need help. housing benefit & incapacity trying to ruin our lives

[simonserenade]

hi there. im new to all this but i need serious advice about my current situation, now where do i start..... basically whats going on is were being threatened out of our home by our landlord because our housing benefit hasnt come through yet. im living with my partner and there messing up all our benefits and wont process anything till there sorted. i went in to notify my incapacity that i was living with my partner now and due to her maternity allowance im supposably not entitled to it anymore. her maternity is £110 a week but believe me... it dosent go nowhere as we have to pay out for food. gas and electric and the rest of our housing benefit when it comes through and i forgot to mention she apparently isnt entitled to the sure start maternity grant which means were not gonna be able to have anything what so ever for our baby boy when he comes into the world. i wish i could work as all of this would go away but without appropriate medication which i am not on yet. my schizophremia would only get the better of me. if anyone could give me some advice it would be much appreciated.

[cadencealex]

Good Morning

 

For your Schizophrenia, you really need the medication. Without it you will not be much use for your partner and your new baby

 

First step would be make sure you get your medication sorted.

 

You will be entitled to some form of Incapacity Benefit/DLA - for the time being whilst you get your medication sorted (can be a long process finding the right one, which doesn't impair your life). Once you have this, you will not need to worry about money so much, or Housing Benefit.

 

Anything you have that can prove to your landlord that you are still waiting, will help keep him off your back. Landlords class Disabled people as good tenants, as they know the money keeps coming in

 

Do what you can, try not to stress about it. Do you receive Tax Credits?

 

I know it's Sunday today but you really need to go and see someone this week, if only to put your mind at rest

 

And congratulations on the pregnancy

[simonserenade]

apparently we cant recieve tax credits until our baby is born and ive got an appointment at the job centre to see someone but at moment it feels like im going round in circles cause i dont know whats going on. i just wish my benefits would be sorted... but cause incapacity is apparently a means test benefit (which is news to my ears) then i wont be able to carry on recieving it. someone told me to go in for dla as its not means tested but wheather i apply for it or not is a totally different thing. at the moment though my partners got a hell of a job keeping sane and its not our healthy due to how far gone she is

[cadencealex]

apparently we cant recieve tax credits until our baby is born and ive got an appointment at the job centre to see someone but at moment it feels like im going round in circles cause i dont know whats going on. i just wish my benefits would be sorted... but cause incapacity is apparently a means test benefit (which is news to my ears) then i wont be able to carry on recieving it. someone told me to go in for dla as its not means tested but wheather i apply for it or not is a totally different thing. at the moment though my partners got a hell of a job keeping sane and its not our healthy due to how far gone she is

 

 

With a diagnosis of Schizophrenia you should almost definitely be applying for DLA and doing it right now. Ring up and get the claim forms sent, go along to an office/CAB for someone to fill the forms in for you and wait.

 

DLA isn't means tested, no. Who told you you can't receive tax credits until the baby is born? If your only income right now is Maternity Allowance you should be receiving it.

 

HAve you filled this in: Start Calculation

 

Apologies there is only me replying, this site seems to be dead now!!!

[emmaf01]

Get in touch with your local council welfare rights officer tomorrow. They will be able to sort out your benefits and help work out what you and your partner are entitled to. They also help with housing and council tax benefits and can work on your behalf to get things sorted.

 

If your landlord is trying to chuck you out because housing benefit are taking their own sweet time (been there myself with that) get in touch with your council housing department- there should be an officer who I think deals with preventing homelessness due to problems like this. Your partner's delicate condition will also "help" them act.

 

Finally, are you getting support about your schizophrenia? Do you have a doctor and CPN keeping a check on yours meds? It may be worth asking for a referral if you haven't, and they can also help with you accessing the correct benefits. (in combination with the welfare rights officer)

 

I know you must feel set upon from all sides at the moment and the stress must be unbelivable. If I can do anything to help, please shout/PM me.

[simonserenade]

income support gave us a number to ring and the feller on there told us to ring a number regarding it and he told us that , as for the cab. ive been there and they didnt really help much tbh. how do i get in touch with my local council welfare rights officer? i dunno how a private landlord works... so im not sure what to expect anymore. even when the housing benefit comes through though. at this rate we'll have about 200 to pay on top.. 200 we unfortunately dont have because we had to buy all our furniture ourselves. we wasnt entitled to our moving in grant apparently. my only worry right now is getting my benefit to live on sorted out and my housing benefit... as for the maternity grant. i really dunno about that. thanks for the help btw... its much appreciated

[simonserenade]

and i have a pyciatrist who comes to see me on a weekly basis... if that helps

[cadencealex]

Well you could always try sending an email to your local MP to complain about the situation and ask for his help. They are usually pretty good

 

If I were YOU, tomorrow I would do these things:

 

1. Ring DLA and request forms to be sent to you (they stamp them and you receive the money backdated)

2. Ring the Housing and ask what the status of your application is, and can you do anything to speed it up. Also ask if you can be given a letter explaining your entitlements so that you can pass this to your Landlord.

3. Email your MP to see what help you can gain from there, even if it is just speeding up your application.

4. Perhaps call into an office where they can go through ALL your entitlements.

5. Sit back and relax with a nice hot drink, and feel satisfied that you have explored every avenue

 

Could you do a Car Boot on Sunday with some old junk, to help raise a little bit of cash.. or do some ebaying for a while?

[simonserenade]

lol i wish i had stuff to sell tbh... might make life easier but right now... i dont know how were gonna manage everything unfortunately and i know this sounds stupid but... whats an mp? and il definately give all that a go and just hope to god i get somewhere with it all. i havent slept in days cause of all this worry

[cadencealex]

lol i wish i had stuff to sell tbh... might make life easier but right now... i dont know how were gonna manage everything unfortunately and i know this sounds stupid but... whats an mp? and il definately give all that a go and just hope to god i get somewhere with it all. i havent slept in days cause of all this worry

 

Good morning.

 

MP is Member of Parliament.

 

If you google *email my MP* you will find the site, search for your local MP/Counsellor and email them. Perhaps copy and paste your thread

 

Try not to worry about everything - best thing you can do is face it all head on, get it resolved sooner.

 

It sounds like a complete nightmare but make sure above all your health gets sorted out, else everything could get on top of you.

 

You need to get it all sorted so you can begin to look forward to your son arriving.

 

Let us know how you get on today.

[simonserenade]

today didnt help one bit. the women at job centre said we might be able to claim tax credits as a couple.... and until income support gimme a yes or a no in the week few WEEKS. my housing benefit wont be pushed along... as for dla. i may be entitled to it. i talked to my pyciatrist and he said to put his details on there as he will back me up on my condition as for all else im having no luck >.

[cadencealex]

today didnt help one bit. the women at job centre said we might be able to claim tax credits as a couple.... and until income support gimme a yes or a no in the week few WEEKS. my housing benefit wont be pushed along... as for dla. i may be entitled to it. i talked to my pyciatrist and he said to put his details on there as he will back me up on my condition as for all else im having no luck >.

 

Hello

 

Here is the calculator for Tax Credits

 

HMRC Tax Credits Online

 

Once you see you are entitled to something, ring them up and ask for a claim form/apply over the telephone. They are open until 8pm.

 

The fact your Psychiatrist is going to help with your DLA claim is excellent news So you DID get something done today!!!

 

Once you are entitled to Tax Credits, you don't need to be in receipt of Income Support either

 

A tax credits claim kicks off the Housing Benefit entitlement, I am pretty sure of that!

 

Let me know how you get on with the Tax Credits form

[davethorp]

You've already had some excellent advise

 

Only thing I can add is regarding the sure start grant, you can claim any time up until the baby is 3 months old so if you start receiving a qualifying benefit in that time scale get your claim in.

 

In the meantime, if you are struggling for things for the baby you may want to try your local freecycle network which you can find HERE. Can't guarantee you will find everything you need but it might help until you get things sorted

[Zamzara]

With an income that low you will qualify for some housing benefit whether you get income support or not.

 

The local authority is required to make a payment on account if your exact entitlement cannot be settled within 14 days. This means they make an estimate of your entitlement based on what information they do have, and then adjust your entitlement later.

 

Incapacity benefit is not affected by moving in with a partner, so unless you are actually claiming a different benefit someone has got that wrong. If it's definitely incapacity benefit and it's been stopped, dispute this in writing immediately.

 

And definitely claim DLA, and notify the local authority and income support department of the DWP if you get it as it may increase your other benefits.

[simonserenade]

i emailed my mp. still no reply and im not sure who got it wrong as im definately on incapacity.... well i was at least but they said it was a means tested benefit regarding my partners wage and il definately do that

 

i hope your right by the way as that would definately ease the pressure

a little bit, right now my only concern is keeping this roof over my

partner and unborn childs head

 

thanks for the advice

[davethorp]

Saw THIS advertised at our doctors today. Your partner should be eligible, just needs a form off her midwife though it will depend on her due date

[simonserenade]

now im in serious trouble. none of my benefits have gone through... but thats not my biggest worry right now, i rang housing benefit and because

i said im on no benefit which is pretty much true there saying i might not

be entitled to any of it cause i need a benefit to claim it =S and the

landlord keeps mathering me and mathering me and oh dear god i think

im having a nervous breakdown ='(

[cadencealex]

now im in serious trouble. none of my benefits have gone through... but thats not my biggest worry right now, i rang housing benefit and because

i said im on no benefit which is pretty much true there saying i might not

be entitled to any of it cause i need a benefit to claim it =S and the

landlord keeps mathering me and mathering me and oh dear god i think

im having a nervous breakdown ='(

 

 

Simon - have you even contacted Tax Credits? You will be entitled to something. The Landlord is going to have to wait. Tell him to stop harassing you, or ask a friend to do it

 

We can only help you to an extent, you actually have to follow the help.

 

I hope you feel better tomorrow.

[simonserenade]

yeah. im not entitled to it =/ the women wound me up on the phone. wound up passing out and waking up in hospital with high blood pressure

[cadencealex]

yeah. im not entitled to it =/ the women wound me up on the phone. wound up passing out and waking up in hospital with high blood pressure

 

 

Oh dear, you're not having a good time right now at all!

 

What are their reasons for not giving you any benefits? Surely it can't be because your wife is on Maternity allowance, or did you both earn too much last year?

[simonserenade]

no i was on benefits last year and my girlfriend was on lower pay than she is on her maternity pay now :S but the crisis team i saw yesterday said

there gonna try and sort it all out and for me not to stress, i just wish

it didnt have to resort to yesterdays happenings to get the help...

[cadencealex]

no i was on benefits last year and my girlfriend was on lower pay than she is on her maternity pay now :S but the crisis team i saw yesterday said

there gonna try and sort it all out and for me not to stress, i just wish

it didnt have to resort to yesterdays happenings to get the help...

 

 

Well being on an extremely low income last year will only benefit you both - Tax Credits goes off last years earnings.

 

Are you both over the age of 25'?

[simonserenade]

yeah =/

[cadencealex]

yeah =/

 

I really don't understand why you aren't entitled to more than maternity allowance

[simonserenade]

me either, its been so stressfull cause so many other people in different circumstances get stuff like that, my aunty just told me tell em that shes moved out if it'' get em to give us a easier time lol