Which benefits could I claim?

EltonJohnFan

dmg24 wrote: »

OP, you will not qualify for IS. If you do not feel fit for work at present you can claim ESA, but I recall that you did not want to do this? If not, you will need to transfer onto income based JSA once your CB JSA entitlement has ceased.

Thanks,

I'd rather not claim ESA if possible because I was told you have to keep handing in medical certificates and that's more of a hindrance than anything for me as I'm on really good terms with my GP and I wouldn't want to be pestering him all the time for notes and taking up a doctors time as it's for patients who need his help for real reasons. I also feel that I'm not "too ill for work" because I feel good enough and though my disabilities severely impact on my life I've learned to live with them and they don't make me "ill" as such so that probably rules out claiming ESA. I claimed Income Support previously, back in 2007 and my claim lasted until the early months of 2008 when I again found work. I'm not really up to date on benefits but it just seems really surprising I can't claim Income Support as that is the benefit I was told to claim the last time I was unemployed. I was also told when I originally made my claim for Contributions Based Jobseekers Allowance that there was still an active claim for Income Support for me on file but that no money was being paid for this. To be honest I'm not sure what they meant and I didn't query this any further.

dawnlouise123

EltonJohnFan wrote: »

Hi,

I'm extremely worried that I might end up in a situation where I've got no money coming in and getting no help to pay my Rent and Council Tax because the Department for Work and Pensions really seem to want to worry me right now by telling me that if my Jobseekers Allowance stops then I won't get Rent or Council Tax Benefit anymore either.

This isn't correct. If your JSA stops your Housing Benefit would be suspended until the Council knows what income to access you on. If you are on no income other than the benefits you mentioned, you would be assessed on that, so don't worry. They are just trying to scare you. They would automatically let your Local Authority know your entitlement to JSA has ended, they would then in turn write to you to find out what your income is.

Kimitatsu

dookar wrote: »

I was being a little facetious, but signposting to CAB (who can be shockingly unknowledgable) kind of defeats the purpose of the forum.

It does not defeat the purpose of the forum - this forum is here to offer advice and there are many people on here who have undergone extensive training and are very knowledgable in many areas of the law. However the CAB as a national charity has the ability to keep abreast of the many changes which are coming through at the moment and that we cannot all keep up with. On these boards we have people who work for the DWP, the CSA, the CAB and local authorities, but few of us have the relevant legislation in front of us, and so whilst we can advise in a personal capacity that is all it is an opinion, backed up by knowledge. Everyone on here gives their time voluntarily and so should be appreciated for the help and advice they offer.

The CAB is staffed by volunteers on their front line, so if these forums can give the poster a heads up as to where they should be looking then surely that puts less pressure on what is a free service not supported by the government. The CAB also acts as a signposting service, recognising that sometimes they also do not have the specialist services in house to help their clients in the best way. However they do a sterling job acting as a funnel to help people access services that would otherwise be an enigma to them.

EltonJohnFan

skcollobcat10 wrote: »

Hello,

You say you are very badly disabled, but you are on low mobility and medium care of DLA.

I would assume, that if you are as badly disabled as you say, both of these premiums could may be be increased to high rate for both?

Just a suggestion?

Hello,

Good morning, yes. I'm on the rates of Disability Living Allowance you mentioned but I was previously on the Highest Rate of Care and Mobility for Disability Living Allowance but that wasn't an "indefinite" award like I have now but a fixed term award that they later reduced to what I have now but made the award "indefinite". I'd be too afraid to try and get my award changed now as it's I hear so many horror stories about people losing their Disability Living Allowance in doing so and because I've been on these rates for such a longtime I wouldn't want to bring hassle into something that isn't a concern to me. I'm more than happy at the amount of money I receive in Disability Living Allowance because it helps to make my everyday life a great deal easier, couldn't afford to have or do a lot of the things I need to that are connected with my disabilities otherwise.

dookar

Kimitatsu wrote: »

It does not defeat the purpose of the forum - this forum is here to offer advice and there are many people on here who have undergone extensive training and are very knowledgable in many areas of the law. However the CAB as a national charity has the ability to keep abreast of the many changes which are coming through at the moment and that we cannot all keep up with. On these boards we have people who work for the DWP, the CSA, the CAB and local authorities, but few of us have the relevant legislation in front of us, and so whilst we can advise in a personal capacity that is all it is an opinion, backed up by knowledge. Everyone on here gives their time voluntarily and so should be appreciated for the help and advice they offer.

The CAB is staffed by volunteers on their front line, so if these forums can give the poster a heads up as to where they should be looking then surely that puts less pressure on what is a free service not supported by the government. The CAB also acts as a signposting service, recognising that sometimes they also do not have the specialist services in house to help their clients in the best way. However they do a sterling job acting as a funnel to help people access services that would otherwise be an enigma to them.

What on earth are you rambling about?

hethmar

dmg24 wrote: »

A fair few people here actually work at the CAB, and many more have far more knowledge than a computer program!

Well, dmg I also worked for many years at the CAB and feel quite sure they would want people like the OP directed to their local office where they can get a lot more personal detail and understanding of the situation face to face. I mentioned the computer program simply because it was my experience that claimants found it an easy and very acceptable way of working out their entitlements. Obviously this wasnt the only assistance they were given, just the basic start to a case, but a user friendly one which was attractive to many people.

I thought the reason for this board was to signpost people, not to make decisions for them.

But, I shall retire from the thread and never dare suggest any assistance again.

hethmar

dookar wrote: »

I was being a little facetious, but signposting to CAB (who can be shockingly unknowledgable) kind of defeats the purpose of the forum.

So you are saying the CAB volunteers who man this forum can also be shockingly unknowledgeable? Then its rather useless anyone giving anyone advice isnt it?