Housing Benefit isn't enough!!

ladykhan

I am on Incapacity Benefit. Have done since mid 2008 ish. I get £105 a week, my rent is £73 and the benefits are willing to pay £55! I have to pay £17 a week. And £35 a month council tax. Now to me that isn't fair seems you have electric, gas, water and TV license to pay for. I have just applied for DLA but because I have Crohn's Disease it doesn't really come under carers or mobility, i rang Citizens Advice and they said there not much they can do as I am getting more than enough in the Governments eyes. But its not. I have only just moved in on the 17th august and i owe £70.20 in rent now. I cannot afford to pay for that as well as other bills that NEED to be payed as well as running a car, which I need to do to go to hospital and doctors visits! I can't even afford my prescriptions at the moment because of it and i cant go for that medical exempt form or whatever its called because theres no way I can afford that either. I am roughly paying £30 a month maybe more for my prescriptions and then theres dental and opticians to consider. Does anybody have any idea on what I can do. I'm going through a flare up at the moment with my Crohn's and all this stress is killing me and I can't even afford my stupid medication!! please help someone!! Ive exhausted every option!
Vicky

dmg24

How old are you?

Oldernotwiser

Is the LHA amount you've been quoted less than is shown on the LHA website? Aren't you getting the council tax paid?

ladykhan

I'm 19 and i get a good deduction on the council tax but i have to pay the £35 a month!

Oldernotwiser

ladykhan wrote: »

I'm 19 and i get a good deduction on the council tax but i have to pay the £35 a month!

Is the £35 part of the council tax or part or the rent?

dmg24

As you are nineteen you are only entitled to the single room rate of LHA. Added to that, your income is quite a bit higher than the govt say you need to live off, which is why you will not get the full amounts.

You need to look at moving to more affordable accom, and/ or lowering your outgoings.

dmg24

With regard to your prescriptions, you may be better off to get a PPC.

Oldernotwiser

Are you a care leaver or severely disabled?

gerkin

Cant your parents take care of you ?

ladykhan

I cant afford a ppc, its like £102 or more, the £35 is just council tax I have to pay, the rent is £70.20 I have to pay a month. I have just moved into a council flat (1 bedroom first floor, tiny garden, tiny flat) as I have Crohn's Disease I cannot live in shared accomodation as I pick up viruses and bacteria easily so sharing a bathroom with someone or the kitchen, I would have to scrub everything before using it as I don't trust anyone else's germs (a bit OCD) and when you have Crohn's and need the loo, you don't have time to wash it! It explained I get £27 more than the government says I need to live on but it just can't be done. I sat down and worked out everything that needs to be payed and I'm only estimating water as its a water meter and god knows how much that will actually cost when the bill arrives. It goes like this a fortnight because that's when I get payed:
£20 electric
£20 gas
£20 water
£5 TV
£30 Insurance
£30 (sometimes more) prescrition
£20 petrol (maybe more)
£40-£50 shopping (have to eat a special diet)
£13 on tabacco

Thats about £210 ish, I'le maybe get a tiny bit of play there because sometimes i will spend more or less on shopping. Its soo hard and it's annoying as I am being counted as average non working under 25 year old person but I have special circumstances which no one seems to understand!!

ladykhan

not a care leaver, trying for DLA and yes I am disabled but not severly. No my mum has crohn's disease too and she lives with my dad and sister and 1 toilet. Doesn't work out too well.