Introducing The Benefits Training Co.-Experts in disability benefits, tax credits and other benefits
BenefitsTrainingCo
Member Posts: 2,692 Pioneering
The Benefits Training Co. is a social enterprise committed to delivering the highest quality welfare benefits training, consultancy and advice.It runs open and in-house training courses and provides ongoing benefits-related advice to staff working in public, private and community organisations, including many charities.
All of The Benefit Training Co.'s advisers in the Scope Community have extensive experience with Citizens Advice Bureau and other advice organisations;
David Stickland – Training Director and founder of The Benefits Training Co.
Will Hadwen – Trainer and benefits consultant for CPAG, Working Families & BBC Radio 4
Michael Chambers – Money advice manager and experienced welfare advice trainer
Paul Bradley – Welfare rights adviser and tribunal representative
Maria Solomon – Solicitor, CAB adviser and trainer
Mary Shone, Solicitor, CAB adviser and trainer
The Benefit Training Co. is offering dedicated advice to Scope community members and is available for any benefits-related questions.
Replies
https://community.scope.org.uk/discussion/33794/which-law-would-my-assessor-have-contravened
Read more at https://community.scope.org.uk/discussion/34313/severe-disability-premiem#J47K0SJshhdZpV4K.99
Around two decades ago I used to fill in DLA claims for other people (and myself).
There seems to be a lot of publicity about assessors who believe their job is to refuse PIP. How common is this?
I am in the Cardiff area and would appreciate help with my DLA to PIP transfer. I have had problems in the past as although I qualify for DLA Higher Mobility and Lower Care myself, I am also providing sole Care for my bed bound wife (Higher Rates DLA both Mobility and Care).
I realise that there are paid for and free services. Having experienced some of the 'free' as a volunteer in the past I realise that recommendation by someone who knows what is what is essential.
Any advice welcome.
Jon
@calliejosh - have you not had a reply yet??
I can't see one, so just to be on the safe side...
Two things to do - firstly - get on a benefits calculator (there are free ones on the 'entitled to' and 'Turn 2 us' websites - and also one on the Scope website - and type in all possible scenarios i.e. if you gave up work and claimed ESA, if you increased/reduced your hours etc, so you can get a good picture of your options.
https://www.entitledto.co.uk/
https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/AboutYou
Secondly - consider whether PIP may be an option for you. The 'Benefits and Work' website has a PIP self-test which is helpful, and if you are unsure, just stick a claim in - no harm done.
https://benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip/pip-self-test
As a side note - if at all possible, I really recommend that you go face to face to a local Money Advice Service, either the CAB or similar, some housing associations have them, and get someone to set your mind at ease about your finances.
Hope this helps!
Mary
If you receive contribution-based ESA and have a gross pension income of more than £85 a week, the amount of benefit payable will be reduced by half of the excess.
The excess is the difference between £85 and the actual pension income. For example, for a pension income of £100, the excess is £15. The amount of ESA payable is reduced by half of that, which is £7.50.
If you receive income-related ESA, any pension income you have will be taken into account, regardless of the amount.
Lee
cant navigate to where I ask you my question
so forgive it here.
I went to my PIPs assessment
armed with my GP report and
physiotherapist report
both say cant walk aided or unaided 20 metres
The assessor asked me so many trick questions about this.
I held my owm
My Gp report says I fall from getting up from chair and bed-postural hypotension.
I told my assessor I did not want to get out of my wheel chair-as I would fall over
( nothing to grab onto)
I declined her offer to hop on and off the bed ( not all assessors have a bed in theroom?)
as again my postural hypos
and chronic heart disease ( all evidenced base)
would cause me to fall-get dizzy-nausea and fatigue.
She had that angry looks and posture-not seen since my pupil head teacher days
" can you use a supermarket?"
me " yes but only if it has a buggy-or scooter"
etc etc
It felt like a barristers cross examination
I hope you don't mind me answering this one. I've read your post and I understand your anxiety about the assessor and the questions that were asked of you. You'll need to wait for an outcome and see what happens. It's easy to think negatively about what the decision will be I understand that but you never know. Forgive me, but I can't see that you have asked us a question to answer?
Lee
I am sorry for the late reply, how did the appeal go?
Unfortunately you will have to apply for PIP as DLA is ending for every working age person and there isn't anything that can be done about that so please make sure you phone them before the deadline and order the claim pack so your DLA will continue until you get a decision on your PIP. If you need practical assistance please make contact with your local CAB or your local Welfare Rights team. Good luck!
Lee
Well done winning your appeal
ESA and PIP use different criteria as do DLA and PIP
It is important to understand the PIP points system, descriptors and criteria A good place to start is the B&W self test
http://www.mybenefitsandwork.co.uk/pip/indexxx.php
CR
Many thanks
Kevin
I have just been awarded PIP at Enhanced rates for Care and Mobility myself.
Would I be better off financially stopping claiming Carer's benefit.
As I read it I would get £30 odd as a Carer for my wife on the joint claim but we would lose £60 odd in my own disability benefit as one of us has Carer's benefit claimed for us.
I read the figures on the Government website but the explanation was vague to say the least.
I know there were cases in the 90s where disabled people won court cases where they both claimed carers benefits for caring for each other but it seems that it would lose us money by doing so.
We live symbiotically and do provide Care by helping each other to perform tasks that we could not do alone. There is no misrepresentation whatsoever as we help each other 24/7/365.
We could attempt to claim Carer's premium for each other but that is a fight that I think we are too old and tired to take on at this time in our lives.
Over to you,
Jon
When you said you just scored 15 points, often a tribunal will stop at 15 because that is the threshold and any more than 15 is irrelevant really, it doesn't mean that you wouldn't have scored more if you needed them.
Hi Kevin2017,
You may be able to get representation from your Local Authority's Welfare Rights team if they have one so they should be your first call. CAB will advise you what to expect and will help with your submission but I understand they don't attend appeals.
Hi foxuk,
Have you claimed Carer's Allowance for looking after each other? This way you would both get £62.70 CA each and carer premiums as well in your income-related benefit claim. You would be better off this way, wouldn't you?
Hi victoriad,
The earliest you can ask for your Carer's Credit to start from is the start of the last full tax year. You can find out more about home responsibilities protection here: https://www.gov.uk/home-responsibilities-protection-hrp but I think it ended in 2010 and you can only claim it for a period before this date.
I am sorry for the short replies but as you can see there has been numerous queries on this thread so I have tried to answer them all but by having to keep them fairly short.
Lee
Thank you
In some areas of the country, Income Support can't be claimed (on a new claim) and you might have to claim Universal Credit instead. Any tax credits or housing benefit you're getting now would stop, and you wouldn't be able to get them back. So this is something to be very cautious about. You can check if UC has started in your area by entering your postcode here.
Can I ask everyone please, don't post more queries on this thread. Please start a new thread for your queries, otherwise we may miss them. Thank you!
Will