Suspended housing benefit?

[clairly]

I had a letter notifying me that my council tax and housing benefit was due to be suspended as they had reason to believe that someone was possibly living here.

 

They named the said person and used the word possibly. I sent info back as requested explaining that this person used my address to apply for housing to the local housing association, as their family lived in another town and they wanted a house near here.

I was a postal address/care of address. The person now has a house and their own council tax etc, but it was as soon as they was offered this house i was notified my benefit was suspended? is that because it flagged up on their system because the housing notified council tax that they was of this address and had new housing.

 

Im a single person, so according to the letter i've lost my single persons discount for now, and rent benefit. I rang them today because i sent the letter with the info 2nd class last tuesday 25th i think.

 

Maybe they haven't recieved it yet?

i provided the info that the person had used this address to apply for local housing as they was of no fixed abode in this town, and also supplied their new address and that were no changes in my personal circumstances.

 

If this letter got lost in the post i will have to write another or go in.In my phonecall today my benefit was showing as still suspended and they said they hadn't recieved my info. What i want to know is, will my benefit be lifted from suspension once i clarify the new address of the person and they recieve my info? really worried about it but then i worry a lot anyway.

 

Im worried i'll start recieving letters from the housing association too that they've not been paid. Is this easy to sort out? i receive income support and full housing benefit since being made redundant.

[backofbeyond]

I cannot help with your specific query but just wanted to let you know that my council housing benefit department (Kirklees) is really, really slow at processing anything. I changed my bank details with them for my payments and it took them 2 weeks to deal with and I went in in person to do it. In the end I emailed the CEO of the council and complained as whilst they were taking so long I was not getting my rent paid and my rent was falling into arrears (I have a private landlord).

 

If I was you I would make an appointment and go in and give them the evidence that you sent - I would then ask for a timescale and ask them if they will contact your landlord to advise them (they offered this to me) of the issue.

[clairly]

Thanks for your reply, they did say i could go in if they still hadn't recieved my info by the end of the week. I could go in provide the address of the person they're asking about and sign something. Do you know if it will affect my income support? im not sure if its all connected, just really concerned. All because i did someone a favour...

[backofbeyond]

Honestly not sure although I know if it was the other way (i.e. income support suspended) then it would be.

 

If you really are worried have a search on your councils website and it will give direct email addresses of the correct department and you could email them and just advise them of your concerns and provide them with the info. If it drags on though and you feel like you are getting fobbed off then go for the top dog and it'll soon get sorted (mine was sorted within 20 mins of emailing the CEO of the council).

[clairly]

Thankyou i want it sorting because my circumstances haven't changed. Its not fair, but will think twice before allowing anyone to use my address for post again..

[id6052]

when your friend made their fraudulent application for your housing, did one of the questions ask how long they had been living at your address?

 

if so, do you know how long they told the housing association they had been living at yours?

 

if they have told the housing association that they have been living at your address for a considerable period of time, there is a possibility that your case may be passed over to the investigation unit which could result in a long drawn out process whilst your benefit could be suspended

[clairly]

It wasn't fraudulant, they used my address as a postal address to recieve mail from a housing association while applying for housing. They told the housing they was of no fixed abode but the housing needed an address to send corespondance to.