CAB - Means tested?

Sujamjen

I'm afraid I don't know all the details about what she has or has not applied for, as her partner has been filling in the forms (bless him). I will pass all the above info on to them and I am very grateful for all the responses that this post received. :beer:

I didn't realise how difficult it is to get these benefits, when you are ill (in whatever way) jumping through all these hoops surely only adds to the stress and pain? I am beginning to think that I may end up with DD and partner coming to live with me just to have a roof over their heads!:eek:

munchings-n-crunchings

Hello again Sujamjen,

Make an appointment with a specialist advisory organisation.
They will be able to give you a considered opinion about what your daughter may be entitled to.
It could be simple, common errors that her OH has made with the application forms.
I would attend with your daughter, as an extra pair of ears are always useful.

For a DLA claim, your daughter does not need a final diagnosis, it help, but not essential. Just collect together all her medical reports, consultant appointment dates, GP appointments etc, and go and get good advice.

Just consider this the start, and finding this forum is a great starting point.
Just take the next step,

Good Luck
Munchie

Let us know how you get on.

LittleTinker

Sujamjen wrote: »

I hope I'm in the right place and not starting an old worn out topic. My daughter has Arthritus (having tests done right now to sort out what sort and what else) IB and FMS and hasn't worked for almost 2 yrs. During that time she has lived on her savings and her partners salary while she waited to 'get better' and 'back to normal'. Anyway to cut a long story short she has applied for various benefits and after 9 months of misinformation, lost forms, lost ID etc, been refused them all. She has reapplied/supplied all extra info etc etc and I suggested that she contact the CAB for some advice with filling in the interminable forms. She has just had a phone call from the CAB asking how much her house is worth (approx 95,000) and what the mortgage is on is approx 90,000) and was then told she can't go to them for advice because she is not entitle to Legal Aid. I thought the CAB was open to everyone?

Please can anyone tell me where she can go for some help? This is all new to me and I feel I'm lost in a mine field!

She probably wont be entitled to IB (or whatever it is called now) as she will not have paid enough NI contributions over the last 2 years if she has not been working.

If she claimed DLA at all then it is very unlikely that they will pay out on a first claim and it is notoriously difficult to get it.

So that leaves Income Support...and as her partner works she probably doesnt qualify for any of that either.

Her best bet is to claim DLA again when she can but she can go to her Jobcentre for help.

Ames

I wouldn't go to the jobcentre for help with forms, they're not exactly impartial! I've always had help from DIAL since I moved to an area with one, and I'm sure I wouldn't have the award I have without them. They know the right buzzwords to put down, for instance most people would put pain but discomfort is considered worse by the DWP.

alison74

I posted a copy of a DLA form specifically for arthritis

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1384021


Please PM me if you need any other info, I am experienced in this field

cabvol

Sujamjen wrote: »

I hope I'm in the right place and not starting an old worn out topic. My daughter has Arthritus (having tests done right now to sort out what sort and what else) IB and FMS and hasn't worked for almost 2 yrs. During that time she has lived on her savings and her partners salary while she waited to 'get better' and 'back to normal'. Anyway to cut a long story short she has applied for various benefits and after 9 months of misinformation, lost forms, lost ID etc, been refused them all. She has reapplied/supplied all extra info etc etc and I suggested that she contact the CAB for some advice with filling in the interminable forms. She has just had a phone call from the CAB asking how much her house is worth (approx 95,000) and what the mortgage is on is approx 90,000) and was then told she can't go to them for advice because she is not entitle to Legal Aid. I thought the CAB was open to everyone?

Please can anyone tell me where she can go for some help? This is all new to me and I feel I'm lost in a mine field!

May be too late and this thread is dead but,

There must have been some sort of misunderstanding here, all cabs would provide this kind of service to all regardless of means. Some Bureaux have legal aid franchises where clients entitled to legal aid would be seen by an adviser employed to undertake work in specific types of case most commonly debt and welfare rights - this service is addition to the core service offered in the Bureau. It depends on local set up some would have a separate unit with telephone number etc others would refer you to the legal aid unit after doing the means test. If you are not entitled to legal aid then the main Bureau should help, I suggest you complain to the Bureau and get an explanation.