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ESA assessment

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Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,320 Disability Gamechanger
    Paying off your mortgage will most definitely be classed as deprivation of capital, it's not laughable. What it means is, that if DWP decide this then you'll still be classed as having that money.

    Savings of £6,000 and more will reduce your benefits by £1 for every £250 over that amount. Once you drop below £16,000 you'll still have a reduction in your benefit.

    This link will tell you what's in your area for further advice. https://advicelocal.uk/

    I note from another post that you're receiving the SDP so some of your money is income related. Part of it could be contributions based but that will depend if you were working and paid enough national insurance contributions in the 2 years before you claimed ESA. If you didn't then it will be all income related.

    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • Benistmonk
    Benistmonk Community member Posts: 343 Pioneering
    That's what I am trying to impress upon her, it is no joke having the DWP pouring over your finances. If they think you have wasted 1 penny, they will use that against you to refuse payment. 
  • maggieomx
    maggieomx Community member Posts: 131 Courageous
    You dont need to impress it on me i wasnt laughing at the system i was joking at cockney rebel forgetting the word deprivation !!
  • maggieomx
    maggieomx Community member Posts: 131 Courageous
    On your advice poppy123456 Im making an appointment at citizens advice tommorow .
    I Wish id never started the process of selling my home now !! If id of known the trouble it would cause me !!!
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,320 Disability Gamechanger
    That's what I am trying to impress upon her, it is no joke having the DWP pouring over your finances. If they think you have wasted 1 penny, they will use that against you to refuse payment. 
    You couldn't be more right there.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • Benistmonk
    Benistmonk Community member Posts: 343 Pioneering
    maggieomx said:
    You dont need to impress it on me i wasnt laughing at the system i was joking at cockney rebel forgetting the word deprivation !!

    No problem, carry on as if nothing happened, nothing happened anyway.  :)
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,320 Disability Gamechanger
    maggieomx said:
    On your advice poppy123456 Im making an appointment at citizens advice tommorow .
    I Wish id never started the process of selling my home now !! If id of known the trouble it would cause me !!!
    CAB very often have long waiting times for appointments in most areas, you may not get an appointment that quick.

    You didn't answer my question about contributions based ESA. Did you work and pay NI contributions in the 2 years before your ESA claim started?

    If you're still not sure if part of your claim is contributions based then look at a recent award letter or ring ESA and ask them and they'll tell you exactly what you're claiming. As i said some of what you receive is income related because the 2 disability premiums are only paid if you're claiming income related. They aren't paid if you're claim is just contributions based.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • Benistmonk
    Benistmonk Community member Posts: 343 Pioneering
    That's what I am trying to impress upon her, it is no joke having the DWP pouring over your finances. If they think you have wasted 1 penny, they will use that against you to refuse payment. 
    You couldn't be more right there.

    And then they will tell you how long the money should have lasted you.  :/
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,320 Disability Gamechanger
    Replacing old furniture for new, within reason is fine. Going on holiday, within reason is fine. Paying of debts, like mortgage, loans etc, unless you're receiving letters from debt collectors then this will be questioned. As will giving money to family etc. When you re-claim they will ask for bank statements and if they think you spent the money too quickly to re-claim means tested benefits they they will more than likely question you.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • maggieomx
    maggieomx Community member Posts: 131 Courageous
    Morning poppy iv been awake all night worrying about this deprivation of money and paying my mortgage off with the profit from my sale its within a couple of weeks il be due to sign contracts on my new home . I need to move as iv got terrible arthritis and need no stairs in my property .
    Out of the sale i wanted to pay all the fees off and moving costs off from the proceeds.id have all the receipts dwp would see iv not given the money away wish i could just continue to pay my mortgage off like iv been doing .im moving for my health not to make money.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,320 Disability Gamechanger
    Paying your fees and moving costs would be fine, as it's all part of the moving process. Paying off your mortgage is different. Please speak to an advice centre near you.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • maggieomx
    maggieomx Community member Posts: 131 Courageous
    I spoke to my solicitor sorting the sale out and he said the payment of  outstanding mortgage  its done automatically before the excess money is put in my account ? When sale goes through. I dont see any of that money ??.


  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,320 Disability Gamechanger
    maggieomx said:
    I spoke to my solicitor sorting the sale out and he said the payment of  outstanding mortgage  its done automatically before the excess money is put in my account ? When sale goes through. I dont see any of that money ??.


    I'm sorry but i'm not convinced this is correct. The mortgage will only be paid off because you requested it to be. DWP will ask what you did with that extra money from the sale of the house because they have ways and means of knowing. A solicitor isn't always the best person to ask about a means tested benefit and deprivation of capital.

    My advice still stands, please get further advice from an advice centre near you.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • maggieomx
    maggieomx Community member Posts: 131 Courageous
    I am convinced your correct its he rang regarding something else and i told him what you said and he said there is a paper trail to show the money went to pay the outstanding mortgage off .
    Halifax said its nothing to do with them iv got citizens advice ringing me Thursday or Friday regarding this and to get advice like you said .
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,320 Disability Gamechanger
    I understand there's a paper trail but that doesn't help the deprivation of capital rules because it's still your decision to pay off your mortgage. If CAB can't advise you then the only way to know a definite answer is to ring DWP and ask for a case manager to ring you back. I have tried to look for an answer and all i can find is it's deprivation of capital, unless the mortgage company is demanding payment.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • maggieomx
    maggieomx Community member Posts: 131 Courageous
    The cab is ringing Thursday or Friday to speak and make an appointment to speak properly to them.
    i wouldn’t try to hide anything from the DWP.
    what I can’t understand is when I move they will be stopping my ESA anyway so I wouldn’t be on any ESA benefit anyway.
     So will it be in a year or whenever it is when I try to go back on esa when they will start all this questioning ?
    i am grateful for all your help it’s I’m just not able to take things in quick ??
  • Benistmonk
    Benistmonk Community member Posts: 343 Pioneering
    You have nothing to worry about then, when you end up with £16,000 or less in savings, you can claim UC.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,320 Disability Gamechanger
    You have nothing to worry about then, when you end up with £16,000 or less in savings, you can claim UC.
    I disagree here sorry. As maggie is claiming a means tested benefit at the moment and will stop the claim when they have the money, DWP will most likely want bank statements when a new claim is started.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • maggieomx
    maggieomx Community member Posts: 131 Courageous
    I will just make sure i take the equivalent of 2 weeks esa out and no more every 2 weeks then when i get to £16.000  just reapply for my  ESA again is that correct ??
  • maggieomx
    maggieomx Community member Posts: 131 Courageous
    When would i start a new claim ??

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