Incapacity Benefit/Income Support help?

toriaterrier

Hello, I was wondering if anyone could help me?

The full story:

From Sept 06 - June 08 my partner was on a course at college. We were in receipt of Income Support because he couldn't work due to being at college. The benefits were claimed in his name. In May 08 my partner turned 20 so he wasn't eligible for Income Support anymore even though he was still at college.

So we re-claimed but in my name. This was on basis I am disabled. It was a joint claim with incapacity benefit. I wasn't eligible for Incapacity Benefit because I hadn't made any ni contributions so it was just Income Support.

In August my partner got a job! So we closed the claim for Income Support. But at the end of August/beginning of September he lost his job because it was just temporary so we tried to re-claim Income Support. Now in August we recieved a questionaire through the post for Incapacity Benefit, to go into more detail about my disabilities/illnesses. I didn't send the questionaire back because as far as I was concerned I wasn't claiming Incapacity Benefit so it was put to one side.

So when I rang up at the beginning of October to see what was happening with my claim I was informed that the claim was suspended because I hadn't handed in this form. What they didn't tell me was that even though I wasn't getting any money from them the claim was still active so I was still receiveing credits towards my pension. So I filled in this form and sent the form off.

I rang up today to see how the claim was now they have the form and I have been told that I now need to send in medical certificates dating back to June 16th. Even though they have got these, apart from during August where I was't claiming. Apparently they didn't have the certificate I sent when I reapplied in September either.

So from September to now we have been living off my partners last wage which he recieved the first week of September and a crisis loan I got Friday 10th October. I am a Diabetic so therefore I need to eat properley and my nurse has told me I am on the verge of being put on Insulin. If my blood results come back high then I will be Insulin Dependent. Could this have been avoided if I was receivieng benefits?

Does anybody know what do we do now? How do we go about continuing our claim?

Thank you for reading this, and well done for getting this far

GlasweJen

sorry don't know about benefits but you don't just become insulin dependant overnight, you would probably have ended up on insulin even if you had had the benefits.

Velja

Toriaterrier,

You will need to ring them back again to double check what documents they still require from you in order to process your claim. Then you will need to send it in asap. Perhaps even deliver it in person??
Hopefully it will be sorted!

Maybe your partner can apply for JSA in the meantime.

krisskross

My husband's diabetes was controlled on tablets for about 5 years but his pancreatic function continued to deteriorate so he is now on insulin. The tablets boost your own production and enable your body to make better use of the insulin you still produce.

I would have thought your diet would have been better for your diabetes on a limited budget. Not being able to afford processed rubbish or sweets. It is certainly the 'luxury' things that mess up my husband's diabetic control.

Have you discussed your diet with a dietician?

toriaterrier

The comment about the insulin - I wasn't being entirely serious. I know it's not the most appropriate situation. But surely not being able to afford food will have an effect? There has always been the discussion that I should have been on insulin because of my age but it was dismissed and I was recieving treatment for a type 2 diabetic, because I am overwight which is down to another illness.

They have told us that if my partner goes on jsa then I have to aswell but I can't because I cannot activily look for work. On monday I am going to get an appointment with my doctor (hopefully) and I'll hand them in personally. But surely they cannot leave us without money? And if we take out mnore crisis loans it will cause problems when we get our money because we'll end up being short each week.

Thankyou for your replies.

Velja

You probably will get the benefits backdated to the date you are entitled to them.
It's not ideal relying on crisis loan and hopefully your backdated payment will help you to pay it back?

natalie1980_2

You are in whats called a FTRQ (Failed To Return Questionnaire)situation, which is the fact that you failed to return the IB50 (YOU KNOW THE PURPLE FORM) back in the given time. Its up to whoever is taking the decision what happens next, you should have been told by now if you cliam was allowed or not? Have you been told ?? If it has been allowed you just have to get the med cert in and then they will pay you. My advice is phone the benefit delievery centre and ask if you make an appointment to hand ina med cert can a counter payment be there waiting for you? See what they say.

If it hasnt been allowed you will need to ask for a reconsideration, ask for form GL24 "IF YOU THINK OUR DECSION IS WRONG", write on the form that you want a reconsideration, if the reconsideration fails it will be forwarded onto the appeal service.

Hope this helps.

toriaterrier

The questionaire was handed in about 2 weeks ago now, so I rang to see what was happening and they are now saying they haven't received any medical certificates since June. Well the one that was sent in June covered July and in August I never sent one in because as far as I knew I wasn't receiving anything and I sent one in September with the forms I claimed with and apparently they haven't recieve this. Thankyou natalie1980

natalie1980_2

Have you recieved a disallowance letter IB80 (I think??) you need to phone and ask to speak to some one in medical referrals/testing/refrencing (each benefit centre calls it something different), find out if the person making the decision has diallowed your claim?? Because you only get one month from the diallowance tome to ask for a reconsideration and appeal, though if it goes to the appeal service you can give them your reasons for a late apeal. My advice is if your sending any med certs to them send them registered post (I know the cost but at lwast you can prove they where sent).

Fisrtly though find out what the outcome of your failed to return questionaiire result was.