Housing benefit processing times

[aimee-lou]

Getting sick of this now. 8 weeks ago, my hubby started a summer job. I put in a change of circumstances. 1 week later they asked for details of his income etc so I took all of that in. I also put in writing a conformation that he is still a student and still in receipt of his student loans and grants, the last one this year being April, next one being September.

I have since had 3 lots of calculations - 1 set was completely wrong as all it did was take my jsa off. The next lot was becuase I called the tax credit people to tell them about hubby's job, so therefore that changed. However, the calculation didn't take into account hubbys income or his student income. I called last week and was told that it would be another 3-4 weeks before it was fully processed? Same day I did my TC renewal on the phone. I've received a new calculation today, based on those TC figures, showing hubby's income from his job but not from his student income! Arghhhhhhh! The last thing I need right now is a bloody overpayment - I've been nothing but honest, telling them about our income to the most minute detail so that they can see that in honesty we're not entitled at the moment so stop paying me! This letter says I'm going to get a payment of £55 - not a lot but for me at the moment I can't afford to re-pay that if they've made a mistake and come back to me wanting it back. No choice but to keep it aside with the payment I got a last month too.

Irony is, I also applied for a Discretionary payment to help us to bridge the gap with rent while hubby accrued his month's lieu and I've still not heard a thing about that....not even a holding letter. That was 2 months ago!

This is just getting silly. I'm actually considering ringing them on Monday to get them to stop the payments and retract my whole application as it's just silly now.

Does anyone have any experience dealing with this. How can I find out if I have been over-paid and if so, can I pre-emptively repay?

 

[Laucu]

I had a LOT of problems with my local authority (Not Norwich, but where I lived before in London). Do you know what got things moving and finally sorted? Involving my MP. I emailed him and his office contacted the complaints department. I then got 1 to 1 correspondence with someone and things got sorted pretty quickly.

Good luck, it is a horrible situation and they really should get their butts in gear.

 

[babyhopes2010]

i would go down the council asap!

any OP should be taken back little by little they wont ask for it back right away

 

[aimee-lou]

I finally got chance to call them today. I have a receipt saying I took everything in evidence wise on 30th May and yet they're saying they only got my evidence on 21st june, that's apparently why it's taking so long. I explained that with the incomes we have we're probably not entitled and the woman agreed. She passed it to her superior there and then as the payment is due to come to me on Thursday so could still be stopped if it's not right. Hopefully we should get a new letter within a week of today.

 

[KrissyC]

With all the benefit changes.lately most cpyncild

 

[KrissyC]

With all the benefit changes.lately most councils have a 6-8 week backlog which probably isn't helping matters. Hope you get it sorted!