confused

Lady_strange

Hi all

I spent ages working out a budget, so that my partner and I were on track with money and paying our rent on time.

Except as soon as I work out the budget, our housing benefit dropped, and now our ESA (WRAG) joint claim has dropped, by £30 (didn't know this was going to happen) HB dropped by about £20 a f/n

I am so stressed out by this, I had spent hours working out what was going in, and what is going out, so that I knew exactly where we should be with money, and they drop this on us with no warning. I am on my partners claim, but I had to give up my job due to depression and anxiety, which as soon as I start feeling better, stuff like this happens. So it is now half past midnight, I only came on the computer to pay the rent, and now I am worked up, as I don't have enough money in the bank to cover my bills (Baring in mind, I have just done a 2 week food shop on £42, to make sure I had enough)

we were repaying through our esa, council tax, a budgeting loan and an over payment, but now it's just dropped by another £30.... and I don't know why feel like crying. My other half is in bed, as he has to get up at 6 for getting his son to school.

salau2

Telephone the ESA department and ask why the ESA has dropped. Telephone Housing Benefit and ask them why it has dropped. If it is correct you can apply for a discretionary housing payment to help with the rent. You must show hardship.

BigAunty

Re-negotiate the overpayment and budgeting loans to reduce them.

Update your budget....

t0rt0ise

When I used to get housing benefit some 12 or so years ago it was wrong every time they worked it out. So I would appeal, win the appeal and then it would be time to reclaim and it would come wrong again so I would appeal again. So don't assume that they are right with their calculations. Work it out yourself and if you don't agree then appeal.

Lady_strange

thanks for the advice, we have managed to renegotiate on some of the repayments. But we were going to be paying close to £120 a month out month on things coming out of our esa one of which we knew nothing about. Written to the benefits delivery center to get alot of this sorted.

I was just so upset when I saw that we were down so much money. But I will get on to the council to recheck the amounts.