Partner wants me to move in, confused.

mileymoo89

I claim ESA income based, and have just been awarded PIP £60 per week.
My partner wants me to move in with them, but I think I'll lose my ESA, and be left with only £60 a week.
I hate the thought of being almost fully financially reliant on them, would make me feel useless.
How can I contribute to rent, bills e.t.c, when I get £60 per week? 
How can you contribute to rent, bills e.t.c when you are left with only £60 a week?
By the time you get some food shopping, toiletries, washing powder, fuel in my car, what's left to help pay bills?
It's so degrading.
I'm trying to get my head around it all, but for something that should be a happy time, I just feel panicky and confused.
I live with my parents, but if I got a flat, I'd have to claim housing benefits... surely they should be supporting people with a disability wanting to live with a partner, not stripping them of what little income they do recieve.
I'm sure there are others that have been in my situation that could help shed some light on all of this.

AndrewHall

It depends on the amounts of savings and earnings of your partner. 

poppy123456

Hi

You haven’t given any information to be able to advise you properly. 

Does your partner work? Do they claim any benefits their self? 

calcotti

The benefits system expects that in couples each partner will support the other as necessary so all means tested benefits are calculated on joint circumstances.

Is your ESA entirely income base or is it a mixed award (part contribution based and part income based)? If it is entirely income based then it is possible you will lose the ESA depending on how much your partner earnings and what your joint savings will be.

mileymoo89

He's on 36k a year before tax, no savings and around 10k debt.
To rent a 2 bed property here is around £1400 a month. 

calcotti

calcotti said: Is your ESA entirely income base or is it a mixed award (part contribution based and part income based)? 

You haven't answered the above question.

His debt makes no difference to your joint benefit entitlement.

If you claimed Uc you would have a standard couple allowance, plus the LCWRA element (provided you claim while still getting ESA) and he can claim the carer element for looking after you.

You would also get the housing element to help with rent. The amount would be capped at the one bedroom rate for the area https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/Search.aspx

If you were still getting contribution based ESA that would be deducted in full.

For his earning (net earnings are used) there would be a deduction of 55% of anything above £335/month. If his earnings are £36,000 gross it is likely there will be some UC entitlement if you are not getting ESA.

You can use a benefits calculator to see what entitlement might be
https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk
https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator

mileymoo89

Income based.

mileymoo89

What about bills? As debts will have to be paid back so much a month. Do they take your out goings into account? As rent/mortgage & council tax differs massively depending on where you live.

poppy123456

mileymoo89 said:

What about bills? As debts will have to be paid back so much a month. Do they take your out goings into account? As rent/mortgage & council tax differs massively depending on where you live.

Paying bills/debts is not taken into consideration when claiming any benefits.
If you rent your home as advised you will be able to claim help with this through Universal Credit. Your partners earnings received each month above the work allowance will reduce your UC as advised. 

If you have a mortgage you will not be able to claim for any help with this. 

Council tax reduction can be claimed from your local authority, if entitled. 

Use the benefit calculator above and put both of your details into it. 

mileymoo89

As I'm on ESA, have been since before they changed it, would they stop my claim, and refer me to UC? Or would they take the details of his earnings, and reduce the amount of ESA I get? 
It's so confusing, I've been in a constant panic all weekend about it. I don't cope with change very well at all 

poppy123456

If all of your ESA is Income Related with his earnings being that amount then you will have no entitlement to Income Related ESA.

If you claimed UC before your ESA ending then you will be entitled to the LCWRA element from the start of your claim, as well as the standard couples element and housing element, if you rent your home. If you privately rent then you'll be entitled to the 1 bedroom rate of local housing allowance. You can check how much that is here. https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/

However, before doing anything else you should ring ESA and ask them if any part of your ESA is contributions based, if it is then this will continue (£114.10 per week)

I'd also advise you to get a full benefits check from an advice agency near you if you can't use the benefits calculator linked above.

calcotti

poppy123456 said:
However, before doing anything else you should ring ESA and ask them if any part of your ESA is contributions based, if it is then this will continue (£114.10 per week) 

I'd also advise you to get a full benefits check from an advice agency near you if you can't use the benefits calculator linked above. 

And do all this before moving in. If you are going to claim UC it is important that you do it while getting ESA. If your ESA is entirely income based that means that you need to claim UC yourself before you move and then add him to the claim after you have moved. Of some of your ESA is contribution based and the ESA will therefore continue then you can leave it until you have moved.