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Do I need to tell the housing benefit people?
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I was on Income Support but will be going onto JSA. My rent is paid and it is the same amount as it was when I was on JSA a year ago, so the amount won't be effected. I'm just thinking if I tell the housing benefits people (they are a shambles here as very under staffed and they take ages to sort anything - approx 4-6 weeks behind)it might mess my rent up for a bit........What do I do?
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I'm gona have a little think - just remembered I know someone who works for them, may have a word and see what she says.
Why is JSA such a breeze and HB such a pain in the frigging arse?
I have this same problem with them every year - I get a payrise each year in June. The unions can never agree it and then it usually comes through around December as a lump sum shown seperately on my payslip. I give them all the proof I have that it is backdated to June, but oh no - they have to contact my pay office for confirmation and then they have to re-assess each month. This can take them up to 8 weeks and in the meantime they suspend my benefit. They quite often get it wrong and I have to appeal their cock up. Thats again, anything up to 8 weeks to sort out. This has happened to me every year for the last 10 years now
I really just don't get the difference in the 2. When you haven't had enough money to tie you over, what has your landlord been like?
thats why i suggested not telling them. yes they should pay you back but not everyones landlord appreciates waiting months for rent. HB are arseholes and its just OTT beaurocrasy and red tape. In the end with me i had to go in, cry and tell them that if they didnt hurry up, i weas going to be presenting as homeless and then they could house me as well as pay my rent. They sorted itr out after that, but i waited months.
These days I have enough savings to cover the housing benefit element of my rent (they pay about half of mine) if they stop paying me. It still stings but would rather stay in my landlords good books as he keeps the rent cheap and fixes things properly when they go wrong. He's also my friends uncle and she put a good word in for me when I wanted this place - he didn't want any DSS as such.