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stormyw
stormyw Online Community Member Posts: 2 Listener
in Benefits and income
I really need some advice, I don’t know if I’ve done the right thing or not, please don’t bash me if I’m in the wrong, i already feel like I’m in the deepest black hole

Over Christmas one of my children ran away, they came home for a few nights here and there, then in April they disappeared. I knew who they were with just not the where (over 16 and yes the police were involved) 

In May I met up with my child and they told me they were not moving back home. 

I informed tax credits and they told me they would inform child benefits. 

I never thought to tell housing benefit or council tax until this week when I received a letter asking me for updated information (which I receive every year as I have another child recently turned 16) 

I called them yesterday and gave them all the information they asked for that I could provide them with. But now my head is racing.

Should I have told them the child left home earlier? I honestly believed they would come home, they left due to being all loved up with someone I believe to be abusive and until May I 100% believed they would be coming home.

I don’t know how housing benefits investigate it all. I just feel so lost.
My mental health has taken a massive hit with this whole year and this is causing me so much more angst.
One of my older children has had to move back home and is becoming my carer due to how bad my mental health has become due to all that’s happened this year. 

I know this mainly deals with England and Wales but I’m in Scotland and just desperately need some advice.

Comments

  • bg844
    bg844 Online Community Member Posts: 3,883 Championing
    Please don’t worry, nothing serious will happen to you. The main thing is that you have now noticed HB and CTR who will update their systems accordingly, you may or may not have an overpayment that needs paying back. As for informing Tax Credits, I’m glad you have done this but you should also phone Child Benefit separately as I know both are paid by HMRC but occasionally they ‘forget’ (to write it as a simple message, the request to send to Child Benefit is done manually). Scope doesn’t just deal with England and Wales, we have many members from Scotland and Northern Ireland too. 

    In regards to your Mental Health, if things aren’t good at the moment then it may be worth going to see your GP.
  • stormyw
    stormyw Online Community Member Posts: 2 Listener
    bg844 said:
    Please don’t worry, nothing serious will happen to you. The main thing is that you have now noticed HB and CTR who will update their systems accordingly, you may or may not have an overpayment that needs paying back. As for informing Tax Credits, I’m glad you have done this but you should also phone Child Benefit separately as I know both are paid by HMRC but occasionally they ‘forget’ (to write it as a simple message, the request to send to Child Benefit is done manually). Scope doesn’t just deal with England and Wales, we have many members from Scotland and Northern Ireland too. 

    In regards to your Mental Health, if things aren’t good at the moment then it may be worth going to see your GP.
    Bg844, thank you so much for taking the time to reply. 

    I am seeing the GP regularly and she is reviewing my medications with psychology (I have an appointment with them next week) but the GP has told me it’s with the pharmacist and not a psychologist as there are none in my local area (she read out the email from them) 

    She is keeping me under review and has said it’s good knowing my older child is home to help too. 

    I just feel like everything is coming from all sides and I know this is my mistake cos I stuck my head in the sand and just didn’t deal with anything when I should have. It wasn’t intentionally avoiding these things just I wasn’t in the right head space too, and now I know I have too it all just feels too much.
  • bg844
    bg844 Online Community Member Posts: 3,883 Championing
    @stormyw I'm glad you are seeing your GP regularly, I know benefits are stressful but you have now done what is needed and nothing will happen to you bar a potential slight overpayment (although I can't confirm this and you will have to wait for further correspondence if you have anything to pay back). 

    If you need any further advice, please ask.

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