letter about full case review of HB

brushcolours

Hello :-)

Just received a letter saying have been selected for full case review of HB. Live in sheltered housing, 58, and am on highest esa/pip, esa having just been renewed via home visit.

Letter says must go online, provides access key, and must complete within 28 days, providing proof, or claim will be suspended. Letter is dated July 31st though, leaving 3 weeks.

Lists proof as including current tenancy agreement, but it's 11 years since I moved in here; unless have the old pack in kitchen drawer, can't turn things upside down looking for it, due to disability. Surely agreement already available online?

Letter says want 2 monthly bank statements, which of course covers biggest, and one-time-only, spend had to do … assisted gardening suddenly dropped, spent weeks trying to get responses from gardeners online via yell; nothing, and desperate as garden becoming too overgrown. Tried a paver; done July 1st, but 2.5k … hadn't had any idea of costs beforehand, and there were no other options. Have more than 16k, as have been keeping money by as drier repair needed, fridge on way out, washer old, + bed/chair replacements very costly.

Overwhelmed that letter says if have over 16k in bank are not eligible for HB or CT reduction. Have always been grateful for benefits, but stressed that there'll be big change and especially about having to deal with forms/dwp repeatedly when bank amount goes under 16k. Severe dissociation, and I'm sure everyone here knows dealing with claims is already stressful.

Would really welcome pointers. No idea what site will ask, so, if anyone's seen what's there, would be also grateful for a heads-up. Thanks, and hope everyone's coping in the heat.

poppy123456

Having more than £16,000 in savings would end all means tested benefits. This includes your ESA if it's Income Related. If any part of it is contributions based this will continue.

There would have also been a deduction of £1/week for every £250 or part thereof over £6,000. Did you report the changes when your savings went above that amount?

I'd advise you to be honest and tell them everything. This could be the reason why the review has been flagged because they may have information about your savings.

PIP isn't affected.

brushcolours

Definitely no dishonesty involved; severe dissociation. Have only read a few posts here a while ago. One post made me think that esa and pip are counted separately, so, if PIP isn't in the 16k total, would be below threshold. Don't know which type of esa have. Had presumed especially support-group esa and pip were both immune, due to more severe disability.

Tend to think dwp have access to bank transactions now (they must do, if I didn't think there was anything to tell, but letter arrives after large forced purchase?). Overall, I thought it very likely they were seeing amounts anyway, but still thought I was below the esa threshold.

If I can't find the tenancy agreement, that surely can't be reason to end benefits? Bit puzzled why they're asking for it.

poppy123456

I didn’t say there was dishonesty involved.

You have misunderstood what you’ve read here. PIP itself isn’t means tested so savings/capital doesn’t affect it.

Any money that’s not spent from it at the end of the 4 week period it’s paid for is then counted as savings and will affect all means tested benefits.

Any savings/ capital you have anywhere (apart from a pension pot) is treated as savings, even if it’s not in a bank account.

Having more than £16,000 in savings/capital is enough to end all means tested benefits.

Receiving both ESA and PIP due to severe disabilities does exclude you from the savings threshold.

If your ESA is more than £138.20/week ( £276.40/fortnight) would mean at least part of it is Income Related and would be affected by savings/capital.

They don’t automatically have access to bank accounts but they have ways of checking if they think something is wrong.

The review for your housing benefit may just be a normal review but you will need to be honest now they’ve asked for bank statements. They also share information with DWP and may pass on that information to them.

One thing that is disregarded from savings are the cost of living payments so if you received any of those they are not counted.

brushcolours

Reading your response made me check the letter again … you're right that it's from local revenues and benefits, not dwp. Searching online only brought up a job description, which includes 'do things perfectly to conclusion, or ... set it up so it can be done perfectly to conclusion as quickly as possible'. Concerning, as ai systems tend to bypass including explanations eg why large purchase forced.

Didn't know that anything not spent from monthly pip amount counts as savings. This could all end up leaving people with solely pip.

No other savings. Esa is 481.10 per fortnight, pip 737.20 monthly. If esa is obliterated, I presume savings aren't taken, so necessary larger household purchases can come from anything have saved?

Got bank statements, but all I can do about current tenancy agreement is hope a pdf can be sent out in time for the review (no scanner).

poppy123456

Revenues and benefits is your local Authority (council) because they are the ones that administer housing benefit. I didn't infer it was from DWP. The title of your thread said "HB" too.

Savings can be from anything and not just from means tested benefits.

With that amount of ESA I can confirm that at least part of it is Income Related and affected by savings. I'd advise you to contact ESA to report those savings too because it's always better for you to be honest and tell them, rather than them find out from elsewhere.

Your PIP is paid 4 weekly, not monthly but it's not means tested, which means savings do not affect the amount you're entitled to. Money not spent is treated as savings.

WhatThe

Revenues and benefits is your local Authority (council) because they are the ones that administer housing benefit.

Yes, your council is local government delivering for central government (DWP) and they share data.

The renewal of your ESA claim likely triggered this review but the letter says suspended not stopped. Your benefits may be recalculated if you've exceeded the savings thresholds.

Kimmy87

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/897488#Comment_897488

If you have a paper copy, use your phone to take a photo and send as a JPEG.

Or there are scanner apps which will image the document and save as a pdf.

brushcolours

@poppy123456 I meant it was me who had been thinking the letter was from dwp, but reading your post made me check the letter and notice the header said revenues and benefits.

@WhatThe and @Kimmy87 Thanks for posts also. I don't have a copy of the tenancy agreement, so am hoping the housing association have a pdf that can be sent in time.

poppy123456

You will not need a tenancy agreement as you living in social housing. You just need to provide the name of your landlord and they will check directly with them.

brushcolours

Thanks poppy. I emailed the housing association yesterday for a pdf, but it's a big relief to know it's not going to be an issue afterall.