Red Tape Following A Bereavement

RetroRemix

Hi, I know my situation is very different, but I also had a mix up following a bereavement.

My Dad passed away back in June and I was on the system as being his Carer (I care for both my parents, but my Dad had the worst health so I was caring for him more) and back then we told all the government departments of his passing with the "tell us once" service, so everything was closed and the money we owed from his pension we paid off.

But when I went to make a new claim for Carer's Allowance, as I'm caring fully for my Mum now, the new application would not go through, because the file for my Dad was still open on the system because they needed the exact dates he went into hospital before he passed. I did not know about this until weeks and weeks of waiting. They did not phone me up to ask, they did not send any letter to ask. The only way I knew that the new application was being blocked was when I phoned up and asked what was happening.

The very awesome person on the phone helped me to sort it out, and I really can't fault the call centre and DWP staff because they have been brilliant, my fault is with the system itself they and we have to deal with. They called me back to ask the exact dates my dad was in hospital and I provided these. They said that closing the old claim of me caring for my Dad would take a while but they could not say how long this would be, this was back at the beginning of December. 

So in all that time, from June to December my old claim for caring for my Dad was still open on the system and blocking the new one from coming through. In all that time it hadn't closed and I didn't get a letter or phone call about it in all that time, I had to ask myself to get the system going. This is despite my Carer's Allowance payments ending very soon after telling them back in June. It was still open on the system.

Sorry for the long post and I know my situation is not the same as yours, and I don't want to muddy the waters or create confusion. I just want to say you are not alone in dealing with a complex and confusing system following someone passing. And I really hope it gets sorted right in the end for me too.  

I really hope your claim gets sorted out soon and for what it is worth, I hope you have a Good Holidays too!

GosportNancy

@RetroRemix
Thanks so much for your encouraging reply.
In the past I was claiming Working Tax Credit as self-employed, but the criteria for claiming Universal Credit as self-employed is very different.

With Working Tax Credit, I just took my accounts to the housing office once a year and sent my summary sheet to the DWP annually. The Universal Credit way is to be GAINFULLY self-employed, but my work involves working part-time November-February and then full-time March-October. Then there are weeks when I don't work because of health-related brain fog.

My friend left me some money in his will, but there is no sign so far that this funding will be released to me anytime  soon. 

My earnings now are from filling in surveys and occasionally selling online. Those earnings are very irregular and sometimes there are months between payments. Last year I decided to write for a living as writing is my first love. That will not change, so I need to get published before I run out of money.

I don't see the DWP running with this one, so I have applied for Universal Credit as an unemployed person. I won't be able to claim as a job seeker as I am not seeking work. Everything depends on a GP saying I have limited capacity for work or am too ill to work at all. I'm really not bothered about the result as I feel really uneasy about tax payers throwing money at me when I have no intention of seeking work if the fit note doesn't materialise.

calcotti

You are misunderstanding the significance of the term gainfully.

A person can be found to be gainfully self employed in which case they are not required to look for work but, after 12 months, are subject to the Minimum Income Floor (MIF).

A person can be self employed but not gainfully so in which case they are expected to look for additional employment and are not subject to the MIF.
In both cases the claimant has to report all self employment income and expenditure each month on a cash accounting basis.

In the case of someone with LCW or LCWRA there is no requirement to look for employment and the MIF cannot be applied even if considered to be gainfully employed.

If you do any self employment you must declare it to UC.

poppy123456

GosportNancy said:

My friend left me some money in his will, but there is no sign so far that this funding will be released to me anytime  soon. 

Once the money goes into your bank if it's more than £6,000 you'll need to report the changes for UC. For every £250 or part there of there's a £4.35/month deduction.

For savings of more than £16,000 then entitlement to UC ends. For council tax reduction all local Authorities have their own rules and some have a maximum savings limit of £6,000 before entitlement ends.

GosportNancy

@calcotti

The rules on gainful self-employment are very clear

"To claim Universal Credit if you’re self-employed, you need to show that self-employment is your main work.

This includes showing that:

• self-employment is your main job or your main source of income
• you get regular work from self-employment
• your work is organised - this means you have invoices and receipts, or accounts
• you expect to make a profit"  (none of this applies to me except the first requirement)

"If you cannot show all these things, you might have to look for other work if you want to keep getting Universal Credit."

I will have to explain all this in the interview on the 9th of January

calcotti

We may be at cross purposes.

The last sentence is exactly what I explained earlier.

The majority of what you quoted means that to be tested as a self employed claimant you have to be gainfully employed. 

if you are not gainfully employed you are treated as a jobseeker which is what you have done and seems correct in your situation BUT it doesn’t mean that you can’t do any self employment.  

GosportNancy

@calcotti

The position I am in is that I don't meet the criteria for gainful self-employment and I am not seeking work
Since I would be treated as a job seeker, I would have to fill in my job-seeking efforts in the UC online form that shows up when I log into my UC account.

My account has 2 tasks for me
1 prepare for my biographical appointment by phone
2 fill in the job-seeking plans

My actual work-related plan is to continue writing and marketing my work.

I started this thread to see if their were any benefits I was entitled to, but I haven't seen anything on-line anywhere that I can claim for.

calcotti

I’ve lost track of your full circumstances because the thread has got quite long so sorry if this is already covered.

Other possible benefits beside UC are
PIP if you have health difficulties that affect your ability to carry out specific activities, and
Council Tax Reduction if you are liable for Council
Tax.

GosportNancy

@calcotti

I have been refused P.I.P twice with zero points and I doubt anything will change until I have something on paper from an official body that confirms my care needs. Adult Social care is going to look at putting together a care plan so that might help.

I have already heard from the council tax office and they have adjusted my bill so the reduction has already been sorted.

I have enough in savings to keep me from struggling too much for maybe a year or so, I don't get to apply for a retirement pension until January 2026, so I need to find some way to earn enough money to keep me going until then.

I have a UC phone appointment on the 9th January so I'll work on this again once that happens and a fit not turns up.

Worse case scenario is I'll need to work harder lol

GosportNancy

Panic is over. I've done my sums and have too much in savings as the money left in my friend's will, will take me over the limit for claiming UC and New ESA.

Looks like I can get on with my writing career and just be answerable to the tax office.

calcotti

GosportNancy said:lol. I've done my sums and have too much in savings as the money left in my friend's will, will take me over the limit for claiming UC and New ESA..

There is no savings limit for new style ESA (but you do have to meet the qualifying NI conditions to be entitled to new style ESA payments).

GosportNancy

calcotti said:

GosportNancy said:lol. I've done my sums and have too much in savings as the money left in my friend's will, will take me over the limit for claiming UC and New ESA..

There is no savings limit for new style ESA (but you do have to meet the qualifying NI conditions to be entitled to new style ESA payments).

I have checked out how many hours I can work and it has to be less than 16 hours a week

I am working longer hours than that now and will be working full time starting in March.

I'm unsure what I put on the original claim regarding work.

calcotti

Yes there is an earnings restriction known as Permitted Work which must be less than 16 hours and not more than £152/ week.

GosportNancy

calcotti said:

Yes there is an earnings restriction known as Permitted Work which must be less than 16 hours and not more than £152/ week.

I thought there was a 'permitted work' part to it. It's been a few years since I volunteered as a benefits advisor.

My current thinking is that I am already answerable to the tax office and I want to limit the amount of paperwork and all the rules and regulations which would take time away from being able to work.

When I check in to the tax office, it involves writing up an accounts summary on one page and filling in my tax return, which takes me all of half an hour.

There is a lot of useful information on this thread for other people to read, so it was worth starting if it helps someone else.

Pennywren

Hi @GosportNancy
I live bexhill noticed u in Eastbourne xx harc and southdown very good at helping with benefits and support xx I put numbers for them for u

There is harc general line 01424428375

Then line just for benefits 03333440681


Southdown having evening service in eastbourne i have number for they be able put u in touch with other bits southdown
08000236475
 they start at 4 ish till 10 sry I dont no daytime numbers for Eastbourne.

They can point u to bereavement support and stuff not just money they should be able tell u where u can get fuel vouchers and hastings branch can issue food bank vouchers so I'm assuming Eastbourne can to.

Also there is homework that help with housing stuff u would need referring by social services or southdown I think.


That's all I can think of for now xx much care to u in tough times