Incapacity Benefit - Getting element of Income Support

Indie_Kid

jenny81 wrote: »

Maybe you could elaborate on whether in my current situation I would be entitled to SMI or there is any way I could change it for the purpose please?

This has already been answered earlier in the thread. You're not entitled and can't claim IS.

And for a brief period after Jan '09 I was actually in receipt of IS as there had been a !!!! up with my medical records and things and I was taken off IB. This was succesfully appealed and IB re-instated and a back payment to cover the difference. Would this entitle me?

You can only claim SMI help after 13 weeks of being on IS.

taylor72

jenny81 wrote: »

What wanting to get off benefits and in the process reduce the amount of benefits claimed is wrong?

Taking the easier route and and claiming HB for a much longer period, maybe throw in a few children is acceptable.

If you can get away from thinking I'm getting a house paid by the State and see the bigger picture.

this is not what you are doing though - you are wanting to get a property , but only if taxpayers fork out for your interest, this is 100% wrong. Yes I would rather you stayed on HB until you can afford your own home - interest and all

jenny81

sh1305 wrote: »

This has already been answered earlier in the thread. You're not entitled and can't claim IS.



You can only claim SMI help after 13 weeks of being on IS.

Well I'm exploring all the avenues, as I still believe it may be possible somehow.

I would of been on IS for 13 weeks during this time.

jenny81

taylor72 wrote: »

this is not what you are doing though - you are wanting to get a property , but only if taxpayers fork out for your interest, this is 100% wrong. Yes I would rather you stayed on HB until you can afford your own home - interest and all

I think you'll find it is my intention, I'm not doing this to gain a house. Please take your blinkers off.

tcr_3

sh1305 wrote: »

This has already been answered earlier in the thread. You're not entitled and can't claim IS.

You can only claim SMI help after 13 weeks of being on IS.

The OP can claim Income Support once they buy their home, that includes claiming help with the mortgage too.

Long term Incapacity Benefit is a qualifying benefit as far as the SMI scheme is concerned ... that means the I.S. DM might deem the waiting period to have been already served from the date the OP claims Income Support, therefore no 13 week wait, they might get help from day 1 instead.

Indie_Kid

tcr wrote: »

The OP can claim Income Support once they buy their home, that includes claiming help with the mortgage too.

Their IB is too much to claim IS.

tcr_3

sh1305 wrote: »

Their IB is too much to claim IS.

At the moment, without a mortgage, yes. That's not in doubt.

But once the mortgage comes through, she buys her home and they factor mortgage interest into the Income Support applicable amount ... she might well qualify. Depends on how much she's borrowing.

jenny81

tcr wrote: »

At the moment, without a mortgage, yes. That's not in doubt.

But once the mortgage comes through, she buys her home and they factor mortgage interest into the Income Support applicable amount ... she might well qualify. Depends on how much she's borrowing.

Thanks tcr, is there anyway of finding out or further information you can point me towards.

If we say it's £100k, would this qualify?

tcr_3

jenny81 wrote: »

Thanks tcr, is there anyway of finding out or further information you can point me towards.

If we say it's £100k, would this qualify?

Quick calculation which assumes you're taking the mortgage out, say, in November.

£100,000 @ departmental standard interest rate 3.63% = £69.81 pw.


Personal Allowance £65.45
Disability Premium £28.00
Housing Costs £69.81
Total = £163.26 pw (this is the Income Support applicable amount, the amount the law says you need to live on each week).

From that they deduct your Incapacity Benefit (DLA is disregarded in this calculation)

£163.26 - £106 (-ish) IB = Balance of £57.26. This is the amount of Income Support you'd be entitled to. DWP pay most mortgage interest directly to the lender.

But the amount of Income Support you'd be due, £57.26, is less than the £69.81 they added into the applicable amount. So they wouldn't have enough Income Support to pay the mortgage interest in full. So, of the £57.26 they'd pay £57.16 pw to your lender leaving yourself with £0.10 Income Support each week which would be paid to you every 13 weeks.

Alternatively they could "combine your benefits". That means they'd add your Income Support and Incapacity together ... £163.26 ... then deduct the full mortgage interest from that ... the £69.81 which would get paid to the lender ... so that'd leave you with £93.45 (ish) in your hand every week.

Now all that is entirely hypothetical. It depends on the date you take your mortgage out, the date from which you claim Income Support & whether the I.S. DM will accept that you should get help with the mortgage from day one (see previous advice). It also assumes no complications resulting from the deposit being paid (again, see previous advice).

You really need to run all this past someone at CAB/Welfare Rights again.

tcr_3

In fact, if you're borrowing £100,000 or thereabouts I can't stress enough how badly you need to see someone for professional guidance before you embark on this one, a financial adviser and/or someone well versed in the benefit system.