A query about housing benefit

A friend of mine rents from a private landlord. Her rent is partly paid by housing benefit. She noticed the amount paid into her bank was lower than usual and phoned them up. She was told that the govt only give the housing benefit a certain amount of money, and when it runs down, or is reduced, then peoples payments are reduced accordingly. I have never heard this and wondered if other posters have and light to shed on this. It has left her with a serious shortfall in her rent.

Charly wrote:Thats a point Hinch, have all the new arrangements started yet?
I know the reduced rate for under 30's has, my 29 year old relative only gets a proportion of the rent for his privately rented flat

I think the new arrangements are already in place I have dealt with a very sad case today of a lady who has suffered the loss of her three sons, she has had treatment for cancer (still ongoing) her daughter & grandson has moved in with her to help & support her to be told ex amount hundreds of pounds are now owed and they tried to evict the daughter & child saying they shouldn't be there !
The outcome was that they can stay but what the hell has happened to compassion in this borough?

If the benefits system works in such a way as to prevent people having guests or family staying to support them when they are ill, that destructive intrusion and interference into peoples lives is totally wrong, going much too far, unacceptable. That's my opinion anyway.

The trouble is for every genuine case like the one mentioned earlier in the post their are double/treble/quadruple of our/your so called "neighbours" scamming the system.

On several occasions in the past I have reported instances were couples reckon they have split up, one partner then re-houses around the adjacent street, but in actual fact they are still cohabiting in the original property. I see the alleged "Jilted Johns'" switching on the lights, drawing the curtains, and collecting post from these empty properties on a regular basis.

Why do you think a significant number of houses around this town have their curtains closed all day and look eerily devoid of life? It's because the majority of them are unoccupied but RMBC are paying the housing benefit on them

Does anyone ever check out these reports? It doesn't appear so. The department is either seriously understaffed or their isn't a will by the officers to investigate. Those same officers will easily strike your deserving Granny off a list from the comfort of their desk however.

There isn't usually a reduction for that reason unless there is a change in circumstances, the new rule is less for 35 or under, it's pro data according to income and is only per bedroom need.

I would send an email to revenues.benefits@rochdale.gov.uk and put the word appeal in it somewhere as this flags it through to the back office and away from the call centre were you can get 5 different answers in the same day

Mulldog wrote:The trouble is for every genuine case like the one mentioned earlier in the post their are double/treble/quadruple of our/your so called "neighbours" scamming the system.

On several occasions in the past I have reported instances were couples reckon they have split up, one partner then re-houses around the adjacent street, but in actual fact they are still cohabiting in the original property. I see the alleged "Jilted Johns'" switching on the lights, drawing the curtains, and collecting post from these empty properties on a regular basis.

Why do you think a significant number of houses around this town have their curtains closed all day and look eerily devoid of life? It's because the majority of them are unoccupied but RMBC are paying the housing benefit on them

Does anyone ever check out these reports? It doesn't appear so. The department is either seriously understaffed or their isn't a will by the officers to investigate. Those same officers will easily strike your deserving Granny off a list from the comfort of their desk however.

You had better explain that one Mulldog????? Simply - how does that increase the couples revenue without complicit fruad by the house owners????? Doesn't add up.

Everybody just lost me!!!!!! What's happening???? I didn't understand a word of any of that Hinch??? Where's it mention £50 a snitch???? And why is Mulldog treading grapes??? Doh!