Incapacity Benefit advice please

7roland8

Hi - All change with benefits as youngest son now doing degree.
Background - husband on Incapacity benefit (long term) after accident at work - was getting £305 a fortnight and around £180 a month works pension. I am a stay-at-home mum but now ill for many years and all I get is DLA for mobility.

I knew we would lose children's tax credits and child benefit - but found out today that husband's Incapacity benefit to be cut to £182.88 a fortnight as son now removed.

Looking on web it seems that the £91.44 a week husband will be getting is the single person's rate - where do I now fit in? Is there no extra for spouses or should I try claiming something (ESA or Income Support?).

Our household income is effectively cut in half - we are losing £546 a month and will now have only £546 to live on.

I knew we would lose income when son had to fend for himself - although still living at home. He will now have to buy his own food etc but most household bills cannot be cut down so easily. Surely a reduction of 50% seems drastic.

Unfortunately all my DLA has to go on credit card payments - so am quite despondent tonight! Yes, I know they should have been paid off but something was always cropping up - and as things stand I can never see them being cleared - I never realised things would get this tight.

Only found all this out when I queried the payment on our bank statement - so wasn't even notified.

Any advice welcome.

stazi

On IB, when the child increase stops, so does the increase for a spouse. Your husb should claim IS on JCP form A1 without delay.

beth58_2

My understanding of DLA is it's a benefit to cover the extra costs of having a disability i.e. care/mobility needs, not credit cards.

7roland8

Thanks Stazi - will follow that up.

Thanks too for your unhelpful comment Beth - it wasn't meant to be that way - but when a bill needs paying you have to use what money you have. I didn't really wnat to be picked at (as I have seen happen to others on other posts) - this si for people to help and support each other with advice - not to just come on with negative comments.

In the ideal world none of us would need this forum at all as we would all be so savvie with our money we would have no debts or need advice.

I made a genuine claim for DLA, have been disabled for 14yrs now and not out of the house for about a year - apart form on scooter a bit in village - so I don't need moralising.

McKneff

Im sure the OP given the chance would rather not be disabled and not have to claim DLA,


OP, you should be able to claim other things, have a look at 'entitledto.com

Apart from that, could you son get a little part time job to help out with the expenses.

Regards
Annie

Vader123

7roland8 wrote: »

Thanks Stazi - will follow that up.

Thanks too for your unhelpful comment Beth - it wasn't meant to be that way - but when a bill needs paying you have to use what money you have. I didn't really wnat to be picked at (as I have seen happen to others on other posts) - this si for people to help and support each other with advice - not to just come on with negative comments.

In the ideal world none of us would need this forum at all as we would all be so savvie with our money we would have no debts or need advice.

I made a genuine claim for DLA, have been disabled for 14yrs now and not out of the house for about a year - apart form on scooter a bit in village - so I don't need moralising.

I guess you don't want "moralising" but what was stated was correct, DLA is for care/mobility.

You need to visit the Debt boards and post a SOA to get advice.

The law says a couple need £102 a week a live on, and you get that between you.

Vader

Indie_Kid

Vader123 wrote: »

The law says a couple need £102 a week a live on, and you get that between you.

DLA isn't classed as income. Because the OP receives DLA, it's an extra £39 odd per week on top of the £102 that the law says a couple needs to live on.

beth58_2

DLA is non means tested and disregarded for the likes of TC/HB/CTB it also acts as a piggy back entitilement to other benefits. If your in reciept of £180 works pension that will be regarded as income and disqualify you from other means tested benefits.

I'm sorry you didn't like my comment but the truth is, thats what DLA is for.

Regards from
Someone employed with a 30yr disability, currently struggling on £65 per week with care and mobility needs and luckily no CC.

Vader123

sh1305 wrote: »

DLA isn't classed as income. Because the OP receives DLA, it's an extra £39 odd per week on top of the £102 that the law says a couple needs to live on.

My point was that benefits etc don't take into account debts.

Vader

Duncombe

Vader123 wrote: »

My point was that benefits etc don't take into account debts.

Vader

And quite rightly.

OP - if your son is at University, he is a grown adult and should be 'fending for himself' as you put it. He will be receiving the maximum financial support available to students if it has been assessed on your income so you don't need to worry about him. If he is staying at home, he should be contributing towards his upkeep. He is not a child anymore and the money he has been given was designed to pay for his accomodation, amongst other things. He could also get a job. Lots of students have to do this.

You knew you would no longer be entitled to any of the child-related benefits when your son went to University, so why has the drop in income come as a shock? It is something you have had 18 years to plan for. As someone else suggested, the entitledto website should give you a clearer indication of what further help you may be able to claim. Failing that, go to CAB.

I would suggest following Vaders advice and posting on the DebtFree boards for some advice about how to best manage your cc bills and what not. No doubt paying those off would ease the financial burden.

Can I enquire as to what help you currently get with housing/council tax costs? There may be options open to you here.

7roland8

an I enquire as to what help you currently get with housing/council tax costs? There may be options open to you here.

No housing costs as we own - but we had a little help with council tax - but after this change it should be much more

Yes I did know we'd be losing benefit of course but wasn't aware it involved the Incapacity Benefit too - I'd adjusted to the tax credits and child benefit - just never thought it included the other benefit being cut too.