalf of my daughter.I am trying to help her in this matter but it is an area that I know nothing about. My daughter is in receipt of benefits and is a mother of 2 young children.She has recently been a victim of domestic violence & her partener/ex partener is now in custody. During the height of the violence,my daughter was moved into temporary acomodation (a B&B) for 10 days.This has completely messed her housing benefit up and the housing association are now demanding £300 in rent arrears for the 10 days she was absent. Both the council who issue the rent allowance & the housing association are passing the buck,saying it is up to the other to sort it out. Are there any bodies that I can ask to intervene?I am considering asking the Local Government Ombudsman for help regarding the council,I just wondered if there were any support groups out there or governing bodies for the housing associations? Any help will be very much appreciated. Mark

Does anyone know what the situation is regarding so-called evidence garnered from a private page on Facebook? In light of the current furor and FB insisting it does not give access to government agencies - is it legal for the DWP to use Facebook in court?

Hello, A while ago I received an ESA50 which was filled out and returned and I am still awaiting any communication from them. Today I received a letter from the council telling me that HB and CT benefit (I don't get full benefit) has been suspended because the DWP have told them there is a change in my circumstances or income. This is news to me, I have heard nothing besides this so I'm getting very anxious that my IB has been stopped and I haven't been informed. Can anyone help with this, is this just standard while they decide or should I have been informed? My thanks for your help.

Hi, i had a visit from the good old compliance officer today to check on me. I'm staying with 2 friends and they wanted to make sure i'm not going out with any of them. I showed him my balances in all my accounts and it added up to £6200. He said that because it was 200 over 6000 then he would have to tell the job centre and deduct money. He then because of this asked me to send bank statements from the last 4 years within 2 weeks or i will have my claim stopped. I have been claiming income based job seekers for 2 months. I thought you didn't have to declare anything unless it was £16000 or over? The thing i'm worried about is that i had around £7500 about a week ago but owed £1500 to a friend cos they paid for my travelling last year, so i paid that and now have around £6000 . It wouldn't surprise me if they think it's dodgy that i paid that much to someone and will probably ask why i guess? I thought i had a lot less tbh, i rarely check my accounts. When i filled out the initial app form for income based job seekers i was told i had to fill it out at the job centre, i said i didn't know how much i had and was just told to guess, i guessed at £5800. When they look at my accounts they are obviously going to see i had more than that and think i was purposely withdrawing information from them. It wouldn't surprise me if you guys do as well tbh, but that's the way it is. I'm just worried that they will charge me with fraud. How likely is this? I'm a worrier by nature and so i 'm fearing the worst! He said he's on holiday for 3 weeks and so i would have to wait till then, so I've got 3 weeks of worrying to look forward to :s Has anyone else gone through something similar? I just don't want a criminal record over something so silly, it's hard enough getting a job without any kind of criminal record, never mind with one!

Sorry if i have posted in the wrong place but i'm desperate for help. Basically, my elderly parents (70 and 78 years old) have recieved a letter stating 'investigation for benefit fraud' and have to attend an interview next week. They are out of there minds worrying about it and racking their brains as to what its about. They both recieve Attendance Allowance, Housing Benefit and Council Benefit. Nearly two years ago my brother moved into their house after leaving his wife, i believe my parents have not told the council that he is there as my father does'nt think they need telling. Possible problem no: 1. Possible problem no: 2, my father was left some inheritance about 18 months ago that i know is in excess of £17,000. My father thinks it could be the latter as i have explained that i'm sure there is a threshold in place that is set by the DWP. Unfortunately, my father was under the illusion that he was able to have this inheritance and that it did not have to be declared. He genuinely thought it wasnt a problem and now is so scared about what will happen to them. What we would like to know is whether they will lose their benefits, i.e, HB and CT and what about their Attendance Allowance? Also, we are scared that they will have to go down the legal route and appear in court, thus recieving a criminal record and ordered to pay back thousands leaving them hard up (the inheritance would be left for us and not spent by them). I would be ever so grateful for your advise on this. Thank you.

I have recently had my son 12 move to me full time rather than 60% of the time with me and my daughter 14 who has been full time since wife left, now divorced no orders made. I notified council but 1 they insist they need proof that I get the child benefit for him, this will take time through Benefits Agency as I am just applying and suspect ex will drag feet replying she wants to have it then give it to me I said no. I thought they needed this only if there was a dispute as to where he lives. 2 must produce his birth certificate . I have his passport, euro medical card, he now gets free school meals from same council refering to my address and school know where he lives. Council know he exists as they have been and probably still are paying ex. I dont see why a birth certificate is ok but a passport is not "an official proof" Am I being unreasonable or just dealing with a Richards Cranium? Its important I get this sorted as I have been paying effectively for a 2 child family and only getting one child support and I really dont see why I should be clobbered by the bedroom tax etc when he is living with me.

Hi everyone, first I apologise if I have posted this in the wrong place. I need some advice..... I have been in receipt of Housing benefit and council tax support since dec 12 when my partner came out of work. I was on maternity leave until may 2012. He started working again on 21st feb this year, he was working away, I stupidly forgot to notify them, and only thought about it when the wrote to me asking for my payslips as my maternity had ended and they had suspended my claim. I sent my payslips without a second thought, but still didn't tell them my partner had started work, I don't want to make excuses but my new baby son has health problems hence my head being all over, he's currently seeing a consultant at the hospital. I then after this got a letter asking for more info they wanted bank statements, well I just paniced as my partners wages have been going in the account. I rang them and told them I wanted my claim ending as my partner had started work and I was returning also, as I didn't want to get into trouble I said he started that week (stupid I know). The next day I rang them back as I realised I could get into serious trouble for this and I didn't want this to happen and is wasn't my intention, I explained how he worked away and my son has been ill and I haven't been thinking straight, he totally sympathized with me and told me not to worry and I'd just receive a bill for the overpayment of benefit. I have rang everyday to see if the have looked into it yet but they haven't. I am sooo scared they r going to think I have lied on purpose to get benefits which is not the case, I have offered to repay everypenny as soon as possible. Will I get in trouble for fraud?? Can anyone give any info on what to do please, thank you in advance xx

hi! no nasty comments please. I was claiming housing benefit and council tax benefit and changed my job, no change in the amount of hours worked but i thought I'd informed the council. Recently i had been offered overtime I work in retail so its always a case of if we are busy on the day. I did set out to inform the council of my overtime but never did and they are prosecuting me for just over £3000 will i have to inform my employer and would a conviction be a sackable offence. Thanks in advance for any help x

Hi, I have a problem re Council tax. Council say they didnt get my form in April 2012 and are only giving me CTB from Dec 2012 when it was re submitted. I was on Income Support in April 2012 and migrated to ESA in Nov 2012. The council got a liability order and a bailiff has called twice now even though I am appealing the decision not to backdate CTB. They are not even giving me the single person discount for the April to November. Is it right to send bailiffs in when I am appealing ? Do I have to pay the bailiff's fees. I'd be grateful for advice.

Hi all and thanks in advance for reading. I sent up a ltd company almost 10 years ago. I was paying myself £600/month and claiming approx £8,500 working tax / child tax credits each year. We now have 3 children aged 13,9 & 4. My wife was in part time employment earning a similar amount to me. We never drew any dividends at all. Then we started making money. The dividends we drew were as follows... 2008 - £2,000, 2009 - £16,000, 2010 - £18,000, 2011 - £20,000, 2012-£25,000. My wife started working for the business 2 years ago and is paid £610/month. I was convinced that we did not have to make HMRC aware of the dividends as the tax etc had been paid on these amounts through the business in the appropriate manner. The business pays corporation tax & VAT and has always paid everything on time. We have always advised HMRC of all the changes in salary for my wife, and also whenever we paid for childcare and also when it was subsequently cancelled. It is just the non-divulging of the dividends that is the problem. We received a letter last week stating that they were investigating as their records showed that we received a dividend payout of £16,666 for yr ending April 2012. TBH, I do not know where that figure has come from as Business year End report shows £25,000. I am terrified. As mentioned, for some reason I was convinced we didn't have to tell them about the dividends - I wrongly assumed we went off our P60s. I know that I was misguided. What will happen? How much am I likely going to have to pay back? Will my details become public knowledge - It would have a massive impact on my business if I am charged as a benefit fraud, as that is really what I am, whether it was intentional or not. Can't eat or sleep. I have an appointment with CAB on Friday, but wondered if anyone out there could help before then.

Hi question guys, I've been claiming housing benefit since last year, all has been normal up until recently. JSA basically had my wrong address on their system for ages now Leeds council have suspended my claim asking for statements from the last year (when I moved in basically). They seem to think I've been committing benefit fraud because jsa screwed up. Now I'm worried having to supply such a LARGE volume of statements. To make it clear I have not been working or earning anything. However.... I have had income coming into my account, not regularly but very occasionally I had a large sum of money I borrowed off my mom to pay a friend back (£2000). Purely the money that came in was from a family member and any money that was outgoing (Aside from bills) was too the friend that I owed. Then there were something like 3-4 payments of £50 from my mum helping me out because I was very low on money (life saver). now what will Leeds council say when they see this? I'm worried they will try and say I've received an income and cut my housing benefit / order me to pay some back when genuinely none of that money has gone into my own pocket only in and out. If that happens I am totally screwed. My account is literally almost empty now because I haven't received payments while my claim has been suspended. So what is classed as income?