Lone Parent claiming disablity premium on income support

AngelDelight_2

Hi,
Im new and this is the first time Im posting after finding this when I googled about this new thing the benefits office are doing.

I too received a letter today. I get dla and i.s, I have a child under 12 so was a bit confused when I received the letter and even more confused with reading this. I am not fit enough to work and and very unwell. My letter was the same one as the one posted on here. I called the benefits office wit the number provided on the back of the letter and the guy I spoke to was very helpful and kind. He basically said everything was new and staff are due on training about this. The letter states that If you get i.s and dla then you have to ring the number on the back page. It states that you should select 1 and choose new claim for IB. So he filled the form for me over the phone. It took about 30 minutes and he said the form he filled out for me will be posted for me to check and sign.

So what Im confused about is, do we have to claim IB? Im sorry if i sound thick but my medication makes me very slow and hard to understand and take things in. Please someone that can explain it to me a bit more, can you help me understand please. Im sorry to be a nusance, but its made me panic. I didnt get to mention all my health problems on the phone as I was drowsy and felt really sick and do not like talking on the phone. Thanks for helping.

dmg24

Hi AngelDelight,

Welcome to MSE.

You have done the right thing in contacting the DWP, and starting your claim for IB. If you do not qualify for IB (which is possible if you have not paid sufficient NI contributions), then they will process your claim for IS for reason of Incapacity.

Anything else you need to ask, just ask x

shazrobo, I would be concerned if all they have done is put a note on your account. When the changeover happens, the great majority of the work will be automated, and therefore a note on your account will not be picked up on. It could be that they have actually done more than just adding notes, but I would ask for them to put something in writing for you to confirm x

In both cases, depending on your previous eligibility for IB/ IS for reason of Incapacity, you may also be asked to submit medical certificates.

AngelDelight_2

Thank you very much dmg24 for welcoming me and replying to my message. You have made me feel much better now as I was so worried that I had done the wrong thing. I will now wait for the forms to arrive so I can check it and also add about my mental health problems. Thank you, I will contact you If I have any more questions.x

my_two_cents

AngelDelight wrote: »

Hi,
I too received a letter today. . .I have a child under 12 . . . I called the benefits office . . . So he filled the form for me over the phone.
. . .So what Im confused about is, do we have to claim IB?. . .

Your child is not yet 12 so the new law coming in does not apply to you yet they made you fill a form for IB. The plot thickens.

:mad: :mad: :mad: I feel a rant coming on. This is a money saving forum and we are in a credit crunch climate so every penny counts.

I do not know about your financial circumstances but if you have paid enough NI contribution, they have succeeded in acting in a sneaky and underhanded manner by forcing you onto IB, which means you lose your rights to free prescription, free lunch for your child, free insulation, half-price travel fare, you have to pay some of your rent, council tax, etc :mad: :mad: :mad:

Oh well, I guess the £391m the Prime Minister has already spent on his PR campaign is not enough . . . :rolleyes:

Welcome AngelDelight, sorry for the rant.

sharski

dmg24....
Shazrobo has already said that he/she gets Carer's Allowance...therefore, there will be NO changes to his/her IS.... and that is regardless of whether or not a member of the JC put a 'note on the system'...

sharski

Also.. My_two_cents...
No-one has 'sneakily' forced anyone onto IB.... to continue to receive IS if a lone parent is too ill to work, they MUST claim IB... that doesn't mean they will be paid by IB (as people have correctly pointed out - if a person has not paid enough NI, they would not qualify for a payment under IB). What it means is that they now have an 'underlying' entitlement to IB but it will be IS that will pay them.... meaning they WILL NOT lose there entitlement to freebies... ok??

The mail drop was send to inform lone parents of the changes that were imminent - would people prefer it if no-one was kept informed?? The reasoning behind it is that if a lone parent is claiming IS for being a lone parent AND THAT IS ALL (i.e. not a carer, foster parent, or ill), there is NO REASON in the world why that parent is incapable of finding 'some' work when the child is at school...??!!

my_two_cents

sharski wrote: »

Also.. My_two_cents...
No-one has 'sneakily' forced anyone onto IB.... to continue to receive IS if a lone parent is too ill to work, they MUST claim IB... that doesn't mean they will be paid by IB (as people have correctly pointed out - if a person has not paid enough NI, they would not qualify for a payment under IB)... ok??

Why then, was she asked to make a claim for IB despite the fact that her youngest child is not 12? Why weren't the staffs trained to ask for the children's age to check whether the new law affected them?

Do you realise that NIC is treated to have been paid once you earn a measly amount of £87/week, which was the LEL figure for the tax year 2007/2008?

sharski wrote: »

The mail drop was send to inform lone parents of the changes that were imminent - would people prefer it if no-one was kept informed??

It is one thing to send mailshots to all parents, it is another to force a claim out of them after they call, despite the fact that their youngest ward is not yet 12 . After all, didn't the new law stipulate that it would only affect parents whose youngest child was over 12?

sharski wrote: »

The reasoning behind it is that if a lone parent is claiming IS for being a lone parent AND THAT IS ALL (i.e. not a carer, foster parent, or ill), there is NO REASON in the world why that parent is incapable of finding 'some' work when the child is at school...??!!

You are entitled to your own opinion, but please spare me . . .

wazza

Went to an interview at the jobcentre. It is a normal 6 monthly interview where they ask you what you are doing in regarding looking for a job etc. I showed them the letter i received.

A paragraph says ''The proposals are that from November 2008 when a lone parent’s youngest child is aged 12 or over their IS could end. From October 2009 this would affect lone parents whose youngest child is aged 10 or over, and from October 2010 lone parents whose youngest child is aged 7 or over. '' According to the interviewer since my youngest is 6 the changes will not affect me until 2010. I ring ring the number on the letter to double check.

my_two_cents

wazza wrote: »

. . . I ring ring the number on the letter to double check.

What if the same friendly chap that made AngelDelight fill in an IB form, picks up your call :eek: :rotfl:

wazza

my_two_cents wrote: »

What if the same friendly chap that made AngelDelight fill in an IB form, picks up your call :eek: :rotfl:

Then i will seek advice from say citizen advice burea