Why am I being penalized?

LondonDiva

Instead of waitign for a bungalow (which are few and far between where I live), why not consider looking to rent a ground floor flat?

jennilb

Hi

I am getting DLA, HB, CTB and ESA (IB) and I don't get cold weather payments. That's because, like you GraceKelly, I'm on the assessment rate of ESA while I appeal the outcome of their 'medical'. So far as I can tell, you have to be on support or work-related ESA (ie pass the medical) in order to tick the first box of the several for getting CWP.

However, there are other things you can do - I spoke to my gas and electricity supplier (British Gas) and was put on their social tarrif, so the prices are cheaper. They also installed free loft insulation in my home (with my landlord's consent) and offer cavity wall insulation and things to help you reduce your usage of electricity. A local charity is helping me with draught proofing my home. Perhaps you could look into this? I have the heating on 4 hours a day (in London) and keep warm with a duvet on the sofa. At night I use an electric blanket on the lowest setting - its a double dual control one and it was £20 from Tesco Direct, so its not too much initial outlay.

Also it is worth applying for DLA if you haven't already. Mine only took 8 weeks to process, and I didn't have to have a medical because me psychiatrist wrote to them and they felt they could assess me without seeing me.

I hope this helps
Jenni

Gracekelly_2

jennilb wrote: »

Hi

I am getting DLA, HB, CTB and ESA (IB) and I don't get cold weather payments. That's because, like you GraceKelly, I'm on the assessment rate of ESA while I appeal the outcome of their 'medical'. So far as I can tell, you have to be on support or work-related ESA (ie pass the medical) in order to tick the first box of the several for getting CWP.

However, there are other things you can do - I spoke to my gas and electricity supplier (British Gas) and was put on their social tarrif, so the prices are cheaper. They also installed free loft insulation in my home (with my landlord's consent) and offer cavity wall insulation and things to help you reduce your usage of electricity. A local charity is helping me with draught proofing my home. Perhaps you could look into this? I have the heating on 4 hours a day (in London) and keep warm with a duvet on the sofa. At night I use an electric blanket on the lowest setting - its a double dual control one and it was £20 from Tesco Direct, so its not too much initial outlay.

Also it is worth applying for DLA if you haven't already. Mine only took 8 weeks to process, and I didn't have to have a medical because me psychiatrist wrote to them and they felt they could assess me without seeing me.

I hope this helps
Jenni

Hi Jenny thanks for the advice.

Got the blanket, my ex sent me one when we split up ( the cheek of it) but I must admit it does make a difference. I am interested in how to get better rates on my gas and electric though and I am sure my landlord wont mind her home being insulated for nothing. How did you go about this? I have made an appointment with the CAB to fill in the forms for DLA.

With Fibro I need my heat on all the time, cos being at all cold is painful and with asthma too breathing in the cold air really sets me off which is why i have been home bound during this bad cold spell.

Jenny can I ask how long you have been waiting regarding your ESA? I was originally told it would be 4 months and no more and yet a person I talk to online in the same area has been waiting since May 09 for her tribunal!!

I rang the DWP this morning as yet again my payments are late grr...... while the woman was on the phone I asked her why I couldnt get a CWP she said that it was because I was on cont based ESA I asked if I could switch over and she said no, ok I said so why am I on cont based ESA when I was told last year that in August my stamp ran out and I would then be on income based, she said that it doesn't work that way when you are claiming ESA only JSA. Ok I said if that is the case doesnt that mean that I am be penalized for working and paying my stamp..... her answer was this....... " is there anything else I can help you with" and she cut me off! lmao.

I give up.... and just hope that I get some info regarding tribunal soon and also that my DLA goes through very quickly :eek:

Gracekelly_2

Penny-Pincher!! wrote: »

Thanks hun! I didnt miss them, but what I meant was that it has to be very extreme weather to have that paid IYKWIM.

I think I will head off to bed as Im not even making sense to myself:D
...my pain meds are playing havoc with my brain today:o

OP-What about just having heating on in the living room and bedroom (timer) so you're not wasting monies on parts of the house not needing heating

I have a hot flask of tea/coffee made for me through the day and I find little and often hot drinks help maintain body temperature. Also layers, gloves, socks, blankets etc etc.

I have FMS too along with numerous other health problems, so I know where you're coming from.

PP
xx

Hi Penny

Sorry to hear you have FMS too xx I would love to shut the rads off in the rest of the house but I cant cos they are all old and dont have that option. I must admit though I do drink alot of hot drinks and it does help. Thing is I am putting so much money into gas and electric that half the time I don't have money for milk or tea or even coffee. Sometimes I go two days without eating and that kicks off my IBS and sitting in a cold bathroom is a nightmare with a blanket round you lmao ....

sorry i have to laugh as I think in this day and age when we pay lots of stamp and we have worked our butts off some of us for roughly 45 years that we are struggling like this when we are poorly. Some people are not working just cos they are bone idle, and they get CWP's. I worked when i was a single parent with 3 children and I paid my stamp and didnt claim a thing.... and now I am in need I cant get it.

Ok I've had another rant thanks for listen

:-)

Grace

Gracekelly_2

LondonDiva wrote: »

Instead of waitign for a bungalow (which are few and far between where I live), why not consider looking to rent a ground floor flat?

Hi

I live in lincolnshire and flats are few and far between because its so open. I also live in a village but the whole area is the same. I need to be near my parents too as they help me as much as they can on day to day things like washing dressing etc.


Grace

DX2

Gracekelly wrote: »

I am sure my landlord wont mind her home being insulated for nothing. How did you go about this?

http://www.warmfront.co.uk/do-i-qualify.htm

If you own your own home or rent it from a private landlord, you may be eligible for a grant of up to £3,500 (or £6,000 where oil, low carbon or renewable technologies are recommended) under the Warm Front Scheme. Warm Front Grants are available in England only; other schemes operate in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
If the property has previously received Warm Front improvements, the grant now available will be the balance of £3,500 (or £6,000 where oil, low carbon or renewable technologies are recommended) less the value of all works previously completed.
Applicants meeting the following criteria may be eligible for the Warm Front Scheme.

Hopefully your DLA will be sorted soon and you can get a disability premium with your HB/CTB then you should be eligible

Bubbles911

I get how you feel penalized. I am on contribution based ESA too and I am disgusted that out of £50 I get each week (they take some off me as they miscalculated initially and gave me too much) on top of having to pay my retired parents £100 I have to pay £10 a month for a pre paid prescription card, because I worked to provide for myself before taking ill! Yet people on income based ESA and have spent their life on benefits get them for free. I have tried applying for having health costs free on the low income side but I have been turned down as they dont see board as an expense. My parents could not keep me here without this as they are on pensions. I have now lost a tooth yet cant afford to go to the dentist yet if I was on income based I would get it all for free. Something seems so wrong somewhere.

UKTigerlily

Gracekelly wrote: »

Hi Penny

Sorry to hear you have FMS too xx I would love to shut the rads off in the rest of the house but I cant cos they are all old and dont have that option. I must admit though I do drink alot of hot drinks and it does help. Thing is I am putting so much money into gas and electric that half the time I don't have money for milk or tea or even coffee. Sometimes I go two days without eating and that kicks off my IBS and sitting in a cold bathroom is a nightmare with a blanket round you lmao ....

sorry i have to laugh as I think in this day and age when we pay lots of stamp and we have worked our butts off some of us for roughly 45 years that we are struggling like this when we are poorly. Some people are not working just cos they are bone idle, and they get CWP's. I worked when i was a single parent with 3 children and I paid my stamp and didnt claim a thing.... and now I am in need I cant get it.

Ok I've had another rant thanks for listen

:-)

Grace

Yes some are bone idle & not working, however they *don't* get CWP's unless they have a child under 5, the rest of us have a severe disability or illness, so aren't working because we can't not because we're bone idle, they don't give them to the unemployed unless on the sick with a *severe* disability premium or a young kid

It's good you didn't claim the child benefits you were entitled too but many people will claim what they're entitled too & that's ok IMO, hopefully the idle ones will be caught out!

Indie_Kid

Bubbles911 wrote: »

I get how you feel penalized. I am on contribution based ESA too and I am disgusted that out of £50 I get each week (they take some off me as they miscalculated initially and gave me too much) on top of having to pay my retired parents £100 I have to pay £10 a month for a pre paid prescription card, because I worked to provide for myself before taking ill! Yet people on income based ESA and have spent their life on benefits get them for free. I have tried applying for having health costs free on the low income side but I have been turned down as they dont see board as an expense. My parents could not keep me here without this as they are on pensions. I have now lost a tooth yet cant afford to go to the dentist yet if I was on income based I would get it all for free. Something seems so wrong somewhere.

No-one has forced you to pay your parents £100 per month. Good luck in finding somewhere cheaper to live then!

Bubbles911

sh1305 wrote: »

No-one has forced you to pay your parents £100 per month. Good luck in finding somewhere cheaper to live then!

I am sorry but I find your post disgusting. I am not complaining about giving my parents board and yes I am forced to give it to them, its that or be homeless as they cant afford to "keep" me on pensions! If I lived elsewhere I would get housing benefit and my esa would be purely to live on. I am paying the £100 plus my share of the bills and am currently selling practically everything I own on ebay to survive. What I am saying is I paid into the system for years and get the same amount of benefit as someone who is on the income based ESA yet they get their prescriptions and dental care free yet I have the same amount of money as them and have to pay for prescriptions and dental care which can amount to more money than I get in a month! If I had sat on my bum for the last 5 years I would get the same money but not having to pay for this. Do you think that is fair? It has nothing to do with where I live but if I paid rent they would take it into account, I am paying rent just to my parents as they are trying to survive on as little money as I am.