Is income based Incapacity benefit sometimes also called income support? help

[maestro451]

Hi

 

I need some help

 

Ive claimed income based incapacity benefit for the last few years, recently I received a A! income support review from the benefit integrity department and it referred to my 'income support'

 

Now a few weeks later Ive received a letter saying there has been a change to my 'income support' and the amount has been reduced to £71.00 which is the basic rate income support.

 

What I dont understand is why do they keep referring to my incapacity benefit claim as income support? it seems they have mixed up the 2?

 

I should be getting the full rate incapacity benefit like I have for the last few years

 

David

[Nystagmite]

If you haven't paid enough national insurance contributions and are on a low income, you would have been on income support due to incapacity.

[antone]

And to further confuse the issue, Income Support pays your actual money, but Incapacity Benefit pays your NI credit (stamp).

[maestro451]

So how do I work out what I should be paid?

 

Is it the same as incapacity benefit? or is it income support?

 

If it is income support then surely I should get the basic plus the disbaility premium?

 

I was getting £101 odd which thinking about it does work out as £71.00 basic plus £30.35 disability premium

[estellyn]

So how do I work out what I should be paid?

 

Is it the same as incapacity benefit? or is it income support?

 

If it is income support then surely I should get the basic plus the disbaility premium?

 

I was getting £101 odd which thinking about it does work out as £71.00 basic plus £30.35 disability premium

 

It may be that in the review they've left off the disability premium accidentally, I've seen this happen quite a few times - phone up and query, and if you have no joy ask for a reconsideration of the decision based on the fact that you should be getting a disability premium.

[Nystagmite]

Have you undergone an assessment by Atos for changing from income support to ESA? Although, if you have and you've failed, I think your money is ESA, providing you've put in an appeal and are sending in fit notes.

[antone]

It sounds like it's Income Support paid on grounds of incapacity, presumably because when you first claimed you didn't have enough NI contributions to qualify for Incapacity Benefit.

 

As to what you should receive, it's a little hard to say for sure. Did the letter offer any explanation? Have you recently had any changes in circumstances, or have you started or stopped receiving any other benefits?

[maestro451]

Hi No explanation given

 

Ive claimed incapacity benefit since 2004

 

My last I.B medical was in 2009 which I received 0 points I appealed and the appeal process took 2 years (lost original tribunal and appealed to upper tribunal and won at rehearing)

 

in october 2011 my incapacity benefit was reinstated and I received backpay, since then ive been paid £101 odd a week since then

 

Havent heared anything since then apart from the recent review form.

 

It may be that the large hap in my I.B due to ongoing appeal has confused the matter

 

I did claim ESA during the 2 year appeal but that lapsed once my I.B was reinstated

[Guest]

yes I know how you feel...its confuses the hell out of me, I am incapacity benefit. I have been told, when I rang the income support office, that my benefit is income support of £71, with added "credits" for incapacity. Income support pay the benefit and "top it up". If I ever need to contact them for any reason I have to go ring and go to the income support section and they have all the details of my claim. When in 2009 I was also failed by Atos and found fit to work, they cancelled the whole lot and left me with nothing (something they say they NEVER do LOL really???) telling me to apply for JSA, I didn't do that but went to appeal then tribunal and won. I was then told my "incapacity benefit" was re-instated.

 

I liken it all to the mad hatters tea party....makes no sense.

[maestro451]

Hi ruby, so do you just get £71.00 and not get an additional disability premium?

[Guest]

no maestro....I get altogether £101 ...made up of £71 income support and the rest is incapacity. But apparently its income support (office/dept/whatever lol) that actually pay it out to me.......income support tell me that they top up the income support with incapacity credits.......

[maestro451]

I was getting £101 before they changed it, I think that is made up of £71.00 basic income support and £30 disability premium to top it up to roughly the long term I.B payment.

 

Ill ring up on monday but not holding my breath, the tel advisors seen to know even less than I do!

 

Feel very frustrated that they can just cut the amount without so much of an explanation!

[Guest]

if I were you....I would ring the number, if there is one, on the letter you received and ask what the situation is, and what has happened to the incapacity benefit, if the person cant answer clearly then ask for a supervisor, I had to do this before. I also on another occasion simply wrote to my MP in despair that nobody at dwp could string a sentence together that made any sense whatsoever regarding my benefit, and as I was the one with the mental health illness it concerned me LOL....also usually after any call to them I write to confirm the convo, keep a copy and send recorded delivery. Madness in itself to have to do it but theres been many times I have been glad I did.

[maestro451]

Thanks, I will do, I it is madness, when I won my I.B appeal it took them 4 months to implement the decision!

 

That kept saying they didnt know how to do it!

[Guest]

ok another idea....and what I felt I had to do after I won my tribunal and waited and waited for the back pay, feeling fobbed up and had really had enough, I emailed ministers@dwp going right to the top paid off for me, I got a phone call and payment made within the week, an apology too. And rightly so as it had dragged on and nobody seemed bothered to help. If they don't know how to do their job maybe ministers@dwp need to know about it. ...

[letsmakeamark]

I thought income support had been replaced by esa?

[antone]

I thought income support had been replaced by esa?

 

Income Support will (for now) continue to exist for lone parents and carers. Those making new claims on the basis of incapacity must claim ESA, but there are still some people who claimed before ESA was introduced - they are being moved over to ESA.