"customer compliance" letter and meeting

[cherokeebee]

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Edited May 11, 2010 by cherokeebee

[ErikaPNP]

Yes you should inform the benefit sections that he is living there as a non dependent. It shouldn't affect your IS as you are not living with a partner, but it may affect your housing benefit and council tax benefit as they may apply a non dependent deduction, regardless of whether he pays to stay there.

[cherokeebee]

Oh, ok. I thought I read somewhere that there aren't any non-dependent deductions if the person normally lives elsewhere (as he does - in a different country). But I guess if I let JCP know then they can sort it out amongst themselves. Just hopefully they won't stop or reduce my benefits in the meantime. :\

[MIKEY DABODEE]

You should be ok, even though he is a former partner and just visiting if he didnt have his ticket to go back in January, which they may ask to see, then they may have completed a LFT1 form, whch is a living together as husband and wife form, but as he is going January then I dont think they will.

Have you ever had any student loans or been entitled to one for any courses you have been on whilst claiming i.S

[ErikaPNP]

I'm sorry, I didn't explain that very well.

 

In regard to your Housing benefit/council tax benefit - you would need to inform the council, as it is your responsibility to inform them, not JCP's. They should not apply a deduction when you explain the situation (you are correct in that NDD's are not applied when the ND lives elsewhere) but it is something that they would likely do if you didn't inform them and they discovered he had been living in your home. Or suspend your benefit pending an investigation.

 

It's always best to inform the benefit sections upfront about these things so that they are aware, as there is always someone mallicious around the corner just waiting to report you.

[cherokeebee]

Thanks Erika! I never really thought to inform the council or anything as I didn't really see it as a "change in my circumstances" - but receiving the letter has made me rethink that and I'll inform them ASAP.

 

Mikey - no, I have a loan with the SLC but I completed my undergrad before I got pregnant and waaaay before I claimed IS.

 

Thankyou both for your thoughts!

[ErikaPNP]

It's not a change per se, but in these situations where a person is staying for an extended period of time it is best to make them aware that you do have someone staying, but that it's all above board, etc. Just make it absolutely clear to them that he is not a partner, he is there purely to visit his child, will make no financial contribution to the household and normally resides elsewhere. It covers your back in the event that they find out he's staying and saves a lot of aggro in the long run.

 

Just to be clear, you are not obliged to inform them, it's simply a good idea to. There are far too many mallicious reports being made these days which you can see from reading the forum, and whilst people are found to be in completely innocent set ups, an investigation can really take its toll on a person. I've also seen far too many cases with local authorities where they suspend first and ask questions later.