Fluctuating income

Thoughts/advice required please:

Claimant working part time with part HB and CTR - one month earnings slightly higher, so HB reduced a little and she was taken out of CTR altogether.
Then earnings decreased again and HB rose again but CTR (even though entitled) was not put back in payment.

Council state when this happens, they will only put it back in payment if the claimant asks them to in writing. Hence she is now almost on full HB but paying full CT.

Is this correct that CTR would not be reinstated unless requested? Is this a local decision, or should CTR have come back online (as it were) once earnings decreased. She’s had continuous entitlement to HB (of varying amounts).

Many thanks

Well…the two things are separate benefits and the rules around CTR are of course now a matter for the individual council.

However, I would say that, while it may be technically correct that a person needs to make some sort of written claim if their entitlement has previously stopped, it would be good practice for the council to be checking on this each time the HB award changes and advising the claimant appropriately.

Thank you Andy Richards,
Yes my thinking too, because it works the other way on - earnings increase CTR decreases / stops.
She certainly didn’t make two separate calls, she just rang benefits at the LA. She also let them know her earnings had decreased with one phone call but only HB was adjusted.