Benefit help - where to start?

alirob12

Hi all,

I am just wondering what sort of help is available for me and my wife. We are married and i work full time (on 19k/yr) and my wife is currently on incapacity benefit having suffered a mild stroke (possibly - still under investigation and is officially called a mystery by all the consultants) 3 years ago. Additionally this has led to (we believe) a development of a chronic fatique syndrome. We are just about managing to pay all the bills etc. but are struggling to pay some of our debts etc.
Can anyone advise whether we are able to get any additional benefits as all she gets is £420.00 a month, which if she was single would not last long.
Any idea where to start and how we could go about it?
many thanks

Indie_Kid

Your income is too high for income based benefits. Does she receive disability living allowance (DLA) ?

alirob12

Hi,

I am not after anything for myself - just my wife. she only receives the incapacity benefit. And we wouldnt claim anything if she was fit to go back to work, but this isnt the case unfortunatelly at the moment.

Thank you

Caz3121

sh1305 wrote: »

Your income is too high for income based benefits. ?

alir!!!2 wrote: »

I am not after anything for myself - just my wife.

All means tested benefits are based on household income.

Do you rent - depending on your LHA then you may qualify for a little help with rent

Sam____2

But she doesn't live on her own she lives with you her husband, aren't you supposed to help support her as your working? and £420 per month is a damn sight more then those on other benefits get, some get only half what your wife is currently receiving!!

get debt advice on the DFW board, the tax payer isn't responsible for your debts...

calleyw

My husband had a stroke 4 years ago and has lost a part of his brain the size of a tennis ball. He has non-functioning hand.

And will probably never work again even though he is desperate too. I earn less than you.

And the only thing we can claim is DLA and IB. And possibly WTC. But that is another story for another time.

Does you wife have care and mobility needs?

Can she dress herself/prepare a meal? What about walking can she walk with out pain or suffers a drop foot etc.

If no then it is very doubtful you will be able to claim any further benefits.

Yours

Calley

TOBRUK

alir!!!2 wrote: »

Hi all,
.........
my wife is currently on incapacity benefit having suffered a mild stroke (possibly - still under investigation and is officially called a mystery by all the consultants) 3 years ago. Additionally this has led to (we believe) a development of a chronic fatique syndrome.

Hi alir!!!2, do you believe she has chronic fatigue syndrom or has she actually been diagnosed with it? If she has it, how bad is it ... has she care needs or mobility needs? I have M.E. and it is pretty bad - I am virtually housebound, live alone and many days am unable to get dressed as my body hurts too much. I have falls, short term memory loss as well as many other symptoms and get around using a crutch. It became so bad that I had to leave work in January 2000.

I receive DLA and it is quite possible she may be eligible for DLA - why don't you look at the eligibility of DLA and if you believe she may be entitled apply for it - you have nothing to lose. I did receive DLA for a time while I was working.

DLA is a non means tested allowance, it is not based on an illness but based on the needs of the person - mobility and care needs.

Hope this helps.

DLA link:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/disabledpeople/financialsupport/dg_10011731

alirob12

First of all thank you all.
Sam - I understand what you are saying but just imagine this - suddenly you become unable to work and all you have left is 1 salary coming in and 2 salaries going out and you cant do anything about it!! We have both worked really hard since our teens and have paid our shares taxes etc.. If it wasnt for the fact that our finances are very well managed we would have been in a bot of a mess. and it makes me mad when people like you comment when really you dont have a clue. There are masses of people on benefits when they are perfectly able and fit for work and the government is giving them money just like that (and I know what I am talking about) thats the people you can criticise.
Calleyw and tobruk - thank you for your comments. She hasnt been diagnosed with it yet but thats the latest thing they suspect. HSe has been under investigation for the last 3 years and allthey can say is that she's a mystery. All symptoms (from our own investigation) suggest that she has got ME but doctors are very reluctant to give her a diagnosis. Tobruk - she doesnt seem to be as bad as you and she is able to get around but as you can probably imaging - after a couple of hours of doing something she is knocked out for 2 days. even a simple activity like getting up the stairs is an effort. But i have heard that ME can come and go so we are hopeful that she will improve.
Thank you once again for your comments

TOBRUK

alir!!!2 wrote: »

Tobruk - she doesnt seem to be as bad as you and she is able to get around but as you can probably imaging - after a couple of hours of doing something she is knocked out for 2 days. even a simple activity like getting up the stairs is an effort. But i have heard that ME can come and go so we are hopeful that she will improve.
Thank you once again for your comments

alir!!!2, so sorry about your situation and your wife's illness. Your GP should be able to refer your wife to a specialist - I saw an ME specialist (my GP had already given me a diagnosis afer many months of illness and many tests later!) and after seeing him a few times he did confirm the diagnosis. Not that it helped much as there was nothing they could do! Some on these threads who have ME or similar have been seen (as I have read) rheumotologist, or a neurologist who have diagnosed.

However, she doesn't need a diagnosis to be able to apply for DLA, as DLA is awarded on need and not the illness - mobility and care needs. I know how she feels though about finding out what is wrong!

It does sound by what you say that she may have ME or maybe Fibro. I wasn't as bad as I am now but I got worse and eventually lost my job. Yes, you can recover from it - some do, or some do to a degree, I would go for a time when it wasn't too bad but then I would have a relapse. The thing is I suppose like any other illness is that you try not to let it get you down!! She is lucky that she has you .... you sound like a very caring and understanding man.:)

It would be worth her applying for DLA - she may be awarded.

alirob12

Thank you tobruk!! She has just been reffered to the ME specialists. she has been to loads of different specialists inc. neurologists. we are trying all we can to get her better so she can go back to normality.. i know there are people who are worse than her... but there are people better than her abusing the system aswell... Thank you for your help and i hope you improve massively soon too. Today we heard that one chap recovered from ME after 20 years!!
so i hope you fully recover very soon!!