Housing Benefit possible overpayment

[estellyn]

I thought you posted in another thread that you never claimed income based JSA?

[worried33]

the funny thing is low security prisons are a better life than what many will have on the outside, if you disabled and cant get out anyway. The way that quote is worded I think its quite clear it means rent as well.

 

Why are people shocked? they already done this to under 35s leaving them choosing between food and rent, and have had pretty much no opposition from press or labour.

 

Before housing benefit bridged the gap between council and private rented property, now with all these changes the demand for council property and housing associations is going to sky rocket even further.

[Delia22]

I haven't. This is what I do not understand. I was allowed mortgage interest payments but I have never filled in a form for income based JSA. I didn't even know that there was such a thing. I was given a form to complete with information about my mortgage only when I enquired after my mortgage protection insurance ran out.

[jadeybags]

the funny thing is low security prisons are a better life than what many will have on the outside, if you disabled and cant get out anyway. The way that quote is worded I think its quite clear it means rent as well.

 

Why are people shocked? they already done this to under 35s leaving them choosing between food and rent, and have had pretty much no opposition from press or labour.

 

Before housing benefit bridged the gap between council and private rented property, now with all these changes the demand for council property and housing associations is going to sky rocket even further.

 

I hate to burst people bubbles but council & housing association properties are raising their rents to meet private rents now anyway. Mine was 68 pounds per week when I moved here 7 years ago, it's now 110 per week, & we didn't have a rent rise until 3 years ago, so it's gone from 68 to 110 in 4 yrs. Affordable housing is becoming a thing of the past slowly but surely in every way I am afraid.

[antone]

I haven't. This is what I do not understand. I was allowed mortgage interest payments but I have never filled in a form for income based JSA. I didn't even know that there was such a thing. I was given a form to complete with information about my mortgage only when I enquired after my mortgage protection insurance ran out.

 

When you first claimed JSA, did you use a paper form?

 

The reason I ask this is that the form (and, I believe, the online and telephone claim process) doesn't make the distinction all that obvious. In other words, it's easily possible to apply for both. For example, the paper form JSA1 that is used to make a new claim asks for the information needed to process a claim for both types of JSA. If you don't want to claim JSA(IB) you can tick a box or whatever and then not provide the extra information needed for that claim. But many people simply complete the whole thing.

 

What then happens is that you're found to qualify for both types, but JSA© takes precedence and so that's what you get paid. The rule is that only people on JSA(IB) are entitled to help with mortgage interest, but there's one exception. If you would be entitled to JSA(IB) but don't get it because you're entitled to JSA© instead, you can still get mortgage help. Could this be what happened?

[san_d]

Thanks for the replies, but just to summarise: it's definitely not about rent payment, is it? Or is it?

[flumps1976]

I havve not heard anything at work about housing benefit being limited to 2 years, I think it is simply about the restricted time for help with SMI.

[worried33]

I hate to burst people bubbles but council & housing association properties are raising their rents to meet private rents now anyway. Mine was 68 pounds per week when I moved here 7 years ago, it's now 110 per week, & we didn't have a rent rise until 3 years ago, so it's gone from 68 to 110 in 4 yrs. Affordable housing is becoming a thing of the past slowly but surely in every way I am afraid.

 

my sister still pays 30 a week for a 2 bed house.

[san_d]

All right. thanks everybody

[jadeybags]

my sister still pays 30 a week for a 2 bed house.

 

Where's that????

[san_d]

Where's that????

 

Lilliput.

[worried33]

Not saying where as that can be used to guess where I am. I can ask her again to verify but its why she wont move, not only does she have security but the rent is way cheaper than the private sector.

 

I also know when I applied for housing association flats in norfolk they quoted me just £50 a week (more than my sister but way cheaper than private).

[Delia22]

When you first claimed JSA, did you use a paper form?

 

The reason I ask this is that the form (and, I believe, the online and telephone claim process) doesn't make the distinction all that obvious. In other words, it's easily possible to apply for both. For example, the paper form JSA1 that is used to make a new claim asks for the information needed to process a claim for both types of JSA. If you don't want to claim JSA(IB) you can tick a box or whatever and then not provide the extra information needed for that claim. But many people simply complete the whole thing.

 

What then happens is that you're found to qualify for both types, but JSA© takes precedence and so that's what you get paid. The rule is that only people on JSA(IB) are entitled to help with mortgage interest, but there's one exception. If you would be entitled to JSA(IB) but don't get it because you're entitled to JSA© instead, you can still get mortgage help. Could this be what happened?

 

 

My initial claim was for NI only. The form clearly stated that I had another form of income, which continued for 11 months. I asked about mortgage help and was given a form for mortgage information only. At no time did I complete anything showing if I had savings (I don't) or any assistance with bills.

[frank_begbie]

I'd like to see where it says its just for Mortgage's?

[frank_begbie]

Its ok I just read the page before Page 18.

 

No doubt for rent payers to councils, the rule will be in the pipeline.

 

Owner Occupiers

 

81. Schedule 5 makes provision for the housing costs of owner-occupiers that are to be met within Universal Credit. These costs are; payments in respect of interest on eligible mortgages or loans, and service charges.

[san_d]

Dear CAGgers, I need your help as this thing is rotting my liver.

 

A months ago I made a rapid JSA claim online. In the form I stated I also wanted to apply for Housing Benefit. I was also on HB before with the same council and it ended in September.

 

A couple of days later I had the usual interview at the Jobcentre. I double checked with them if they had sent my data to the council and they said yes.

 

Three weeks later I received confirmation my JSA was granted. I called the Council but they said they had received no data from the DWP and these things happen often. I asked them if I had to claim afresh and they said yes. So they booked an online interview for yesterday 3.1.13.

 

Fast forward yesterday, they told me to forward to them two forms of ID, proof of NI, tenancy agreement and bank statements.

 

Now this is a big city, they don't have an office open to the public, you either send the documentation by post at your own risk or you go to a so called "Customer Service Centre", there is one of them is every neighbourhood, some of them you have to book in advance, some you just walk in.

 

So I didn't want to send my passport via regular mail so I decided to go to the local walk-in Customer Service Centre. The local staff were vile and rude, on top of that they gave me wrong information, that is all the documentation requested was not necessary and they only needed a copy of the DWP letter proving I receive JSA. I insisted in having all my documentation verified but they refused.

 

I smelled a rat and called the Council to lodge a complaint. However the claim might take up to 8 weeks, after which it could be too late for my claim. I asked to speak to a manager but they refused.

 

The point here is that in this council they set it up that you can't really speak to a human being in person and if you try to book an appointment, this is virtually impossible as you're put on hold for ages and then you're told that there are no appointments available. This is a known problem here.

 

I will write to the Benefit Office asking for a callback from a manager. Do I have this right? Is there any law or regulation I can quote with regard to this matter.

 

The staff at the call centre are simply stonewalling. Where do I go from here?

 

Thanks

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Complain to the CEO of the Council.

[san_d]

Complain to the CEO of the Council.

 

I didn't know about this. I'll think about it. Should I do it now or after I receive news about my original claim?

 

In the meantime there are developments. I have rung the Benefit Line again to book an appointment with the local Customer Service Office and the man over the phone said it wasn't possible. So I got very very angry and I yelled that I wanted to speak to the manager. Eventually aftre a long wait I coud speak to a Housing Manager.

 

At first she said that I had no other option than to go back to the walk-in centre and ask for a scan of my document, to which I replied that I wasn't going to do it. Then I asked her to connect me to the local office so that I can speak to the manager. Then, after a long pause when I was put on hold, as if out of magic the lady told me that all my problems were solved! I don't have to send any other documentation, all they needed was indeed a copy of my JSA.

 

Now, I am not sure if I have to take it as a victory or another wind up. How can I trust these clowns? They change their minds every five minutes. I wonder if they are not going to use this excuse to make my claim expire.

 

I know I sound paranoid but who knows what delaying tactics these folks have been instructed to use?

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

I would suugest the complaint is made now, it may improve the ''service'' rapidly.

 

I don't know about delaying tactics seems more like incompetence covering up earlier stupidity.

[stu007]

Hi

 

I have to agree with Brig to write a Formal Complaint to the Chief Executives office of the Local Authority concerned.

 

Why them you ask - The main reason as depts like the HB Dept even if you complain to them keep this complaint internal and if done by phone are you actually sure they have recorded it as a complaint or just fobbed you off like so many others.

 

The best way to approach this is to complaint to the CEO Office, that office and not the HB depart start an investigation and you only deal with the CEO office and you can also request one point of contact until this matter is resolved.