Hi, my name is Smith258!

Smith258

My Esa stopped when I got married last year, My husband is on a state pension & a small teachers pension  of 6500.00 per year, we pay full rent of 600.00 & full Council tax which comes to over 800.00+ per month & after standard bills of gas, electric, water, t.v, we are left with less than 200.00 per month  for food & insurances, we simply cannot cope. I was in the support group due to various illnesses. I have tried just claiming unemployment benefit, but they say I am not eligible. I am not really fit for work, I have tried everything...I can't seem to get advice from anywhere. I have COPD, Carpel Tunnel, Trigeminal Neuralgia a genetic back condition which causes chronic pain daily, also I have quite a large hernia that pops out numerous times daily & causes seering pain. My doctor says I am unfit for work, but I am not getting anywhere. I have worked for 30+ years in high paid jobs & paid a lot of money in income tax & NHI. I am at the point now where debts are mounting up, it's causing problems in the relationship  & I am even considering leaving my husband as it's not fair on him I also suffer from depression...I just don't know what to do. If anyone has any advice. I would be most grateful. Having no money as small amount as it was at least we could manage, but now I despair. Because of covid every place I ring or whoever I try, I just keep hitting a dead end. Any advice would be most welcome. 8 am 58 & was made to pack up work aged 50 due to illness. My husband is 68

janer1967

Hi welcome on board and sorry you are struggling 

Have you tried claiming PIP at all ? 

Also may be worth using a benefits calculator which you can find in here in the benefits section . This will tell you if you may be eligible for anything based on your situation 

Also welfare rights could be helpful 

Ross_Scope

Hello @Smith258

Welcome to the community, I'm sorry to read you are struggling at the moment. 

As mentioned above, you might wish to check out a benefits calculator, which will give you an idea of what you might be able to claim, as you certainly don't seem to have enough to get by on.

Also, I hope you are able to effectively manage your mental health and receive support from your GP with your other conditions. 

If you ever feel like talking to anyone, you could always give Scope's helpline a call.

Smith258

Thank you so much, You just cannot get an appointment at the Dr's, everything is still being done over the phone, I feel I need a face to face appt, I am looking into switching Doctors as they're really not helpful & I have checked their ratings out, I was shocked to say the least. It's just every call I make to anywhere I go through it all & then at the end they say advisors are working from home (which I understand) & that someone will be in contact with me, but it's nearly 4 months now. I will try harder, I'm not the most forceful of ppl c

Ross_Scope

Smith258 said:

Thank you so much, You just cannot get an appointment at the Dr's, everything is still being done over the phone, I feel I need a face to face appt, I am looking into switching Doctors as they're really not helpful & I have checked their ratings out, I was shocked to say the least. It's just every call I make to anywhere I go through it all & then at the end they say advisors are working from home (which I understand) & that someone will be in contact with me, but it's nearly 4 months now. I will try harder, I'm not the most forceful of ppl c

While going 4 months without hearing back shouldn't happen, I'd say it's always worth chasing people up when it's been that long. 

Of course the pandemic will have impacted things, but 4 months is an awfully long time.

Your GP surgery doesn't sound great, hopefully switching is a smooth process.

Smith258

Thank you, I will try again, I cannot go on like this x