What to do when the money stops?

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Or out of a Hippy:madgrin:

[count orlok]

I'm just waiting on a phone call from the DWP as to when my benefit will stop, should be this week. I've far more important things to worry about than a few debts; it is my pearl wedding aniversary in a few weeks and I may miss that as I am waiting to go into hospital for a heart op. I am finding the hardest part of dealing with my creditors is getting the letters posted, as I can't walk to the post box without pain.

 

Thanks for all your support guys; it's so good to have a sounding board.

Edited August 24, 2011 by count orlok

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

My very best wishes, good luck with

the op,really hope all goes well.

 

Regards,

 

Brig.

[exRAF]

I'm just waiting on a phone call from the DWP as to when my benefit will stop, should be this week. I've far more important things to worry about than a few debts; it is my pearl wedding aniversary in a few weeks and I may miss that as I am waiting to go into hospital for a heart op. I am finding the hardest part of dealing with my creditors is getting the letters posted, as I can't walk to the post box without pain.

 

Thanks for all your support guys; it's so good to have a sounding board.

 

 

Count,

 

I'm assuming you've reached your natural review date for your incapacity claim? Normally with an incap claim it is given over a prescribed time. At the end you are either awarded automatically given the evidence they already have, or a review which ranges from a questionnaire to a full medical is arranged. Obviously the migration to ESA has many people very worried. However unless you are in one of the pilot cities / towns your migration to ESA should be on your review date. This was stated on a DWP internal document. I don't have it to hand but it is available via the public domain through Google.

 

Assuming you've reached your review date they cannot just decide not to renew your claim. Otherwise some desk jockey who is not medically trained etc would effectively saying you are fit for work! Obviously if the evidence they have shows you are not, and are likely not to be then they despite sitting at desk etc are able to continue the claim. Assuming someone hasn't taken it upon themselves to just cancel the claim you should have been given a questionnaire and / or a medical. Did this happen?

 

I know of many people who with assistance from local welfare services have successfully defended their claims and won back their benefits. Granted they were moved to ESA as that's just the system, but they did have their claim upheld. I appreciate this is something you may not wish to discuss but please feel free to PM me if you'd like to. I'm not experienced in debt at all really. However I have looked into the incap area a lot.

[count orlok]

Thank you for your input exRAF.

 

Under the old system my last review date for ICB has long passed, canceled by them, although not in writing just they never sent me the appointment mentioned in the award letter after last medical (see below). This is to do with the migration to ESA. I am fortunate in that I have never had to use welfare agencies to help me with my claims for any sickness related benefits, other than a visit from a DWP doctor (ordered by the tribunal), I have always done everything myself (for both the countess and myself), and once successfully went through an appeal tribunal. That took the best part of a year as the tribunal wanted more evidence (hence the visit by the doctor) and for some reason the DWP kept appealing.

 

I have received a letter from the DWP about my review/migration, but because they have changed the qualifying criteria for ESA I am not entitled to it. I think the letter is a template that all people on ICB are getting, as it mentions the capability test. The leaflet that came with it says I can't get it. When I first stopped working because of my health I got Invalidity benefit. For that I used to have to get regular sick notes form my Doctor and send them to the DHSS (as it was then called), when this changed to ICB I no longer needed sick notes, but had to attend regular medicals, these only stopped with the announcement of ESA. Proving the government's constant bickering about the "sick note" culture was a myth, used to turn the general (working) population against the sick and disabled.

 

Its not all bad news though, the countess has had her DLA renewed (thankfully without the need for a tribunal this time), which means I should be able to get carers NI credits when my ICB stops so I'll have an income of my own when I reach retirement age.

 

Up until this we have both had our own income. I don't think it is fair I should expect my wife to pay my creditors, its enough that she's going to be paying for my food and clothes as well as paying most of the bills. The way I look at it the banks caused this situation, I know the Labour Government Bailed them out, but the Tories would have done the same. If there is now not enough money to go around the first that lose out should be the banks, which indirectly is whats it happening as my creditors are the banks. At least there where until they sold the debts to the DCAs and write it off against tax, although many are still with or have been returned to the OCs. The DCAs shouldn't have tried to capitalise upon the suffering of others if they did not want to get burned.

Edited August 24, 2011 by count orlok
added a few lines

[intend]

Count - you highlight a couple of points worth remembering. Whilst I do not condone avoidnce of the the debt, the banking system has been bailed out to the tune of bilions and the cost shifted to those who can least afford it, so as ever the mantra to OCs should always be "I will repay only what I can afford" and if they then sell the debt and make money from this, then the DCAs can go forth - they have bought it for pennies so at best will get pennies.

 

I suspect in terms of priorities your debts should not even register.

 

Good luck Intend

[Happyhippy1959]

INTEND,,,

 

Well summed up,, when I get angry and ring a DCA, ( on skype no trace back ) just to put my point of view this is always something I tell em at the end of my tirade,,, I am like you agaist debt avoidence but as we well know the Banks brought this on thereselves and to an extent so did we the consumer.

 

I now know looking back that I borrowed beyond my means and if I had sat back and taken stock I could have done something about it. But the consumer pressure not just on me but my children mainly was so much that I wanted them to have a better childhood in respect to material wealth than I had. So hence £38k of unsecured debt,( but in 21 years that is £1,800 ) IF WE WERE PAID A LOT BETTER WHO KNOWS. BUT £1,800 A YEAR IF YOU THINK OF IT IS NOTHING. Then if you ask me to tell you where its gone I would probably struggle on 60%, yes I did the house up, holidays, plus for a few years I ran me own business and used the cards as they did not want to know about a business loan..

 

It is incredible now that for the last 2.6 years I have managed without credit,, I think it has made me a better person and to tell you the truth it is nice to budget what you need for.. I hope as well with this I am doing my part towards climate change, got rid of Car and Motor bike and bought a cycle,,, watch me Electric and Gas bill like an hawk... and shopping for stuff that I now eat not just throw away because I forgot about it.

 

Count, best of luck mate,,, you have a lot more to worry about than debts. The thing that still sticks in my mind is the guy who was taken to court for 17 million pounds and told to pay £100 a month. WORK THAT BAD BOY IN PERCENTAGE TO YOUR DEBTS.. would not even reach a penny me thinks.....

[count orlok]

Had a very long conversation on the phone with a few people from the DWP. They did not know anything about not being able to claim ESA when partner is on Pension Credits. I know when I found that snippet it was well hidden, trouble is with my memory as it is I could not remember where I found it. The nice man form the DWP (yes really) gave me his direct number so I did not have to pay for 0845 (none BT line) to phone him back should I find the info. It took me a couple of hours but I did find it (I was beginning to think I was going mad imagining things). I called back with the info and apparently it is only for income related ESA, I would be on contribution based if I pass the medical (or is that fail).

 

I expressed my concern about what has been in the press and on the TV, but he assured me that was scaremongering, he couldn't comment on the CAB reports of people waiting for heart surgery (like me) being passed as fit for work. So I am not clear what is going to happen, I may get it I may not, I may get work related I may not. My main worry is if I have to do work related activities, who is going to care for the countess. It may be better to just go for carers allowance, when I suggested that he said to wait and see. He was very good though and told me not to worry so much.

 

I think I have discovered the reasoning behind it though. Pension Credits should fill any gap in benefits left, but ESA does not include the Christmas bonus that I get and comes with Carers Allowance. Seems an awful lot of trouble to go to to save £10 a year

 

I haven't stopped paying my creditors yet, will do if/when money is stopped. So it may be that I can continue paying anyway, still be interesting to see if I get anything back form the letters/e-mails I've sent out saying it is going to stop.

 

I do still worry whether the ConDems will start messing with DLA, Attendance Allowance and pension credits though. I know at the moment Pensions are not facing the same cuts as other benefits.

[count orlok]

Count, best of luck mate,,, you have a lot more to worry about than debts. The thing that still sticks in my mind is the guy who was taken to court for 17 million pounds and told to pay £100 a month. WORK THAT BAD BOY IN PERCENTAGE TO YOUR DEBTS.. would not even reach a penny me thinks.....

 

Cheers,I know by perseverance, knowledge and confidence given to me by the kind people here, I am paying a much lower percentage than many (and lower than I would have/have done in the past), but nothing like that, must be even Better than our friend from ACS.

[exRAF]

So if I understand things correctly you may now be entitled to ESA? If this is the case will the Incap automatically stop? I'd have thought if there was any chance you'd be entitled to ESA they'd put you through the migration process?

[count orlok]

I may be, not quite sure what the migration process is though. I'll be sent a questionnaire asking me about my disabilities (they know about everything except the most recent heart attacks and present problems). When they get this back I think someone will make a decision on whether I get it, don't, or need a medical. When the decision is made I presume ICB will stop and I'll get ESA at the same rate, but taxable and less the Christmas bonus . If I don't get it I'll get nothing (as would not be eligible for JSA as would not be available for work due to heart etc. I certainly could not do any of the work the jobless will be made to do.), the Countess's pension Credit should then be increased. I guess it all depends on this capability test.

 

As I say I'll have to look into Carers Allowance as well.

 

ICB is dead now for all but those very close to retirement.

[exRAF]

I may be, not quite sure what the migration process is though. I'll be sent a questionnaire asking me about my disabilities (they know about everything except the most recent heart attacks and present problems). When they get this back I think someone will make a decision on whether I get it, don't, or need a medical. When the decision is made I presume ICB will stop and I'll get ESA at the same rate, but taxable and less the Christmas bonus . If I don't get it I'll get nothing (as would not be eligible for JSA as would not be available for work due to heart etc. I certainly could not do any of the work the jobless will be made to do.), the Countess's pension Credit should then be increased. I guess it all depends on this capability test.

 

As I say I'll have to look into Carers Allowance as well.

 

ICB is dead now for all but those very close to retirement.

 

Ah OK, it sounded from an earlier post that their decision to stop IB was cut and shut for you. The way I am lead to believe this works is as follows;

 

All those currently on IB will migrate to ESA. This will happen at their reassessment point for IB. If they have enough evidence they'll migrate you automatically, if not it's a medical. So what you've said is effectively the migration process.

 

Those close to retirement age will be left alone on IB. I'm pretty sure on that and it's as you say.

 

I'm sure you said earlier that your IB benefit money is due to stop. What brought you to that conclusion? Was it a fearful assumption? Believe me, I can relate to that! As far as I know nobody will have their IB benefit stopped until they have been through the process and a proper decision made.

[count orlok]

I've had a letter telling me my ICB is changing to ESA, at the time I thought as my wife got Pension Credits I would not be entitled to ESA therefore I would get nothing when it changed/stopped. I have since found that only applies to income related ESA, and I would (if I get it) be on contribution based. Even then there is no guarantee all those on ICB would get ESA let alone the no work related one. What is there for those who no longer qualify?

 

Before I went on Invalidity Benefit (changed to ICB) I was in a very well paid job, I did not "go on the sick to get hold of the generous sickness benefits", and my wife had to take full time work to support us.

 

Being sick or disabled is not actually a "lifestyle choice".

Edited August 25, 2011 by count orlok

[Happyhippy1959]

A little bit of good news then Count,,, what are your plans now mate... Still tell em to do one..???? Been ill myself,,, the last few days but still manage to complete three long work days.... So count I now no what it feels like, I hope mine is a simple one and can get back to 100% I would hate to be in your situ mate... Best of to you and Mrs Count

[count orlok]

Had the forms for ESA through this am, what a load of rubbish; can you take a pen out of your top pocket? can you move an empty cardboard box? can you press the numbers on a telephone keypad? can you go up 2 steps if there is a rail (yea 2 steps not stairs)?

 

Don't tell me if I can do these things I must be able to work?

 

Filled it out, told them about my heart attacks, told them about my angina, told them I won't be able to go for one of their tests. I did admit I can put a pen in my top pocket and given the right conditions should be able to move an empty box, I even confessed to being able press out a phone number or click a mouse, so I'll just have to wait and see.

 

I've looked into it and apperenty if I lose my benefits I can get £55 a week as my wife's carer, and still get my NI credits.

[Happyhippy1959]

Ok mate best of luck.... Go for the carers benefit then if this goes the proverbial breast up..... Mate, short of being in your coffin these days or unless your the spotty oink on Heroin and Alcohol from the age of 10,,, you have no chance.... They will make you work till you drop.

 

Are mistake mate is that we worked all our life's paid in to keep those Chavs and Hoodies in the life were not accustomed too !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rant over...

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

GOOD RANT HIPPY AND SO TRUE:mad2:

[count orlok]

Yea see em all queing up for their free methodone or going into the room at the back to get their fix. Before my wife retired my prescription charge for my heart medicine was £100 a month, because I had so many different items, or at least it would have been if I didn't pay monthly by didrect debit. Queing behind the smackheads was a real smack in the gob, as I worked untill I couldn't work no more, and still had to pay for everthing while on IB.

 

Another rant over.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Time to RANT to No. 10 IMHO:madgrin:

[Happyhippy1959]

Yes it is so so sickening,,, I don't mind em dishing out free whatever, but boy what I hate with this generation is there so called RIGHTS OF THIS AND THAT, RIGHTS TO BE RUDE TO NHS STAFF OTHER STAFF ETC... WANT WANT WANT... IF THOSE LITTLE TOE RAGS COULD JUST REMEMBER THAT WITH RIGHTS COME RESPONSIBILITIES ( A GOOD HOODIE AND CHAV HUNT SHOULD BE STARTED AND THE LITTLE FERAL RAT'S PUT OUT TO WORK WHETHER THEY LIKE IT OR NOT. NO SICKNESS BENEFIT FOR BEING AN ALCOHOLIC OR SMACK HEAD..

 

RANT TWO OVER,, ITS BEEN A HARD WEEKEND ON THE FRONT LINE

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Another EXCELLENT rant Hippy:madgrin:

[victoria_siempre]

Hi Brig

 

An intolerant Hippy appears to me as oxymoronic, who might benefit from a smoke rather than an Equality & Diversity course.

 

I’m more concerned about human rights threats to a peripatetic group who: flaunt UK law and customs; intimidate honest citizens; avoid tax, and when challenged threaten to up sticks and move elsewhere unless we accept and except their behaviour. That’s enough about bankers, where were we in the rant…..

 

x

 

v

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Hi Brig

 

An intolerant Hippy appears to me as oxymoronic, who might benefit from a smoke rather than an Equality & Diversity course.

 

I’m more concerned about human rights threats to a peripatetic group who: flaunt UK law and customs; intimidate honest citizens; avoid tax, and when challenged threaten to up sticks and move elsewhere unless we accept and except their behaviour. That’s enough about bankers, where were we in the rant…..

 

x

 

v

Love it Vic, think that applies to a few others as well,

how about politicians, civil servants, bailiffs, debt collectors, teachers, nurses, student any

many more who all had representatives in the recent riots and looting I believe.:madgrin:

[Happyhippy1959]

I'm not hugging NO HOODIE ignore the long hair I may be a hippy BUT I AIN'T DOING NO DIVERSITY COURSES POLITICAL CORRECTNESS CROP OR ANY WET LIVERED LIBERAL RUBBISH... !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

 

Anyone who works hard and is law abiding has the Hippy's support.. Take care of the sick and defenceless but those feral hooded chav rat's are GAME for the hippy to vent his spleen on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh and those feral BANKERS and DCA's as well....

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

ONE MUST AGREE MOST DEFINITELY