We might suspend your payments to reduce the risk of you being overpaid, and then having to repay it later. 

Your housing and Council Tax reduction payments will be suspended if:

  • We think you’re not receiving the correct amount. We’ll suspend your payments until the query is resolved. We won’t do this if we think you’re being underpaid.
  • You don’t provide sufficient evidence and information to support your claim.
  • We’re waiting for an appeal decision about a claim. 

What happens when you suspend my claim?

We’ll write to you to explain the reasons, and to tell you if there’s anything you can do to help restore your payments. 

You’ll have one calendar month from the date of the notification letter to reply.

Can I appeal against the decision to suspend my claim?

You can’t appeal if we suspend your benefits, or reinstate them at the same rate based on the same calculations.

However, if we reinstate them at a different rate, you can appeal the new decision.

What happens when I provide the information and evidence you require?

Once we have the information and evidence to make a new decision or correct an earlier one, we‘ll write to tell you your new amount. 

We’ll also write to you if we’ve lifted the suspension and your benefit award is staying the same.

Your Housing Benefit payments should start again within 14 days of us making the decision.

What happens if I fail to respond to your requests?

If we haven’t heard from you after one calendar month, we’ll stop your benefit payments.

If you provide information or contact us within the month, we’ll usually offer you more time to provide the evidence and information we need. 

Why have my benefits been terminated?

Your housing and Council Tax reduction may be terminated because:

  1. You’ve moved out of Wrexham County Borough.
  2. The person who made the claim has died.
  3. Your capital exceeds the £16,000 limit.
  4. Your income exceeds the entitlement limit.
  5. The non-dependant deductions applicable to your claim mean you no longer qualify.
  6. You qualify for less than 50p per week Housing Benefit.
  7. You’re no longer liable to pay rent or Council Tax, or both.
  8. You’re temporarily absent from home longer than we’re able to pay benefits for, depending upon your circumstances.
  9. Your extended payment period has ended and you don’t qualify for any ongoing benefits now that you’re in work.
  10. You’ve failed to respond to requests asking for evidence and information to prove your ongoing benefit claim.
  11. Your circumstances mean that for a continuous period exceeding 13 weeks, you don’t meet the conditions of entitlement.
  12. You’ve had a change event which means that you need to claim Universal Credit instead of Housing Benefit.