asked to supply further information

[supermom]

Hi there,

 

I was hoping for advice. I have been asked for all my financial information for the last 2 months in order to continue recieving housing benefit. However, I no longer wish to recieve the benefit as we are about to come into some money which will make us illegible.

 

The letter states that If we dont' reply within a month then they will stop the payments. Will this also mean that they will investigate us? I would rather just stop everything without any drama. The information they are asking for is quite hard to get, some of it will be assessments from student loans that haven't arrived yet.

 

Any advice is much appreciated.

[jadeybags]

Hmmmm strange when they ask for more info when they don't need to, but don't when they should! Personal experience.

My guess is there may have been a cross over with your cancellation & maybe a review. You let them know you want it cancelled I assume?

I cancelled housing benefit in the past & they didn't ask for more info.

[supermom]

Well I hadn't yet, but was planning on sending in my cancellation to save me the hassle of the review. Would that work?

 

Or am I better off ignoring the request for information as they say they will cancel if I do that anyway?

[Conniff]

Make sure than anything as important as a cancellation is copied and kept and the original sent by recorded delivery and not ordinary post. Don't trust councils.

[supermom]

Thank you!

[supermom]

What would you guys advise?

 

Should I ignore the review and let them just cancel the HB, write them a letter to cancel or suck it up and try and get this paperwork together?

 

many thanks,

[Conniff]

I certainly wouldn't leave it up to them, the gross ineptitude, or orders from on high, might just mean you are overpaid and will land in trouble because it will make them more money.

 

Write today and send it, it only take a few words to say you no longer require the benefit.

[Nystagmite]

It's your responsibility to inform them of changes, such as not wishing to claim any more.

[abc123def]

I would send all the evidence they have asked for even if you are closing your claim. Send what you have available now, state what you are yet to receive and promise to send the rest when it arrives. Otherwise you risk an overpayment in the future as they haven't ascertained they have been giving you the right money. It really isn't much effort and they have asked for it. Otherwise it is going to look mighty suspicious that when they ask for some evidence to check things out, you suddenly want to close your claim!

[jadeybags]

I emailed my cancellation & got an email back. Although they may now wonder why you're cancelling after they have asked for info. But if nothing to hide, it should be fine even if you do end up having to supply what they asked for still.

[san_d]

Supermom. I started a similar thread some time ago: http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?367891 Originally the council wrote that if they didn't hear form me within a month, they would automatically cancel the Benefit, but indeed they reopened it without me asking for it. So I think the procedure may vary form council to council. As to abc123def, I don't understand why the council should be suspicious of why one wants to have their claim closed if it saves the council some money.