This topic was closed on 10 March 2019. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

This topic was closed on 09 March 2019. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

This topic was closed on 08 March 2019. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

This topic was closed on 2019-03-08. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

Thanks Erica Yes, it's contrib based esa. She gets a pension of £9441. Because the pension affects the esa payable (the reduction) she was trying to work out how much esa she'd be left with. Based on that she can then decide whether it's worth the effort claiming it.

Actually, thinking about it, that calculator cannot be right. My mum lives with her partner, he earns approx 10K from own company (him & 3 others - mix divs & salary). Mum has a property she rents out - I don't know how 'benefits' deal with this, but tax return for last year and next tax year are a loss (it was refurbished) so per returns was a loss & now rented again will gradually over two years return to a profit situation. To be on the safe side, I put in the calculator : Mum - £9441 pension Mum - £20000 property income (even though it's in loss, but actual cash hopefully in 2010/2011) Partner - £10000 Assets - £100,000 I focused on the esa number of £17.17 p.w. but it also said they were entitled to working tax credit - that cannot be right surely ??? So I put income of 40K for a 'couple' (even though I'm not sure what property income number was right ie loss or cash) and it says they should get working tax credit ?

Thanks Paul It says £ 17.17 p.w. I'll let her know - up to mum whether the aggro of claiming is worth it.

Hello I wonder if anyone can help with a calculation please ? My mother is entitled to receive esa. She was medically retired from work on 31/03/10 and receives an early retirement pension of £ 9441.00 p.a. from 01/04/10. Basically this question is whether it's worth her claiming esa? She went via the CAB to a benefits advisor - they told her the first £85 p.w. is disregarded, after that a % is deducted from the esa benefit. The advisor was going to work out the numbers for her but has been off sick, nobody else there can help. She's rung various government helpline numbers but they say make the claim and see. Atm she's awaiting an operation date (cancer) and tbh doesn't want to make a claim/do paperwork/have appointments/assessments if it's all a waste of time ie if the pension means she'd get sod all. For that reason she hasn't even made a claim (was waiting for sick advisor to get back to her). If anyone here could actually do the 'sums' - esa claim with £9441.00 p.a. pension, we would both be very grateful. Many Thanks

Thank you all Just spoke to O/H on phone again. He got a copy of the letter SCM sent the Court and the amount they've said they've sent by cheque is about right. Interest calculated up to yesterday ! So if anyone's freaking out, like I was ............. they really do leave it to the VERY LAST MINUTE POSSIBLE . If Mods etc want to transfer this to the 'won' section....... I'll post back on Monday with the case number. O/H has the file and we're away this weekend. Btw charges were £ 1,692 interest £ 308 & court/AQ fees £ 220 : Total £ 2,220.

Just had a phone call from O/H - we've won ( which I am pleased about despite .................) : He went to Court today obviously ........ he was up half the night reading/checking the paperwork .......... other side didn't turn up ...... was told the other side had sent a letter to him plus cheque, plus letter to Court saying they were settling ..... all correspondence dated YESTERDAY. Sorry for the bad language but they are W*****S. Anyway we won, which is the main thing. Now it's a metter of waiting for the cheque, what's the betting it's for the right amount ie includes correct interest and AQ fee ? Thanks for all the support guys - seems like they're not ready for that test case yet !!

Hey lancs You still drunk after yesterday's result ? west

christina Yes, I was delighted for lancsman. Same thing appears to have happened with vikkijarda. Why are they playing such silly games ?? No O/H won't call them. It's his case so his call. He didn't say but I think he got treated like something that gets stuck on your shoe when he phoned them ..... so he's gone all 'guns blazing' now. Putting together my files ready for tomorrow. :!:

hi christina Well there's no bank account to do a last-minute bung in to. They haven't got his phone no/wouldn't take his calls. With what I've read their admin leaves a lot to be desired so the chances of getting a cheque on the doorstep ( day before court ) would be brilliant brinkmanship so .... I think not ! We're resigned to going to Court tomorrow. There are then 4 possible outcomes - 1) They don't turn up 2) They settle before case heard 3) They ask for an adjournement 4) The case is heard and decided. Whatever happens, happens.

Hi lancsman Still doing homework here. You know that letter you sent to the ice cream sellers that said the following : 'I have a list of 17 cases which have been started against Lloyds bank -- including case numbers, all of which have been settled by the bank. In fact I have a list of nearly 300 cases -- including case numbers, which have been brought against UK high street banks this year and which have all been settled by the banks' If you really have this info/case no's - could I get it from you ? Cheers

lancsman Well done mate - you deserve it !!!

Closey Talked to O/H and decided to go it alone. feel more confident and prepared after the reading and preparation I've done today. Sadie Thanks for the good wishes - I hope so too. Just read vikkijarda's thread. They had the same Court date as us, 6th Oct and Lloyds just bunged the money into their account today, so very last minute. O/H has closed his account so that can't happen. But it's reassued me that they hopefully will try to settle rather than go through with the case. We'll see ..... O/H is back tomorrow for this and has surprised me by being very upbeat and positive and determined. So I'm feeling a lot happier than I was before. Thanks for all the support.

No I haven't. Is it too late to try to get one ?

Thanks for the support. I still feel out of my depth, but I'll do my best ! Any other suggestions for more ammunition, please suggest away. I'll let you know what happens on Friday.

closey I've printed off the 'Basic Court Bundle' to read this evening after work. Will also print off the McNamara interview. Have the OFT statements 05/04 & 07/09. Have lifted mjanet's 'defence' from the won section ( to amend ). Will read toniight and list anything else that might be useful then print that off tomorrow. Any suggestions welcome.

Bugger ! SCM won't take his call. O/H tried - lunch, meeting blah blah. Says they're deliberately not taking the call. So he's booked 2 days off work and travelling down tomorrow ( he's working away from home ). I didn't want to go to Court but no option now. We're going.

Just noticed something .... '3 hours has been allowed for the trial' per the notice of hearing - is this normal/standard ? Thanks.

lancsman & reload Thank you both very much. Last night I was thinking of bottling it. Today, at work, with a coffee ..... it seems doable again. Plan of action is .... A) Get O/H to speak to SCM. Make out it's a courtesy call and try to get the lie of the land. B) Get stuck into the Basic Court Bundle and prepare, prepare, prepare. lancsman, you're on the 5th, I'm on the 6th. I would be very grateful if you'd tell me what happened with you, ie if they turn up, what they argue, how you respond etc. Best of luck lancsman.

two thoughts What if O/H rings SCM tomorrow ? At least he'd find out if they're aware of Friday's court date, and if they are they obviously intend to defend. Has anyone else actually got to Court ? Has the other side been there ? Was the case heard ?

thanks adamski & reload I've started the preparation but will have to really do some heavy duty time on it tomorrow. Feel totally unprepared and out of my league. This is O/H's action but I've driven it. Can I speak/represent him in Court ? He's gone along with this because I've done all the work and will be in Court ie prepared to do his bit, but he'd admit he'll be useless at speaking up. Could it be that SCM are too slow responding ? We've been given a very quick date by Court. The Court initially screwed up the date ie they notified us on 17/08 that case was to be heard on 09/08. Then 'lost' the case. So this is a two week window ie court 2 weeks after notification. I'm scared to death ...........

Anyone ?? I'm really scared.