Work Programme and Illness

[thecookiemonster]

The council are an absolute joke, I have Nil Income and my partner only works 23 hours per week yet they have only awarded us £41 a week in Housing Benefit, no doubt we will lose our home now, disgusted.

[antone]

So do as Estellyn suggested - contact the council and ask them to review all decisions and provide evidence to indicate to them that they have made a mistake.

[thecookiemonster]

So do as Estellyn suggested - contact the council and ask them to review all decisions and provide evidence to indicate to them that they have made a mistake.

 

We have today, although they are adamant that the £41 per week stands, work pays hey? be better off if my missus popped out a few kids and stopped working!! Absolutely fuming!!!

 

I'm not fit enough to work due to recently being diagnosed with Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome plus I have Chronic Asthma/IBS/Pernicious Anaemia and my health has gone downhill.

 

My Jobseekers was taken off me because of my partner working which means I won't get ESA either probably.

[estellyn]

We have today, although they are adamant that the £41 per week stands, work pays hey? be better off if my missus popped out a few kids and stopped working!! Absolutely fuming!!!

 

I'm not fit enough to work due to recently being diagnosed with Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome plus I have Chronic Asthma/IBS/Pernicious Anaemia and my health has gone downhill.

 

My Jobseekers was taken off me because of my partner working which means I won't get ESA either probably.

 

A review is not done in a day - also have they looked at the previous awards?

[thecookiemonster]

We sent paperwork earlier in the week with photocopies of every single letter we have received from the Council and highlighting all of the errors we believe they have made and asked for a review.

 

All we were given today was an appeal form, also how is it right that we get no Council Tax Benefit when it is £112 per month?

 

Also, why won't they take my partners travel expenses and personal bills into account? that's wrong, our bills with rent, council tax, her personal bills, travel expenses and household bills are around £1,400 a month, she earns £900 a month and we will be getting around £160 a month in Housing Benefit, look at the massive shortfall.

 

It's an absolute disgrace, and if that wasn't bad enough they say they worked out her income wrong back in July thinking she earned less despite them being given all of her wage slips yet we now have to pay back a £300 overpayment as well.

[antone]

Bills and travel expenses aren't taken into account because the law does not permit this.

 

You've done the right thing by sending off your documents and asking for a review, but this process could take a while.

[thecookiemonster]

Still think it's an utter disgrace, we would be better off if my partner stopped working or popped out a few kids, I think it's a joke.

 

If I could work I would and I was up until Feb/March this year but I have so many health issues with having Fibromyalgia/Chronic Asthma/IBS/Pernicious Anaemia/Hiatus Hernia and being tested for COPD in a few weeks because my lungs have always underperfomed because I was born 11 weeks premature.

 

But how is it right that I have Nil Income and my partner has to pay to support me? Yet she works only 23 hours per week, earns a low income, yet no household bills like electric/gas/water are taken into account, her personal bills like car insurance aren't taken into account yet if she didn't pay this she couldn't work and also her travel expenses of £130 per month aren't taken into account, again if she didn't pay this she wouldn't be able to work.

 

They have the cheek to put the Council Tax payment up by over £35 a month when I moved in yet they offer £0 in Council Tax Benefit and only £41 per week in Housing Benefit.

 

Still absolutely fuming, the country has gone to pot, work doesn't pay as I said above we would probably be better off if my partner left her job and we were both on JSA although I'd have to claim ESA because I'm no longer fit enough to work.

[antone]

Well, the CT payment is likely to increase because your partner is no longer entitled to the single adult rebate of 25%. Up until earlier this year, CTB would take account of this change and adjust your entitlement accordingly. Now, however, CTB has been abolished and it's up to each council to determine what support they will provide and to whom.

 

As to expenses, those have never been taken into account when benefits are calculated - with a few partial exceptions such as rent levels for HB purposes. Fair or not, this is the law. It's not the fault of the council or the DWP or whoever - these rules are set by Parliament, elected by us.

 

On the other hand, it does sound like it's at least possible that the council has incorrectly applied the rules in your case. That is their fault, and that's why it's worth asking for a review. And once that review is done, check what they say and appeal if necessary.

[thecookiemonster]

Thank you for you're reply, well I just hope they adjust this and award more because if not we will both be homeless as we would have to give notice to the Landlord because it would be unaffordable with all of the outgoings.

[thecookiemonster]

Hello.

 

Quick question.......

 

My partner has recently applied for ESA and is now on the assesment rate Contributions Based ESA.

 

Is there anything else she can claim?

 

Thank you.

[Guest Another Spartacus]

Does she claim DLA or PIP

[thecookiemonster]

No, not at the moment.I read something about being entitled to a top up if your claiming contributions based ESA but it doesn't explain it properly or what exactly it is or how much it is.

[antone]

ESA(IR) - the income based form - can be paid to a person in addition to ESA©. This would depend on your household income, including any salary, pensions or benefits you receive, and any savings you have either individually or as a couple.

 

If you rent your home you may be entitled to Housing Benefit if your household income is low. If your partner has care or mobility needs then she could check to see whether she would qualify for a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - new claims for DLA are no longer accepted for those over 16.

[thecookiemonster]

Thanks, we don't live together, she gets housing benefit as she lives in a room but she has no other income or savings and just gets £72 per week for Contributions Based ESA.