Housing benefit advice

[Central]

I was receiving Housing Benefit and my hours at work changed. I told Birmingham Housing benefits this change which got my claim suspended on the 28th October 2007.

They asked for relevent documents such as
Wage slips
Child Care costs
Other incomings

These was sent to the housing department within days. They sent the documents back with acknowledgement that i had sent them. I waited 3 weeks as the requested time from Birmingham housing is 28 days and I rang up to enquire. I got told they need further information which was my bank statements. My bank account is a online account so I had to pay to get my bank statements.

The housing department had not told me about the bank statements until I rang up and got told my claim had been closed but would allow me more time to send the statements in.

I sent these in as soon as my bank sent them to me. Once again they sent the documents back with acknowledgement that i had sent them. Today I rang up and now they are requesting more wage slips from November and December and this will now take another 28 days from when they receive the documents.

My council Tax has now fallen behind because of this and i am now going on to waiting for the 4th month.


Any advice here?

Cheers

[swoop101]

Call the council tax and tell them that you are being messed about.
Then call the housing and tell them that you wish to complain.
Then write to your MP to let them know that this government and it's departments are a complete shambles and should just do their jobs properly for once.

[SimpleSimon]

I would also find out who your local councillor is and get them on the case. Also all councils have a central complaints unit so complain to them as well.

Hope it gets sorted soon.

[greencreeper]

Stop posting and phoning - get down there in person. Never get anywhere using post and phone - you're lucky they didn't lose the stuff you posted them. They're trained to delay claims - so people give up, thus saving money.

[cloey]

hi be the same thing happened to me and my son,we both go work and thats exactly what they did to us,we have hardly got enough to live off,i got 2 councillors involved and still they got away with it,i live in oadby leicester,we must do something about all this unfairness ,i resolve to fight peoples rights feel free to email me,any time ,.i was told 3months back log aswell.i was told to get certain info then they denied saying it,i also emailed them saying i was waiting for bank statements.i have a copy they said i never told them you not on your own how many others are in this mess, i feel for you all.x

[Escapee]

The benefits system in this country is a minfield, only those that make a career out of living on benefits know how to get exactly what they want from the system. Those who suddenly find themselves in the benefit systems through no fault of their own are up against a brick wall, of course if you were a member of a minority group you would have a representative from the relevant charity working hard to get it sorted for you and telling you exactly what you are entitled to.

[dilligaf1701]

Quite - I only knew what I could claim because someone from sight concern came out and helped me sort it all out.

[Central]

Now asking for more information

Its getting me down this is now

[dilligaf1701]

Get down the CAB and see if they can help, they worked wonders with my case and other stuff.

[Central]

Finally got a answer. I am getting a whole £40 for a 3 and half month wait. All because my tax credits went up by £10.


I am so down now. I feel like crap