ESA APPEAL AND HOUSING BENEFIT

minimini1
minimini1 Online Community Member Posts: 6 Listener
edited October 2018 in Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
HI i am going to appeal my ESA however what happens to my HOUSING BENEFIT and council tax benefit... the apoeal could take months how do i pay my rent... i am told HB would be backdated if win appeal BUT A. will i have lost my flat by then B. If i fail my apoeal do i end up with a DEBT for all the housing benefit on hold. There seems no info on this all my local help charities and cizten advice are closed or ran by DWP ... i m having a nitemare as i just dont see how i would nanage to pay my rent and am terrified i will be homeless with perhaps evenna massive debt... i am at a total loss and now cant rake strain from this starting point ...help please anyone 

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 63,185 Championing
    HI,

    Firstly, please try not to panic.  What stage are you at with your ESA, is it Mandatory Reconsideration or Tribunal?

    If the MR decision remains the same and most do then you can claim assessment rate for ESA once the Tribunal have accepted your appeal but you'll need sick notes from your GP to claim it, providing you're not appealing a decision to find you fit for work for failing to attend an assessment.

    For your housing benefit while you wait for the Tribunal to accept your appeal You need to contact your local council and ask to fill out a nil income form, this will allow you to continue to claim housing benefit while you wait. The same for council tax reduction.
  • minimini1
    minimini1 Online Community Member Posts: 6 Listener
    Ok so far im at the start of all this its so far been horrendous im totally scared if the worst happened and i fail tribunal would i owe that housing benefit ? As you can tell im having a pretty bad time but thankyou fir your replies i just cant get simple answers and help thankyou so much
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 63,185 Championing
    No, you wouldn’t owe any money to your local council if you lost the Tribunal. Please contact your local council tomorrow morning and ask for the nil income form. 
  • Pippa_Alumni
    Pippa_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,761 Championing
    Welcome to the community @minimini1, and thank you for sharing this with us. Glad to see you've had some guidance- do contact your local council and let us know how you get on. If you need any further assistance, just let us know.
  • minimini1
    minimini1 Online Community Member Posts: 6 Listener
    Thankyou so much the most help i have had si far !
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 63,185 Championing
    minimini1 said:
    Thankyou so much the most help i have had si far !
    You're very welcome. Please don't hesitate to come back if there's anything else we can help with and i'm sure someone will help you all they can!

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