Please help me urgent advice needed with my housing benefit

[mwf1982]

Hi could some one please help me

 

I work part time hours and i have 4 kids and get help with my rent and council tax.

which is housing benefit and council tax benefit.

 

my 4th child was born in june 2011 and i went down to the office and notified them that i now had a 4th child

and handed in my babys birth certicate

 

i also showed a lady down at the office a letter from child tax credits with our new award

and told me she didnt needed anything else from us.

has tax credits and child benefit there get automatically notified.

 

i thought fair enough and went home.

 

back in april i received a letter for over £1500 overpayment in housing benefit and council tax

saying we did not declare you new award of tax credits back in june 2011,

and we must pay this money .

 

so i appeal agaisnt the overpayment and because of me appealing against it.

the benefit office have sent it to court which is middle of august 2012.

 

could anybody give me some advice please.

Edited August 5, 2012 by mwf1982

[honeybee13]

Hello there.

 

I think your thread needs to go to the benefits forum, where I hope the guys will be able to help you. I'll move it.

 

My best, HB

[mwf1982]

thank you

[mwf1982]

can anybody help me with this matter please ?

[id6052]

can you clarify what advice you are looking for?

[estellyn]

When you took the tax credits award letter to the council office, did they take a photocopy and give you a receipt?

[mwf1982]

When you took the tax credits award letter to the council office, did they take a photocopy and give you a receipt?

 

there just photocopied my babys birth cerficate. there said there dont needthe tax credit letters there get notified automatically reguarding any changes in your circmstances..There also did give me a receipt

[mwf1982]

can you clarify what advice you are looking for?

 

Well i have never been to court before and just wanting to know if i have a chance of winning the case or what could be the worse outcome on this this matter.

[estellyn]

If its a Tribunal, the worst case if you lose and have to pay back the overpayment.

 

Does the receipt say you provided your tax credits award?

[flumps1976]

Although you showed the birth certificate you would still have needed to advise the local authority of the revised award of tax credits as it was a change in your income.

Unfortunately until universal credit comes in it is the customers responsibility to notify each and every department of any changes in circumstances.

[mwf1982]

If its a Tribunal, the worst case if you lose and have to pay back the overpayment.

 

Does the receipt say you provided your tax credits award?

no just birth cerficate and wage slip.

[mwf1982]

Although you showed the birth certificate you would still have needed to advise the local authority of the revised award of tax credits as it was a change in your income.

Unfortunately until universal credit comes in it is the customers responsibility to notify each and every department of any changes in circumstances.

thanks for the advice so i am guessing i have no chance in winning at court

[estellyn]

no just birth cerficate and wage slip.

 

Its your word against theirs that you provided the info. Also you would have been sent a HB award letter detailing your change of circumstances and income. If your income is wrong on the award letter, it is expected that you notify the council immediately. If you don't you're considered to be liable for the overpayment. So no your chances of success are really, really slim.