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Should my dad be claiming other benefits?
Tracymae
Posts: 134 Forumite
Around this time last year my Dad had a bit of trouble in a new relationship and as a result ended up homeless, jobless and very depressed. He has worked all his life and mainly for the same employer but he was told if he didn't voluntarily leave then they would make sure he didn't get any benefits (very illegal but unfortunately he has no evidence to prove this). He came to stay with us for a while and eventually picked himself up enough to get his own place. Around 2 months ago he called and said he was very pleased to have passed an interview for driving the busses, he just had to get his medical over with and he could start. He failed the medical 
He has a blocked artery in his leg which affects how far he can walk (but driving busses doesn't involve much walking), he has high blood pressure and he has chronic deafness (since childhood and he has a hearing aid). Not sure which one or if all of these problems are letting him down but he is having real problems finding a job because of them. He gets job seekers allowance at the moment but I recon he should be claiming incapacity benefit because the health issues are the reason he is being turned down for jobs. Am I right? Should I push him to put in a claim?
He has a blocked artery in his leg which affects how far he can walk (but driving busses doesn't involve much walking), he has high blood pressure and he has chronic deafness (since childhood and he has a hearing aid). Not sure which one or if all of these problems are letting him down but he is having real problems finding a job because of them. He gets job seekers allowance at the moment but I recon he should be claiming incapacity benefit because the health issues are the reason he is being turned down for jobs. Am I right? Should I push him to put in a claim? 0
Comments
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Encourage him to claim Incapacity Benefit and DLA. Get help from a welfare advisor to fill in the forms - from the council, CAB or DIAL.0
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Whether he gets DLA will depend on how much help he needs though-it doesn't sound as though his health problems have been a major problem up until now? He would be best advised to get info re all his health problems and then get an experienced advisor to fill the form out as it would be very easy to lose out in an unclear case like this.
I don't know anything about IB but the same advisor would,I'm sure.
Driving jobs are becoming tougher to get into healthwise these days,a lot of it is due to insurance (I used to help my ex run his mini-bus business.)We couldn't get insurance for anyone under 25 or anyone over 60 in our trade-which was a pain,as it wa often the over 60's who were the best employees being great with the clients and reliable with it!Tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes in it!0
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