No idea what help I may be entitled to claim — Scope | Disability forum
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No idea what help I may be entitled to claim

melanieloud
melanieloud Community member Posts: 1 Listener
Hi. 

New to all this. Became sick this year but diabetic for 19 yrs. Neuro problems but undiagnosed. Was self employed but not fit to work since feb. Was receiving working tax credit and then claimed esa. Not sure is wtc will stop or should stop now I'm not working. Having difficulty sorting council tax and housing benefit. Literally no invome. Just applied for pip. Had assessment about a week ago. Can't work. Can't go out alone. Have three kids 20 ft student at home, 18 ft student home holidays and 16 ft student. No carer. Live alone. Struggling a lot!!!! Please can someone point me in the right direction? 

Comments

  • pinkydee
    pinkydee Community member Posts: 2 Listener
    A good place to start in the Disabled Collation or Citizens Advice Bureau.  You could also log onto gov.uk or ‘entitledto’ websites.  You enter your circumstances.  Also, look at charities specific to your condition(s).  
  • CockneyRebel
    CockneyRebel Community member Posts: 5,209 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi melanie and welcome

    You say you have claimed ESA, have you had an assessment for it ?

    PIP decisions usually take 2-6 weeks following an assessment, but you should ring the DWP and ask for a copy of the assessment report which will tell you what the assessor recommended.

    If, at the moment you have no income you should declare this to the council.

    Please come back with any questions and we will try and help

    CR
    Be all you can be, make  every day count. Namaste
  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
    melanieloud,

    Hi Melanie,

    It's hard to give comprehensive benefits advice because the person helping you would need to ask you lots of question. I recommend the CAB, or a local disability advice organisation if there is one. You can also try the benefit calculators, eg on the Scope website

    From what you've said so far, you've claimed PIP, and ESA, and you are waiting for the outcome of an assessment (I think this is the ESA assessment, but it's a bit difficult to be sure from your post, it could be the PIP assessment?). If you are not working any more, please make sure HMRC know about that. Your Working Tax Credit should stop 4 weeks after you stop work. I'd double check on that because you don't want to be overpaid.

    The next thing to check is whether you are in a Universal Credit (UC) area. Enter your postcode here. If it says 'some people' can claim UC, there is nothing to worry about. If it says 'UC is available', without the words 'some people', then you would have to claim UC instead of housing benefit. 

    I'm going to assume for now that you're in an area where UC is only for 'some people' (which doesn't include disabled people), but post back if that turns out to be wrong. 

    You should be claiming child tax credit for your 16 year old, assuming they are in non-advanced education (up to and including GCSEs, A levels or equivalent)?  That should continue - no reason for that to stop at the moment. Same with child benefit.

    You can claim housing benefit if you pay rent AND you are not in an area where disabled people have to make new claims for UC when they claim certain benefits. Your housing benefit will not be reduced because of your two older children - they are ignored because they are full-time students (the only exception is if they work during the summer vacation, when a deduction could be made). 

    You say you are having problems with housing benefit and council tax benefit - because council tax reduction is worked out locally, it will be difficult for us to advise on that, so I really recommend CAB - either arrange to go there with one of your children, or see if they can help over the phone? A lot of CABx now have district-based phone lines. But if you have specific questions about your housing benefit, you could try asking us (one of us is on the forum each working day).

    If you're getting ESA, and you've been working recently, you may get contributory ESA if you were paying enough national insurance during your self-employment. Income-related ESA may or may not be payable on top of that, or instead of that if you haven't paid enough contributions. If you've claimed ESA, until a decision about your capability for work is made (usually following a medical) you should get what is called the assessment rate, worth £73.10 a week.

    So, to sum up, I'd expect you to get ESA (contributory and/or income-related), housing benefit, council tax reduction and, if your assessment is successful, PIP. PIP could make your income-related ESA worth more, or make it more likely that you can get this, so make sure you let ESA know if you get PIP. I'd also expect you to get child benefit and child tax credit for your youngest child. This advice is based on you being in an area where UC isn't yet available for disabled people making new claims. Assuming you have already claimed housing benefit and council tax reduction and already get child benefit and child tax credit, it sounds as if you have claimed everything you're entitled to at the moment.

    I hope this helps. Do come back with any questions.

    Will 
    The Benefits Training Co:

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