HELP!!! Please - worked for 30 years but illness has struck me down

BrianKL
BrianKL Posts: 4 Newbie
First Anniversary
in Benefits & tax credits
Hello everyone.

I hope that there is some help out there.

I am a 48 year old married man who has worked solid for the last 30 years.

I have been struck down with an illness (Liver disease) which means I have had to close my business which was my only income (my wife does work full time).

I have been to St. James Hospital in Leeds who confirm that I need a transplant and I am in the higher capacity of necessity.

This could take 12 months.

I am looking for advice on what benefits I can claim and if my wife can claim any as her income is around £1200 per month including child allowance.

I have applied for a PIP but this has taken months but they have confirmed receipt of my application and I will receive my first fortnightly payment of around £135.00 this month for Esa.

I have been told that I can speak to the council regarding reducing my council tax but dont qualify yet for any housing benefit as we have a mortgage on our house which is currently up for sale.

I/We have no idea what benefits we can claim but desperately need income ASAP.

If there are any Good Samaritans out there who can throw any advice my way it will be a great help!

Fingers crossed!!!

Comments

  • dippy3103
    dippy3103 Posts: 1,959 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post I've been Money Tipped!
    You may be able to claim tax credits
  • haras_nosirrah
    haras_nosirrah Posts: 2,208 Forumite
    edited 4 December 2017 at 8:00PM
    I assume you don't have any insurance on your mortgage e.g income protection or critical illness? this is exactly what it is for. Maybe check your direct debits to see if there is anything you have forgotton about
    I am a Mortgage Adviser
    You should note that this site doesn't check my status as a Mortgage Adviser, so you need to take my word for it. This signature is here as I follow MSE's Mortgage Adviser Code of Conduct. Any posts on here are for information and discussion purposes only and shouldn't be seen as financial advice.
  • Ames
    Ames Posts: 18,459 Forumite
    You need to sort out any means tested benefits before June, because that's when Leeds is due to go Universal Credit full service.

    Why are you selling your house? Are you due to get much in the way of equity?

    I'd suggest you speak to CAB quite urgently.
    Unless I say otherwise 'you' means the general you not you specifically.
  • Alice_Holt
    Alice_Holt Posts: 5,946 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    I'd second getting a benefits check at your local CAB.
    Alice Holt Forest situated some 4 miles south of Farnham forms the most northerly gateway to the South Downs National Park.
  • kingfisherblue
    kingfisherblue Posts: 9,203 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Xmas Saver!
    St. James are likely to have benefit advisers, and I strongly suggest that you speak to them. They will be able to help you. If you are very high on the list, then I'm sorry to ask, but presumably that means that without a transplant you are terminally ill? You might be entitled to apply for PIP under the Special Rules if that is the case - so everything is rushed through for you. I do hope that I have not offended you.

    Please be aware that if you are in hospital, you need to inform PIP after a certain amount of time (I think it's 28 days). PIP will stop temporarily. If you are in hospital for a shorter time, discharged, then readmitted, the hospital stays can be added together if the reason is the same. Please note the date and time of any phone call, plus the name of the person that you (or whoever rings on your behalf) speaks to. The reason that I mention this is that someone I know is sure that they informed PIP of all hospital stays, but now has an over payment - and the family is under enough stress as it is.

    As someone has said, you might qualify for child tax credits - it depends on household income, the amount of children that you have, any childcare and any disabilities. Even if you didn't qualify before, you might now.

    I hope that your transplant goes well x
  • Ames
    Ames Posts: 18,459 Forumite
    kingfisherblue wrote: »
    St. James are likely to have benefit advisers, and I strongly suggest that you speak to them. They will be able to help you. If you are very high on the list, then I'm sorry to ask, but presumably that means that without a transplant you are terminally ill? You might be entitled to apply for PIP under the Special Rules if that is the case - so everything is rushed through for you. I do hope that I have not offended you.

    Please be aware that if you are in hospital, you need to inform PIP after a certain amount of time (I think it's 28 days). PIP will stop temporarily. If you are in hospital for a shorter time, discharged, then readmitted, the hospital stays can be added together if the reason is the same. Please note the date and time of any phone call, plus the name of the person that you (or whoever rings on your behalf) speaks to. The reason that I mention this is that someone I know is sure that they informed PIP of all hospital stays, but now has an over payment - and the family is under enough stress as it is.

    As someone has said, you might qualify for child tax credits - it depends on household income, the amount of children that you have, any childcare and any disabilities. Even if you didn't qualify before, you might now.

    I hope that your transplant goes well x

    Do hospitals have benefits advisors? I'm under the care of several departments at St. James' and have never heard of benefits advisors, no leaflets or posters etc, but it could be different for patients in the OPs position.
    Unless I say otherwise 'you' means the general you not you specifically.
  • Akahotpot
    Akahotpot Posts: 155 Forumite
    First Anniversary
    edited 5 December 2017 at 12:57PM
    Hospital have social workers though they are hard to get to see
    I have had a kidney transplant and I found the NKF invaluable for advise on benefits
    I would try contacting the British Liver Trust for advice
  • IAmWales
    IAmWales Posts: 2,024 Forumite
    Ames wrote: »
    Do hospitals have benefits advisors? I'm under the care of several departments at St. James' and have never heard of benefits advisors, no leaflets or posters etc, but it could be different for patients in the OPs position.

    Mine hasn't even got a full time PALS officer any longer, let alone a benefits advisor.

    Certain areas will have access to a benefits advisor, cancer patients can be referred to Macmillan for instance, but they'll usually be provided by a linked charity rather than the hospital themselves.
  • kingfisherblue
    kingfisherblue Posts: 9,203 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Xmas Saver!
    Ames wrote: »
    Do hospitals have benefits advisors? I'm under the care of several departments at St. James' and have never heard of benefits advisors, no leaflets or posters etc, but it could be different for patients in the OPs position.

    Our local hospital (not as big or as famous as Jimmy's) has a benefits adviser through the Carer's Centre outreach there. I'd understood from a friend that they had benefits advice from someone at Jimmy's when having a transplant, but it is possible that I have misunderstood. My apologies.
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