Disability

MPlant

I meant she could perhaps have her DLA re-assessed.

easy

hopless wrote: »

My partner is currently claiming DLA on the lower rate, and income support, and is unable to work, we are planning on moving in together in the new year, but my understanding is this will mean she will lose her income support because of my earnings £25k a year. so all she will get will be £140 a month, is there any other benefits she could claim, as it seems a little unfair that I will have to support her and myself as £140 will barely cover food let alone increase in bills etc.

It worries me as I have lots of debt and barely any spare cash as it is, just feel unfair that just because we decide to live together we will be worse of!!

Any help and advice would be appreciated

Can I ask why your partner is unable to work? Obviously, all disabilities are different, but I am on DLA at high rate (both care and mobility components), but still manage to earn a wage, altho my husband happily earns most of the money we live on.

Has your partner asked for any help from JobCentre plus or Remploy about helping her to find a suitable position /training, given her circumstances? If she was to follow this route, she may be entitled to JSA or some such benefit while she looks for a job.

Of course, if her disabilities are such that the she cannot work at all, then she is probably entitled to a higher rate of DLA.

Oldernotwiser

MPlant wrote: »

I meant she could perhaps have her DLA re-assessed.

She could do, although it might go down. I can't see any reason why someone's care/mobility needs would change because they're shacking up with someone though.

Indie_Kid

MPlant wrote: »

This is the part that seems unfair. Just because you decide to move in with someone why should your quality of life have to be reduced because someone who is unable to work no longer qualifies for govt. income support. Obviously hopless is willing to accept this will happen when his girlfriend moves in and loses her Income Support - but it doesn't mean to say this isn't something to feel frustrated. Its not 'sad' that he doesn't want to support her - and he didn't actually say this.

So, you're saying that we should give the same amount of money to someone even though they're moving in with someone? is it so wrong for the government to expect the OP to support his partner?

My parents had to live on one wage at some point. Guess what? They coped, ok there were no treats or whatever; but we learnt how to cope on one wage.

hopless

I am prepared to support her, and it will cost more than £140 a month when she moves in, council tax itself goes up £30, then there is gas, elec, water, food etc. £140 does not go far now adays. Yes £25k is sufficient to live on if my ex hadnt left me in serious debt. Currently she lives at home so all her DLA is spare cash at the moment.

My partner is unable to work due to personal reasons of severe depression and anxiety of leaving the house due to past circumstances, and unable to deal with people in general. To take on another job is not viable as when i am not at work she needs my support to get her out as she is unable to do this on her own, and can see the only way she will get better is by getting out and about with me, albeit to the shops etc.

I never said i would not support her but asked for advice on any other help we may get, at least i'm not giving it all up and living totally on benefits, which would actually leave us the same spare cash as we will have when she moves in, but my parents brought me up right, i'm not a scrounger!!!

Many thanks to all replies with contructive comments.

Vader123

hopless wrote: »

I am prepared to support her, and it will cost more than £140 a month when she moves in, council tax itself goes up £30, then there is gas, elec, water, food etc. £140 does not go far now adays. Yes £25k is sufficient to live on if my ex hadnt left me in serious debt. Currently she lives at home so all her DLA is spare cash at the moment.

My partner is unable to work due to personal reasons of severe depression and anxiety of leaving the house due to past circumstances, and unable to deal with people in general. To take on another job is not viable as when i am not at work she needs my support to get her out as she is unable to do this on her own, and can see the only way she will get better is by getting out and about with me, albeit to the shops etc.

I never said i would not support her but asked for advice on any other help we may get, at least i'm not giving it all up and living totally on benefits, which would actually leave us the same spare cash as we will have when she moves in, but my parents brought me up right, i'm not a scrounger!!!

Many thanks to all replies with contructive comments.

You have to look at as well that you both will only have one house to run. So you have gone from 2 sets of bills to 1.

Some of them will be higher, but not double (as paid now).

Plus you will be a couple and living together and getting all the "benefits" of being a couple in the same place.

Vader

hopless

Vader123 wrote: »

You have to look at as well that you both will only have one house to run. So you have gone from 2 sets of bills to 1.

Some of them will be higher, but not double (as paid now).

Plus you will be a couple and living together and getting all the "benefits" of being a couple in the same place.

Vader

Not going from 2 sets of bills to 1 as currently partner does not have any bills, going from cost of me living alone to cost of living as a couple with no additional help.

Indie_Kid

How does your partner "not have any bills"? Does she not eat, use water, electric, etc?

easy

sh1305 wrote: »

How does your partner "not have any bills"? Does she not eat, use water, electric, etc?

I think the OP said that his partner currently lives "at home", I assume this means with her parents, who fully support her. He did say that currently her £140 is "spare cash".

Has she not saved any of this spare cash, which could help you out a little in the first few months?

Hopless, I'm afraid setting up house together is a very grown-up thing to do, and you have to be grown-up about life to do it. If you can't afford to live together, you shouldn't live together, simple as that.

qwertyuiop12345

hopless wrote: »

it seems a little unfair that I will have to support her and myself as £140 will barely cover food let alone increase in bills etc.

DLA is not meant to pay for food, bills etc. She has been awarded DLA because she has care or mobility needs due to her disability and this money has been provided to cover these costs.

It sounds to me as though you expect her to hand over her DLA for the running of your household. You should be able to support the two of you on your income, leaving her DLA to pay for her disability expenses.