Housing benefit and student loans

[eliasuk]

Hi,

 

I am in a spot of bother, basicly i am self-employed and was in receipt of housing benefit. do to the current economical climate business was rather slow so i decided to go back to uni to finish of my final year of a degree i didnt finish, i hope that it would further my business prospects.

 

anyway to get to the point, please bear with me because it is a little complex but will try n be as brief as possible. I got a letter from the benefits saying i have been overpaid nearly £4000 in housing benefit dating from last year because i failed to inform them i was now a student , and also because although i never took out a student loan i was entitled to one as they have taken that into consideration when working out my income. I was gobsmacked to say the least!

 

I am awaiting a decision to see if will still have to pay this amount, also please not i and my wife n kids are currently living off our tax credits because my business is running at a loss. Has anybody been in a similar situation and had a positive outcome. or have any advice incase i need to further appeal.

 

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

Thankyou

[sallysas]

How were you managing to support yourself financially for that time? In the absence of any details it is difficult to give any advice.

[Starfighter]

Been in the same situation, and now in one again.

 

First time round i went to uni after been self emplyed, but still continued to be self employed and file tax returns, etc, but the facts came down to i was a student as well and i had to repay all benefits i wouldnt have been entitled to, inc housing.

 

Current situation is i cant afford to pay my rent as i am a student still, got approved for LHA with one council, but then had to move to another council district. This new council wont give me LHA even though the other would have done.

 

Now i am considering my options.

 

- Go self emplyed again and study part time

- Drop study

 

Time comes when you have taken out all the credit you can, and just cant see any way to support yourself and family.

 

Funny thing is, if i left my partner and kids she would end up 10k a year better of with all the benefits she would get, and i would be able to study as my costs of house running would go. Seems crazy to me.