On Incapacity, entitled to Income support?

sheepysheepy

Hello,
I have a couple of questions about benefits. I tried to go to the CAB today for advice and they were fully booked up (despite saying on their website they dont take appointments.) Some one was supposed to call me earlier for a telephone appointment but never did (surprise surprise!) So I was hoping someone could help me.

At the moment I am on Incapacity Benefit (short-term, higher amount (£80.15)). This is the only benefit I am entitled to because I am currently living with my partner who works full time and earns over whatever the threshold is.
However for a number of reasons we have decided not to live together anymore. I am going to look for a room to rent in a house share and my partner will live else where. I assumed because I will no longer be living with my partner I would be able to claim Income support and Housing Benefit.
I went to entitledto.co.uk and it said I would be entitled to Housing Benefit of £56 pw and it does not mention anything about Income Support.

• Is this right?
• If so why am I not eligible for Income Support? I thought I would be eligible as i seem to meet the criteria to recieve IS on the jobcentre plus website.
• Is it because im single and IB will most likely be enough?
• And why is the Housing Benefit so low (I expected it to be around £75-£80)?

Additional details about me:
Aged 23
Savings less than £4,000
Working 9 hrs a week voluntary work (so receive no additional income to IB, hoping when I move I can find a part time job that will pay me, but i dont think i can work more than 9hrs at the moment).
Also, if I find somewhere to live where the bills are included in the rent does HB cover that or would I just receive the rent minus the cost of bills?
Any help with be much appreciated.

Sheepysheepy

krisskross

Until you are 25 you will receive the shared room rate of LHA for your area. You may be expected to pay some of it from your IB.

Indie_Kid

Do you receive DLA?

sheepysheepy

sh1305 wrote: »

Do you receive DLA?

No i dont.

One other thing i forgot to mention is that in about 2 weeks time i will have been on incapacity for 52 weeks. I have not paid much towards NI but i think i read that after 52 weeks you might be able to get IS.

Indie_Kid

If IB is more than the law says you need to live (which I believe it is, unless you claim DLA) you won't be entitled to any IS. Some housing benefit and council tax benefit maybe.

bigbill

I don't see how you can possibly be on Short Term High Rate Incapacity benefit at £80.15 (For almost a year), as it has not been available for almost 16 months?

Indie_Kid

bigbill wrote: »

I don't see how you can possibly be on Short Term High Rate Incapacity benefit at £80.15 (For almost a year), as it has not been available for almost 16 months?

For people who were on IB before October 2008, it still exists.

bigbill

sh1305 wrote: »

For people who were on IB before October 2008, it still exists.

Correct

But if you knew anything about the benefit system you would know that it would now be Long Term at £105.45 weekly as they would now have been sick for at least one year, no one can be coming UP TO 52 weeks on IB only now?

sheepysheepy

bigbill wrote: »

Correct

But if you knew anything about the benefit system you would know that it would now be Long Term at £105.45 weekly as they would now have been sick for at least one year, no one can be coming UP TO 52 weeks on IB only now?

Hi,

I get what you mean, but i dont know the answer, so apologies if this isnt relevent:

When i originally applied for the benefit i had to wait a certain number of weeks (i cant remember the exact time, i think it was 13 weeks) before i could receive IB as im under 25 and have not paid enough NI. I was then put on IB (short term lower). After 29 weeks i was put on short term higher IB. Now its coming up to week 52 i will be on long term which is £89.80pw. Im assuming in staying on IB in as i stayed on IB when i changed from short term lower to short term higher.

So i guess because i applied and had to wait a certain number of weeks that could mean that the new IB (completely forgotten the name for it now) was not quite in place. I was not back dated for the 13 weeks i had to wait, which is why i am now just coming up to week 52.

I rang the jobcentre yesterday to see if i could get any answers (i try and avoid ringing them if poss as i tend to get given the wrong info). Anyway, she said i should be entitled to £13 IS as a top up. I guess that would makes sense if the new IB higher rate is £105, so it means i wont be disadvantaged for being on the old IB.

Hope that makes sense!
Thanks for the replies so far

ShaunJUK

Personal Allowance - £64.30
Disabilty Premium - £27.50 (When on IB for over 52 weeks)

Income Support Total £91.80

IB taken Fully into Account £89.80

Income Support Entitlement - £2 pw

However this also gives entitlement to Full HB and CTB, Free NHS Treatment, Mortgage Help, Cold Weather Payments.