interview under caution possible housing benefit overpayment

[very worried]

I have received a letter advising that I have to attend an interview under caution for not promptly reporting an increase in income.I had a letter advising of and over payment of £160 which is now being recovered but i have just now received this letter and im really worried

[honeybee13]

Hello and welcome to CAG.

 

Not evreyone here knows about housing benefit, but people should be along later with advice for you.

 

An overpayment of £160 doesn't sound much, I'm a bit surprised they want an IUC as you're repaying it. There may be a simple explanation, and some of the guys here understand the system. Please bear with us until they're able to get here.

 

In the meantime, I would say that all you can do is to tell the truth and take along any documents that back your case.

 

My best, HB

[very worried]

thanks for replying.I just feel so stressed ive never had anything like this before and i havent slept since having the letter worrying

[antone]

You can take a solicitor to an IUC, and you can ask for it to be postponed while you find one.

 

But yeah, an IUC for £160? That's unusual. Are there any other sums owing? Can you give us a little more information on how this situation arose?

[very worried]

My council tax gets taken or it did then directly out of my wages as I had fallen behind and it had gone to court.I had what was only I believed 55 pound left owing and i was due a pay rise in april.My work still thought I owed around two hundred odd but the amount had changed due to me moving before the whole year was up.when i got my payslip they had taken 112 off so my wages were actually down 2 pound after the pay rise.I rang the council and they couldnt work out why so they said ring my payroll.when I did she told me that due to the payrise they had taken the extra amount as they had not been told by the council it was less owing due to the move.therefore she said it would still be paid off for a few months as i still owed 200 odd.Because i did not then take home more i did not tell them as I didnt have an increase.Iam not aware of any other overpayment I did not advise them that my tax credits had gone up as they always notify the council.unless there is an amount that I dont know about i cant see how

[estellyn]

Not sure where you got the idea that hmrc notifies the council of tax credit changes - they don't, it is up to you to notify the council, so this could be an issue.

[sirbob10]

Hi

 

If you don't mind me saying I received my council tax bill as I receive help and it listed the weekly amounts I receive. It also stated that from February 2015 my entitlement would drop. I rang and questioned why and they told me HMRC informed them that's when my overpayment of CTC would be fully repaid.

 

So HMRC have informed my council of the changes.

[abc123def]

sometimes they do, sometimes they don't - but it is the claimants responsibility to inform the different agencies of any changes as per their claim

[estellyn]

sometimes they do, sometimes they don't - but it is the claimants responsibility to inform the different agencies of any changes as per their claim

 

Yes, there has always been a very unpredictable system of different benefit agencies telling eachother info about claimants, but it is not for the purpose of maintaining the claim, but more to prevent fraud. It is unreliable and does not substitute a claimant's responsibility to notify benefit changes themselves.

[antone]

Yes, there has always been a very unpredictable system of different benefit agencies telling eachother info about claimants, but it is not for the purpose of maintaining the claim, but more to prevent fraud. It is unreliable and does not substitute a claimant's responsibility to notify benefit changes themselves.

 

That's the key point, really. Never assume one agency (DWP, HMRC, Council) has told another agency about changes to your benefits. Always do it yourself.

[Shoelover]

To echo what others said.. It's your duty to report changes.

I am surprised that you are being iuc'd for £160 though. Are you sure that's the reason?