accused of housing benefit fraud

[kayla1986]

please dont judge me, im so worried right now.

i was asked to take in a copy of wage slips and bank statements back in september then in october i was told i wasnt entitled to anything anymore. Today i have recieved a letter saying that i have to go for an interview under caution as im being accused of housing benefit fraud for not declaring that my partners wages have gone up. his hourly rate and hours worked hasnt gone up but his commission has. i didnt realise how much by, as i dont see his wage slips every month. any time ive taken wage slips in ive explained that my partners commission changes every month and was told its ok thats why they ask for 3 months so they can make a rough estimate.

im so worried about how much trouble im in has anything similar happened to anyone?

 

[missk1989]

If you have done nothing wrong then you shouldnt have anything to worry about. Just explain as you have here. That they told you it was okay that it changed each month.

good luck!:hugs

 

[monkee12]

It happened to my mum and she was so scared, she went and they told her to be more careful next time, they could see she wouldn't commit fraud but they said they have to check x

 

[Kiki1993]

The council are pieces of poo. They tried to accuse my mum of it because me and my partner lived with her from april even though we brought in the necessary wage slips etc to the house and they said that was phone and we would be notified of any changes. They didnt notify us and until they accused mum of fraud, me, my partner and her had to go in for a meeting, we all confirmed what happened and they kept saying they would have given us a reciet which they didnt... i went in shortly after (the repayment fell to me and OH due to mum being disabled) and once we paid everything, we relaised im full time student so shouldnt have paid council tax from sept so went in and as we were about to leave NO RECEIT... went back smug as anything and was like "so wheres the reciet you apparently give to everyone when they give you documents to put on the system?
Half the workers are overworked and as a result they can't do their job properly. Theya re evry quick to jump on you if you owe them but if they ow you they find every excuse under the sun not to give it, or they give it in small installments e.g. I over paid in tax last year by more than a grand and instead of giving me my money in a one they have been paying me in 90 pound installments a month

I wouldn't worry, just explain it was an honest mistake ... maybe they should catch the real frauds instead of making people out to be them when its an honest little mistake.... i mean really, commission!

Good luck and just explain it was an honest mistake, you will pay it back in small installments .. if they can pay back in small installments when they're a massive company so can a small family

 

[BellaBoo0512]

The council are absolutely useless. At least my local one is.

In November 2013 I applied for HB and had to take proof of tax credits and my husbands income in, which I did. 2 weeks later I received a letter saying I qualified for HB and this covered my rent, I just had to pay for the spare bedroom.

Then 6 months later I got a letter saying I had been falsely claiming HB and that I had to pay 6 months of rent back! I rang them up and they said that I hadn't informed them of my husbands income even though they had had copies of his wage slips and every letter they sent to me showed my husbands income!

I sent them a politely worded letter explaining their mistake and I am still waiting for a reply almost 12 months on!

I honestly wouldn't worry, I know their letters can be frightening but just explain that it was an honest mistake and all will be fine

 

[Babybear85]

I know this is an old post but did this get sorted what was the outcome weve had the same thing happen to us