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Benefits for disabled
ever
Posts: 106 Forumite
Hi everyone! I'm kind of flailing around right now in a panic about how we're going to live, so I'm open to any advice whatsoever on what we should be applying for benefits-wise.
At the end of July, my husband (age 23, if it's relevant) was diagnosed with severe heart failure and dilated cardiomyopathy. He's been off work since July 27 and started receiving statutory sick pay on August 15 (the days before that were his paid sick and vacation days). Since his initial hospitalization, he's been unable to walk more than a few feet, care for himself, or hold conversations lasting longer than a couple minutes (he gets extremely short of breath while talking, eating, and standing). He went back into the hospital last week and has just gotten worse. He had two TIAs (mini-strokes) on Monday and Tuesday and today they found that he has a large clot in his heart, part of which broke off and traveled to his brain, causing the mini-strokes. He's now on strict bedrest and isn't even allowed to stand up to go to the bathroom. They say he may be able to come home on Monday if he doesn't worsen, but it's unlikely he'll be able to walk or take care of himself without assistance for quite some time.
We have two toddlers and I stay at home with them, and now I also care for my husband when he's not hospitalized. I'm petrified of how we're going to survive financially. I've submitted a change in circumstance to the housing benefit office (we're currently receiving £46/week and we rent privately, but that was on his normal income, not SSP), but they say it will take around 4 weeks. I'm still trying to get through to tax credits to update them on the change in income, but I get hung up on every time because it says their operators are busy. I called and requested an application for income support this afternoon. Is there anything I'm missing? I know about DLA but that won't be for another month and a half (since he was just diagnosed at the end of July).
I'm also unsure of how income support will work. Specifically, if he will count as being "single" or as a couple. We're married, but I'm American and still subject to immigration control so ineligible for means-tested benefits. I'll be getting my ILR in November (if we can afford it, god willing) so after that I'll be counted, but until then, he'd get the "single" rate of £51/week, correct? Or would it be "lone parent" since we have two kids and I don't count? It wouldn't seem right for him to be counted as a lone parent since obviously I'm the one to take care of the children, but I just don't know how it will work and I don't want the wrong thing to be claimed.
So, housing/council tax benefit, tax credits, and income support-- am I missing anything else that might be available for us to keep afloat? I feel like I'm in way over my head and know so little about the UK system that I just don't know where to turn. Any input at all is much appreciated! If y'all need any other information to be able to help, I'm happy to answer!
At the end of July, my husband (age 23, if it's relevant) was diagnosed with severe heart failure and dilated cardiomyopathy. He's been off work since July 27 and started receiving statutory sick pay on August 15 (the days before that were his paid sick and vacation days). Since his initial hospitalization, he's been unable to walk more than a few feet, care for himself, or hold conversations lasting longer than a couple minutes (he gets extremely short of breath while talking, eating, and standing). He went back into the hospital last week and has just gotten worse. He had two TIAs (mini-strokes) on Monday and Tuesday and today they found that he has a large clot in his heart, part of which broke off and traveled to his brain, causing the mini-strokes. He's now on strict bedrest and isn't even allowed to stand up to go to the bathroom. They say he may be able to come home on Monday if he doesn't worsen, but it's unlikely he'll be able to walk or take care of himself without assistance for quite some time.
We have two toddlers and I stay at home with them, and now I also care for my husband when he's not hospitalized. I'm petrified of how we're going to survive financially. I've submitted a change in circumstance to the housing benefit office (we're currently receiving £46/week and we rent privately, but that was on his normal income, not SSP), but they say it will take around 4 weeks. I'm still trying to get through to tax credits to update them on the change in income, but I get hung up on every time because it says their operators are busy. I called and requested an application for income support this afternoon. Is there anything I'm missing? I know about DLA but that won't be for another month and a half (since he was just diagnosed at the end of July).
I'm also unsure of how income support will work. Specifically, if he will count as being "single" or as a couple. We're married, but I'm American and still subject to immigration control so ineligible for means-tested benefits. I'll be getting my ILR in November (if we can afford it, god willing) so after that I'll be counted, but until then, he'd get the "single" rate of £51/week, correct? Or would it be "lone parent" since we have two kids and I don't count? It wouldn't seem right for him to be counted as a lone parent since obviously I'm the one to take care of the children, but I just don't know how it will work and I don't want the wrong thing to be claimed.
So, housing/council tax benefit, tax credits, and income support-- am I missing anything else that might be available for us to keep afloat? I feel like I'm in way over my head and know so little about the UK system that I just don't know where to turn. Any input at all is much appreciated! If y'all need any other information to be able to help, I'm happy to answer!
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Comments
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Your husband is likely to be able to claim Disability Living Allowance & Employment Support Allowance
You may be able to claim
Carers Allowance
I don't know how it works with your immigration status, you'd be better off sitting down with a benefits advisor to get better information but there's a wide range of benefits available so try not to worry too much.
Phone the benefits advice line to claim ESA as soon as you can, they're open from 8am-8pm and will be able to fill out the forms over the phone. Contact details and how to apply can be found here0 -
From what I can see, he can't claim ESA until his SSP has ended, which will be several months from now (it only started 3 weeks ago and lasts 28 weeks, right?). Carer's allowance is means-tested as far as I know, so I'm not able to apply for that until I have my ILR after November.
How do I get in contact with a benefits advisor?0 -
From what I can see, he can't claim ESA until his SSP has ended, which will be several months from now (it only started 3 weeks ago and lasts 28 weeks, right?). Carer's allowance is means-tested as far as I know, so I'm not able to apply for that until I have my ILR after November.
How do I get in contact with a benefits advisor?
Just to let you know Carers Allowance is not means tested.0 -
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Oh wait, it may not be means-tested, but it does exclude people who are subject to immigration control. From the .pdf brouchure on Directgov:
[you must] not be ‘subject to immigration control’ – in other words, you must not need permission to come into or stay in the UK or be stopped from getting benefits.
So I won't be eligible for that until after I have my ILR.0 -
Don't forget to claim DLA the claimaint has to had the needs for 3 months and are expected to have needs for at least 6 months.
After a stroke the biggest amount of recovery is within the first 3 months.
To claim carers allowance the claimaint would need to be claiming Dla Middle rate care.
Yours
CalleyHope for everything and expect nothing!!!
Good enough is almost always good enough -Prof Barry Schwartz
If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try -Seth Godin0 -
You are not eligable for income support.0
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Don't forget to claim DLA the claimaint has to had the needs for 3 months and are expected to have needs for at least 6 months.
After a stroke the biggest amount of recovery is within the first 3 months.
To claim carers allowance the claimaint would need to be claiming Dla Middle rate care.
Yours
Calley
Yes, it's another month and a half before he's met the 3-month requirement to apply for DLA (I mentioned this in my OP
).
I realize that the recovery for a stroke is different, but that isn't the main concern. His condition has really very little to do with stroke-- they were essentially side effects from his heart condition, which is permanent.0 -
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