council Tax benefit overpayment

[MaximusMeridius]

Good evening all, some advice would be appreciated.

 

I received a letter today stating my council tax benefit has been reassessed. They have gone back to tax year 2012/2013.

 

The letter states:-

 

"Your claim for Council Tax Benefit has been reassessed because child benefit ended for ******** from September 2012."

 

They state that I owe

2012/2013 - £279.37

2013/2014 - £845.76

 

They have also changed my benefit for this year and my monthly payments have risen from £5.22 per month to £124.00 per month. There is no way I can pay this and pay arrears on top.

 

I rang them and apparently when my daughters child benefit finished she no longer became my dependent. They also said I could appeal but there would be no point because it wasn't council rules, it was Government rules.

 

Some advice would be greatly appreciated.

[caro]

Moved to benefits forum where I hope you may get a response.

[Mr.P]

A couple of questions:

 

1. How old is your daughter ?
   
2. Is she still in school, college, or university ?
   

With that information, the experts will be able to advise accordingly.

[MaximusMeridius]

Hi sorry for lateness answering

 

She is 18yrs

She went straight into hairdressing apprenticeship at 16yrs and she goes to college one day a week.

 

I went to see them and they said I should have informed them that we stopped getting child. benefit. They again said that that she stopped being my dependent when child benefit stop.

 

I just can't see how they can say that, she became more dependent. She was/is earning £90 per week, I took no money of her, infact I had to help her moneywise.

 

I realise that rules are rules but they have cut roughly 50% of my benefit and backdated it to 2012. I have only just finished paying arrears and now they have just hit me with £1000 more arrears and on top of that they have raised this year's payments from £5 per month to £125 per month.

[tomtom256]

Have you told them she was an apprentice etc?

 

If not tell them and provide proof so they can reassess the entitilement for that period as this will potentially reduce any O/P.