HOUSING BENEFIT ----- council not being helpful and very confused !!

[MichaelMerseyside]

Please can you help.

 

I noticed 4 weeks ago that my housing benefit, which I have been receiving for 6 months, had not been paid. I called the council who told me on the telephone that the day before my call they had suspended my housing benefit. I asked them why and they would not tell me but told me a letter had gone out to me, this failed to arrive and had to ask for a copy of this letter at the council offices, some 12 days later, and noted that it had not been dated. After numerous telephone calls asking for why it's been suspended, and being told that they can not tell me, they now today have said that I am to be invited to a IUC with their fraud team, again when I asked why and why is housing benefit suspended, and asked on what grounds, they have refused. They simply say I have to wait for a letter, which based on their last sending won't arrive to me. I have asked if I can go to the council office for a copy of this letter, they have said no, to wait on post.

 

As you can appreciate I am most concerned at now I am 6 weeks in arrears with my private landlord rent, am not getting any answers and after being told to ask for their reasons to suspend and their reasons for interview, I am being blocked and told they can't tell me that but will at interview.

 

I am in receipt of JSA for same period and DWP tell me they have no issue to my benefit, no flags have been raised to their fraud team, via atlas and they also have asked the council for answers, but have been told that it's a council matter not DWP.

 

What can i do as I need some help as I am completely in the dark?? And I'm doing the panic thing,

which effects my health, that does not need much help there as for some time JCP have

said I should go onto ESA but i want to go to work, so have remained on JSA. I am beyond myself over this and very worried !!

 

Michael -- Merseyside

Edited November 15, 2012 by MichaelMerseyside

[estellyn]

It can be any number of things - it's hard to tell without knowing your circumstances. Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend who could be thought to be a partner (for instance do you stay at eachothers houses?). Is there anyone else living at your address? Do you have any relationship with your landlord? Do you have any savings or investments that may have forgotten to declare, or have a mortgage or your name associated on any other property. These are typical things that may trigger an IUC.

[MichaelMerseyside]

No partner at my home at all and don't even have one. Yes occasionally friends will come to stay, but at most 2 nights and that's once in a blue moon !!

 

I live alone and no one shares my home, and i don't share facilities.

 

Have no investments or savings.

 

And have no link or association to my landlord.

 

Michael

[estellyn]

No partner at my home at all and don't even have one. Yes occasionally friends will come to stay, but at most 2 nights and that's once in a blue moon !!

 

I live alone and no one shares my home, and i don't share facilities.

 

Have no investments or savings.

 

And have no link or association to my landlord.

 

Michael

 

Sorry then, I don't know. If you get a solicitor prior to the IUC, they can often ask for details in advance of why you're being investigated. Sounds like you'd be entitled to legal aid.

[MichaelMerseyside]

Thanks i will be certainly doing that and thanks also for your comment.

 

Think the stress of this is driving me mad, it's so upsetting not knowing what the heck is going on

 

Michael