Benefit help needed!!!!

unitedjmd

Hi,

My girlfriends mother has a life sick note and is unable to work for various reasons.

Her weekly income is as follows:
Incapacity benefit - £44.70
DLA Care - £16.05
DLA Mobility - £16.05
Occupational Pension (from her deceased husband) - £26.07
Widows benefit - £35.26

Total = 138.13

She currently has an interest only mortgage of £220 a month which my girlfriend has to pay as her mother cannot afford it.

My girlfriend only earns £13,000 a year and has her own bills as well as this. They are the only people that live in the house.

Is there anything we can do/claim for to help her mother with her finances? We've been to citizen's advice and they were no help at all and acted like they couldn't be bothered with us.

Any help would be muchly appreciated.

Thanks.

Fran

She should check Pension Credit / Income Support depending on her age, but I think the income will all be deducted, but it's worth checking.

If her disability has worsened or CAB/Welfare Rights adviser thinks she should be entitled to a higher rate of DLA, she could try that, but be advised that they will be looking at the claim again so there is the risk of losing it. Welfare rights advisers could tell her what they think.

Can she get her mortgage payments lowered?

missk_ensington

She's entitled to an increment on her incapacity benefit for being in receipt of DLA. You have to tell the Incapacity people about it though, its not automatic and I think they can backdate it. Its worth about £30 a week, maybe more

unitedjmd

Thanks for the replies.

She had tried to reduce the mortgage repayments but it was a no-go with the mortgage company.

Her condition hasn't changed over the past couple of years so I don't think we could get more money from her DLA.

I'll look into increasing her incapacity benefit due to her receiving DLA. I want to be careful though because I don't want to do anything that could result in her receiving less money then she gets now.

If anyone has anymore advise or comments feel free to add them.

missk_ensington

When I was on Income Support when I first had my baby, I got something like £80 on Income Support, but because I was in receipt of DLA I got an additional 40-odd quid a week added to it and now get the same again added to my tax credits as the disability premium. You aren't going to get it reduced, it can only go up.
Search the net for grants, hardship grants and depending how old she is, for over a certain age. I'm sure you can get help towards household fuel bills if your on benefits and there's loads of other stuff available

Ted_Hutchinson

missk_ensington wrote:

She's entitled to an increment on her incapacity benefit for being in receipt of DLA. You have to tell the Incapacity people about it though, its not automatic and I think they can backdate it. Its worth about £30 a week, maybe more

Effect on other benefits and entitlements
If you start to get Disability Living Allowance it might increase the amount of other benefits or credits you’re entitled to, such as Income Support, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit.
Disability Living Allowance is normally ignored as income for working out these income-related benefits and credits.



You will see that INCAPACITY BENEFIT is not affected by a DLA award at any rate of care. Income support would be.
Try putting your details in the calculator at ENTITLEDTO

donnalove

missk_ensington wrote:

She's entitled to an increment on her incapacity benefit for being in receipt of DLA. You have to tell the Incapacity people about it though, its not automatic and I think they can backdate it. Its worth about £30 a week, maybe more

can you explain this as i have been on dla low rate for a few years, i also have been getting high rate ib with age add for 10 years, should we notify ib?


sorry to hijack

healy

missk_ensington wrote:

She's entitled to an increment on her incapacity benefit for being in receipt of DLA. You have to tell the Incapacity people about it though, its not automatic and I think they can backdate it. Its worth about £30 a week, maybe more

There is not an increment on Incapacity Benefit for being in receipt of DLA at those rates. There is a the disability premium on Income Support if in receipt of Income Support.

missk_ensington

Oh well the woman is goosed. I don't understand why, why should there not be an increment for Incapacity but have one for all other out of work benefits?!?

Housing Benefit may pay the woman's mortgage as it is interest only, although I'm not sure how this works with Incapacity, only Income Support.

missk_ensington

Donnalove- I'd phone and ask. I'm not convinced there's nothing out there, it doesn't seem right

donnalove

missk_ensington wrote:

Donnalove- I'd phone and ask. I'm not convinced there's nothing out there, it doesn't seem right

i phoned the benifits helpline and they said there is no increase in incapacity benifit because of dla, it would only increase your level of income suport


donnalove
xx