IS problem please help

[a2o]

Hi, can anyone help with this. I am in receipt of DLA which has just been reduced again but there is some. I received an A2 which I filled out and sent to my support worker with a cheque to send it next day signed for.

 

He returned the cheque to me and said it would be fine as it was 'in the system' (he meant he posted it). I was not happy my instructions had not been followed as there were original documents they requested enclosed.

 

I received a letter 2 weeks ago demanding I return the form by 31st August. I wrote and sent recorded telling them the form had been returned and should be with them and to please acknowledge receipt.

 

I've heard nothing back but today received a letter from Plymouth (the form had to go back to Chelmsford) telling me my income support has stopped from 30th August because 'you have more money coming in than the law says you need to live on'. ???? Everything is the same and the money I was living on was worked out by them. This letter was dated 24th August.

 

Can anyone throw any light on this or why it has happened please?

 

I suffer with anxiety amongst other things and speaking on the phone is torture but I am anxious to get this sorted if it can be.

 

Thank you for reading and any help you can offer.

[a2o]

Anyone? Do I need to give any more information? I am beside myself, any help would be appreciated.

[honeybee13]

Hello and welcome to CAG.

 

I know you would like information now, but this a forum and not a chat room, so people will be along when they can. Weekends are quiet here so you may need to bear with us until people who know the answers are able to get here. I know the guys will do their best to help you.

 

My best, HB

[MIKEY DABODEE]

Hello A2o,

have read you post and I think I may know what has happened.

Ok, there are offices doing reviews for other BDCS, these offices are called BICS.

Now I presuming your local office is Plymouth and the BIC who sent you the form Chelmsford.

 

BIC sent you an A2 to review your claim this is commn, they give a month to return the form

You sent in the form and they reviewed it and have closed your claim.

 

You mention your DLA has gone down, is this middle rate care or higher removed and down to low rate care.....

Are you in receipt of Incapacity Benefit?

I am thinking you are, DLA has gone down you are now not entitled to Severe Disability Premium of Enhanced Disablilty premium.

And your IB nils your claim... Hence the letter sent out closing the claim states, excess Income

 

So some quick questions if this theory is wrong

What DLA are you on now??

Rate of IB??

and has your capital gone up?

 

we can get to the bottom of this

Edited September 1, 2012 by MIKEY DABODEE

[a2o]

Honeybee - thank you for the welcome and the information. Your post made me realise just how self absorbed anxiety makes one. Timely and appreciated.

------------------------------------------------------

Mikey Dabodee - bless you! The contents of your post helped me calm down. There was no explanation and no return of my documents so I didn't know what it was.

 

They didn't give me a month. When I got the form I had about ten days and forms throw me, then I had to get it to my support worker to check who sent it within the time frame but it didn't get there by the date of 16th August and they sent a letter to which I replied saying I had returned it already and could they acknowledge it, I sent it registered but have heard nothing though they got it on Tuesday.

 

OK, I just got my DLA decision and the mobility has been reduced again to low rate and I'm on low rate care. I thought I was lucky to keep that and it's been awarded for 2 years, I'm guessing they'll take the rest next time.

 

Benefits Integrity at Chelmsford sent me the A2 and the letter today stopping my Income Support is just from the jobcentre at Plymouth if that helps.

 

Incapacity Benefit yes - £105.05

 

On the letter it says in part 1 about how much the law says you need to live on

For you

Because you are sick or disabled

Do you know what that means? The money doesn't seem to have a name.

At the end it says, Total amount of Income Support -£3.70 minus £3.70 (I don't understand that.)

Capital gone up no but there is an ISA in my name which had gone a little over £6,000. Not much, it's a trust.

 

I don't understand why it say's I have too much money. When I was on high rate mobility I got income support as well now I have less money my home is at risk is that correct?

 

I really do appreciate your help. If you need any more details please let me know.

I really did find your post reassuring, it helped me connect the dots and see these might not be random. Thank you.

Edited September 1, 2012 by antone
Formatting edited. Content of post was *not* changed.

[MIKEY DABODEE]

Thanks for the extra details.

 

You must have had your DLA care reduced to Low Care.

 

The letter they have sent you is a standard award letter, computer generated and hard to understand even by Einstien

 

I am taking it you are a single person over 25 living on your own.

you would be entitled to I.S made up of

Personal Allowance £71.00

Disability Premium £30.35

total 101.35 payable if you didnt have your IB

 

now I.S is a means tested benefit and you have an Income IB, you say this is £105.05

so you have more coming in to your household then your entitlement to I.S

by £3.70, £105.05 - £101.35 = £3.70

 

so the letter is saying you are not now entitled to I.S as you have excess income in the form of your I.B and the amount you are over is £3.70.

why it is put as a minus its confusing but If your IB and IS where combined, paid together then this would be the reason

 

Are you appealing your DLA ????

 

you may not now have I.S but you may be entitled to claim HB and CTB

Edited September 1, 2012 by MIKEY DABODEE

[a2o]

Mikey (may I be so bold as to drop the surname?) once again thank you and I came back to read your first message never thinking I should get an answer tonight.

 

Yes, sorry it was the care rate reduced. All this cortisol and adrenaline from day long dissociation is not good but after your reassuring help I think I may even be able to

eat something now.

 

How is it possible I can feel so relieved now I know I have also lost my Income Support. And you made me smile with the Einstein comment, so it's not just me.

 

I wasn't going to appeal the DLA. It all feels orchestrated somehow that's why I think they will take the rest next time. Do you know if it really will be the 2 years?

I was expecting the worst and grateful they left me with anything, it feels like an unstoppable machine taking more and more of people's benefits and I wonder about

the future for us all.

 

You are right also about being a single person over 25, I should have put all that but you worked it out so cleverly anyway.

 

Yes the Severe Disablement amount is missing on this letter.

 

I am heartened by your last sentence. I thought losing Income Support meant losing HB and CBT.

Would it be excessive of me to pick your very knowledgeable brain a little more? If you wouldn't mind could you tell me more about that.

I currently get those benefits but thought they would stop now.

 

Once again you have helped enormously and whilst it clearly isn't good news at least now I understand it's connected and not something else.

It seemed I was getting letters from all departments.

Most appreciative of your help, though I do not expect you to be such a night owl as I.

[id6052]

you would not lose hb or ctb, however they will reduce

 

your hb will reduce by about £2.41 per week, whilst your ctb will reduce by £0.74 per week

[a2o]

id6052 - Really! I don't lose it all? Thank you so much for that.

What needs to be done though, do I contact those departments or will Income Support?

[id6052]

normally income support will notify the hb/ctb department, they will then usually suspend your benefit and write to you for proof of your income/capital

 

you can speed the process up a bit by contacting the hb/ctb department directly and provide them with details of your current income and capital

[RaeUK]

Indeed. If you're able, contact them first to let them know what's happened and to ensure everything is worked out right for you...

[a2o]

id6052 - another insomniac I see. My thanks again. I will do that. What do they want as proof of income? This letter I received?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RaeUK - I am most fortunate to have so many helpers, it's quite a different feeling to the solitary anxiety I've spent the day in.

When you say contact them first do you mean the Housing and Council Tax Offices or the people who stopped the Income Support?

 

And again I am most grateful for all your help.

[id6052]

RaeUK was referring to contacting the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Office

 

For proof of income, I would suggest writing a letter explaining that your DLA care has dropped to lower rate and as a result your only income is now Incapacity Benefit and DLA (they can verify this information with JC+/DWP, so not necessary to provide the letter, although you can if you want)

 

For proof of capital, provide latest statements/passbooks for any accounts you hold

[a2o]

id6052 - Thank you. I think I should switch off the computer now, it's been a hell of a day.

Thank you all for such generous help.

I keep having more questions, I'm like the energizer bunny.

[id6052]

no problem at all, if you have further questions feel free to ask

[a2o]

I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the replies I had and the help, it made such a difference knowing someone understood this.

 

I wonder if anyone knows what happens now. How long will it be before they transfer to ESA?

 

Also, I am cutting it very fine but I am reconsidering appealing DLA, can anyone tell me how bad it is please. I'm afraid they will take the rest if I do.

[MIKEY DABODEE]

Hi A2o,

 

all your Housing Benefit questions answered.

 

Your I.S may have stopped but you of course will get your I.B and DLA.

I.S have closed you claim now and sent you the letter. Our I.S screens are linked to HB and do inform them.

But I have to say this doenst always happen and I would if I were you contact your LA, Council Monday as suggested and tell them yourself.

They will sort it out for you and send you out the forms and if you contact Monday hopefully there will be no break in your entitlement to HB

 

You will transfer to ESA before summer 2014 all will be across by then. ESA will contact you and send you a form an ESA50. Fill this form in as much detail as you can, get supporting evidence. You will either have a medical or put straight onto ESA. But dont worry about that yet

 

DLA you have a month to appeal, Nystagmite is brilliant on DLA if you want some help am sure she will help you

I have read fifty percent of people win their appeals...

Glad you feeling brighter enjoy your Sunday,

 

 

 

Mikey

Edited September 2, 2012 by MIKEY DABODEE

[a2o]

Mikey - my White Knight, so glad to have an opportunity to thank you for all your help last night, the effect was profound.

Yes, you are right, all my questions have been answered and I should post the new ones elsewhere. I will take a break for a while

though, I should feel guilty having more assistance at the moment.

Bless you.

And my heartfelt thanks.

[MIKEY DABODEE]

no no no you read that wrong :)

I meant your HB questions

 

 

If you are thinking of appealing DLA, you need to do it straight away, and if you need help you will get it here...

just either start a new thread, or bung your questions on this one...

dont delay in this you have a month.....

[a2o]

Oh, I thought I was overdoing my requests for informtion there.

 

OK, what worries me about appealing DLA is will that be it then, or will I have to keep stepping into the arena to defend it.

I have about two weeks left to appeal and I just am very undecided if I have the energy for it all but looks like it might be worth it.

If I were successful and got my middle rate reinstated does it afford me any kind of sanctuary in how it ties up with IB/DLA?

 

Also what happens now? Now all this correspondence has come how long before I get more forms and this time from ESA, I am

daunted before even receiving them.

 

If it was a one time fight I'd throw everything into it but from the little I understand that's not how it is and one is constantly

recalled to fight the same battle.

 

Any information you can provide to help me make my decision would be so helpful.

 

I just don't know whether to put up my sword now or to get it a little bloody before my health says enough.

 

And the irony of all this whilst the Paralympics are being feted is not lost on me.

[id6052]

If you appeal against your DLA, and are awarded DLA care at middle or higher rate, then you would become entitled to the premium for being severely disabled again. This would result in the reinstatement of your IS, and increase your HB/CTB slightly.

 

If you have not yet received any paperwork for migration from IB to ESA, there is no point in worrying yourself about it.

 

My advice for now would be to focus on getting your HB/CTB reassessed on current circumstances and deal with your DLA appeal.

[MIKEY DABODEE]

I agree, you need first to sort out your HB

 

then read this

http://www.rightstobenefits.com/mental-illness/care_needs_dla_and_aa.htm

 

 

its sets out te discriptors for DLA care

if you feel you still meet them, appeal.

 

Your ESA claim may be a long way away yet, you may be one of the last to go across

and that may be the beginning of next year.

 

Also if you win your DLA appeal you will get more DLA, and get back your entitlement to SDP and I.S.

 

SDP is payable on ESA too

 

Thanks Nystagmite corrected

Edited September 2, 2012 by MIKEY DABODEE

[Nystagmite]

Mikey - your link looks like IB descriptors?

[a2o]

I'm sorry to have so many questions.

Does the current DLA rate continue whilst I appeal?

Is there a possibility they will then take that?

How long do appeals usually take?

My thanks again for your help.

[Nystagmite]

Your current DLA continues whilst appealing as long as you meet the criteria.