Housing or Council Tax Benefits - How long did your claim take ?

[kipper 10]

Last year was a very upsetting time when I lost my full time job and eventually managed to secure a part time job but on much less money.

 

I put in a claim last November to help with the rent and still haven't received the go ahead ,just constant requests for more information.

 

Has any one else run into this never ending saga?

[curlywurly 10]

Sorry to hear you had a bad year.

 

Last year I went through the same kind of thing. I put in a claim in November and after constant letters sent to me requesting different bits of information, I was given a decision at the end of January!!

 

It took for me to constantly ring them up to eventually get a decision. I know they had problems where details were lost in December time which caused a delay. I recommend you keep ringing them. Also, my Council tax was sorted immediately, they don't send any written confirmation, it took me to contact them and they told me! It's VERY frustrating, especially if there are upsetting things going on in your life, it's the last thing you need to be chasing people up.

 

Hope this helps anyway.

[Angus Prune 10]

Unfortunately, this sort of thing seems now to be the norm rather than the exception. Housing and Council Tax Benefit are both administered by the council, but their processing of any claim is dependant upon liaison with the DWP, who have a colossal backlog of work thanks to wholesale cuts in staffing levels.

[Zarniwoop 10]

Strictly speaking, Housing Benefit and Council tax benefit are administered by Liberata (aka CSL) to whom the council outsourced this work some years ago.

[EmilyAngel 10]

Sorry to hear about this.

 

I waited 6 months for my claim to be sorted out. In the meantime they repeatedly asked for information which I had already submitted several times, and which was clearly on their system! (I know, because I was constantly visiting Howden House and trying to sort things out with the people on the desks. Lovely, and very helpful, I have no complaints against them.)

 

Assuming you have submitted the information they've requested, I would suggest you write them a clear letter (addressed to the person who is writing to you for information) explaining:

 

the length of time you have been waiting

the difficulties this is causing you

instances where you have been sent repeated requests for the same information

 

Ask them for an interim payment (stressing again the need for this money), and also ask them to clarify the complaints procedure in your situation (you are well within reason to complain at this point.

 

I resorted to this, as did several other people I know, and the matter was resolved quite quickly after this!

 

Apologies for the essay, but I really feel that this sort of thing is unacceptable, particularly when it has become the norm (a lot of people I know have waited for similar lengths of time).

 

Well I hope this will help you - good luck getting it sorted.

[EmilyAngel 10]

I meant, btw, that the request for interim payment and info on complaints procedure should be included in your letter.

 

Also, keep a copy of any letter that you send them. (This has proved helpful in the past too.)

[kipper 10]

Thank you for your experience. I didn't think I would be on my own with this.

 

I need more people to say things are wrong to put this problem forward so keep posting everyone who has suffered.

[pertfoxylush 10]

Don't hold your breath!

 

Unfortunate but it CAN take a while.

 

Good luck!

 

[Plain Talker 11]

Sorry to hear about this.

 

I waited 6 months for my claim to be sorted out. In the meantime they repeatedly asked for information which I had already submitted several times, and which was clearly on their system! (I know, because I was constantly visiting Howden House and trying to sort things out with the people on the desks. Lovely, and very helpful, I have no complaints against them.)

 

Assuming you have submitted the information they've requested, I would suggest you write them a clear letter (addressed to the person who is writing to you for information) explaining:

 

the length of time you have been waiting

the difficulties this is causing you

instances where you have been sent repeated requests for the same information

 

Ask them for an interim payment (stressing again the need for this money), and also ask them to clarify the complaints procedure in your situation (you are well within reason to complain at this point.

 

I resorted to this, as did several other people I know, and the matter was resolved quite quickly after this!

 

Apologies for the essay, but I really feel that this sort of thing is unacceptable, particularly when it has become the norm (a lot of people I know have waited for similar lengths of time).

 

Well I hope this will help you - good luck getting it sorted.

 

 

it took me from the end of april, to october 03 to get my claim sorted out, and to get their heads round the fact that if I was on IS, then I was entitled to full HB.

 

remember to always obtain a reciept for, and copies of, all documents you handed over to them, so that they cannot "lose" the documents, and start showing off at you , because "they" haven't got the documents you handed to them.

 

All the best

 

PT

[happyhippy 11]

Unfortunately, this sort of thing seems now to be the norm rather than the exception. Housing and Council Tax Benefit are both administered by the council, but their processing of any claim is dependant upon liaison with the DWP, who have a colossal backlog of work thanks to wholesale cuts in staffing levels.

 

As someone who has worked in DWP it's nothing to do with them, but the verification framework within the Council's contract to the company administering the benefit to try to eliminate any fraud (Hopefully that has got me out of any libel). Unfortunately the staff are not always equipped with the correct information, so it is not always their fault; they often have to go to managers to get the correct response.

 

I really hope all has finally gone well.

[Andy 10]

If it is causing you financial hardship, and if there is even a danger of you not being able to pay your rent, you should seek advice from the CAB. It's not an uncommon problem so the CAB will know how to deal with it.

 

You could also contact one of your local councillors for help.

[Tristan 10]

Sorry if this is off topic - I was just wondering what the Shef conncill Pay for rent these days (HBenefit)

down here in Skeg they consider £55pw a fair price for a bedsit/flat

 

Regarding your prob, like otheres have said keep all recipets and make sure you are doen there talking to them as often as possible - while also going through cab to try and get an intrim payment.