Hi all, I could do with some advice. My partner and I were made redundant in 2009 and we used to receive JSA but as my partner is unable to work now due to Parkinsons Disease we were advised by the job centre to go onto ESA which we have done. My question is my partner now claims ESA which is all good but I have been told that I am unable to claim JSA along side it as because we are a couple the ESA claim covers us both. This has dropped the amount of help that we get and is making a dire situation worse. We have applied for DLA & Carers which if it's accepted ( very grey area with PD!) would help....thing is JSA would help but even so they are not interested in making your situation any better they are only interested in getting you off JSA as quickly as possible even when you can show financially you would be no better off they still push. I am at a total loss as to what I can claim for now and what to do for the best, I would love to go back to full time employment but with my partners health he will never work again and I will never find anything that will help us enough to get off benefits and be able to look after him during the day. Some direction or advice would be more than appreciated. Thank you x

One Account in my name only I have had since I was 16....now 30 The Joint a/c is about 4 years ish My Flexiloan is about 6 years old And then my Mastercard which is about the same Can I ask why?

Hiya, I thought this may be the case. Basically I was made redundant in April '09 and we have been struggling ever since. i have had no choice but to start with a Debt Management company in order to get the creditors off my back. We have pretty much sold everything that is not nailed down but all my HSBC accounts are maxed out to which they are really helping by slamming charges left right and centre (although I appreciate why) I was advised by the company dealing with my Debt Management to open another bank account outside HSBC which I did but totally forgot to tell the Council who pay the Housing & CT Benefit, only realising yesterday. So in total panic as I knew that the money would just get swallowed I went to the Council and the rest is explained above. I just wish I'd have know about this before x

I really could do with some advice. i'm new here so hi to all of you, I have followed this forum for quite a while but have only recently been in a position where I actually don't know what to do..... My bank is HSBC, I have been receiving Housing benefit and council tax for about a 6-8 months now and only today after a major panic did I hear of The First Right of Appropriation. Basically the account I have the benefits paid into was heavily overdrawn and I was trying to stop the HB going in as I assumed it would get swallowed up as it has in the past. Anyway, the council gave me a sample copy of this letter to take to the bank and lo and behold no questions asked the money was transfered immediately to my new cash account with another bank. This has now got me thinking as for the last 6-8 months HSBC have continually used my benefits to help take the deficit off my overdraft and as I was unaware that they could not do this ( as long as I provide the letter) My question is...is there any way I can claim back the amount that they must owe me? I have all the bank statements to prove that they have been doing this for months, but am I too late? Thank you in advance xx