Miss-Delectable
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York Welfare Woe For Deaf Student (from York Press)
A DEAF student is launching an appeal against City of York Council after it suddenly stopped her housing benefit - and demanded she repay nearly £2,000.
Louise Moody, 25, also receives incapacity benefit because her disability means she needs extra cash for her university studies.
But, after two years receiving help with her rent, Louise was suddenly told the council had made a mistake - and she should never have been given the money.
She is going to a tribunal to appeal against the decision and said: "Why should I have to pay it back when it was their mistake?"
continued...
The philosophy student, of Fewster Way, off Fishergate, received a letter in June telling her £1,888.59 had been given to her in error and would be reclaimed.
"The reason I receive benefits is because I'm profoundly deaf and I can't get a job like other students to support myself," she said.
"I handed in lots of paperwork about my incapacity benefit and my student loans when I applied for the housing benefit. They told me everything was fine and I was paid £52 a week for about two years.
"But now they're telling me that because I took out student loans I should not have received housing benefit."
She added: "I don't understand it. If there was no problem before, why is there one now?
"I don't think I should have to pay the money back when they've got it wrong."
Louise graduated from the University of York in the summer but stayed on to do a master's degree and plans to work towards a PhD next year.
Now that she is no longer an undergraduate she cannot receive a student loan - so she is entitled to housing benefit and is being given the £52 a week again. The city council is reclaiming the money she owes and automatically deducts £8.70 a week - leaving her short for the £265 rent she has to pay per month.
"At this rate I've calculated it will take four years to repay the £1,888.59 I owe," she said.
Louise is being represented by a welfare officer from the university and claims that the Housing Benefits Regulations 2006 seem to state she was entitled to receive the cash all along.
Now she is hoping a date will be set for a tribunal in the next few months.
A city council spokeswoman said: "We appreciate Ms Moody's concern over this issue and accept that the overpayment was due to a council error.
"However, Ms Moody received money that she was not eligible to receive and, as such, the council has a duty to seek recovery of the overpayment. As the request for payment is now the subject of an appeal, the recovery has been suspended. No further action will be taken until the outcome of the appeal."
A DEAF student is launching an appeal against City of York Council after it suddenly stopped her housing benefit - and demanded she repay nearly £2,000.
Louise Moody, 25, also receives incapacity benefit because her disability means she needs extra cash for her university studies.
But, after two years receiving help with her rent, Louise was suddenly told the council had made a mistake - and she should never have been given the money.
She is going to a tribunal to appeal against the decision and said: "Why should I have to pay it back when it was their mistake?"
continued...
The philosophy student, of Fewster Way, off Fishergate, received a letter in June telling her £1,888.59 had been given to her in error and would be reclaimed.
"The reason I receive benefits is because I'm profoundly deaf and I can't get a job like other students to support myself," she said.
"I handed in lots of paperwork about my incapacity benefit and my student loans when I applied for the housing benefit. They told me everything was fine and I was paid £52 a week for about two years.
"But now they're telling me that because I took out student loans I should not have received housing benefit."
She added: "I don't understand it. If there was no problem before, why is there one now?
"I don't think I should have to pay the money back when they've got it wrong."
Louise graduated from the University of York in the summer but stayed on to do a master's degree and plans to work towards a PhD next year.
Now that she is no longer an undergraduate she cannot receive a student loan - so she is entitled to housing benefit and is being given the £52 a week again. The city council is reclaiming the money she owes and automatically deducts £8.70 a week - leaving her short for the £265 rent she has to pay per month.
"At this rate I've calculated it will take four years to repay the £1,888.59 I owe," she said.
Louise is being represented by a welfare officer from the university and claims that the Housing Benefits Regulations 2006 seem to state she was entitled to receive the cash all along.
Now she is hoping a date will be set for a tribunal in the next few months.
A city council spokeswoman said: "We appreciate Ms Moody's concern over this issue and accept that the overpayment was due to a council error.
"However, Ms Moody received money that she was not eligible to receive and, as such, the council has a duty to seek recovery of the overpayment. As the request for payment is now the subject of an appeal, the recovery has been suspended. No further action will be taken until the outcome of the appeal."