minimum amount to live on

yummy-mummy-amy

hi,

i'm hoping someone can help/advise me please.

at home there is me, hubby 3 kids all under 10.

my husband was in a major RTA 18months ago and did all his back/neck in and has been in receipt of Employment Support Allowance for most of this time, we also receive child tax credits and child benefits, ESA was also paying our mortgage, and due to this we got council tax benefit and free school meals. (amounts all below).

last week hubby had another medical (bit of a joke really) for his benefits, the lady sat and asked him some questions, checked his medication and that was it - no physical tests or bending, turning his head/neck, lifting etc were asked of him. and due to this she filled out her report that he is fit for work and they have stopped the ESA.

hubby cant turn his neck more then 65% of the way round, he cant lift anything heavy or strain saucepans etc, he cant reach for things as this also pulls on his neck. he also gets headaches, dizzy spells and flashbacks.

we HAVE put in for an appeal but have been told this can take upto 6weeks.

NOW my question is what is the legal minimum amount we should be in receipt of to live? we cant claim Job Seekers as we have appealed the decision on ESA, ESA has stopped and tax credits have said we cant get any extra until april and Income Support wont pay us as we are married.

please help.



ESA was £205 per fortnight (now stopped)
Child tax is £143 per week
child benefit is £188 per month
COuncil tax benefit was full amount
Mortgage was being paid by ESA
free school meals

Onearmedbandit_2

Hi you should still be receiving the lower rate whilst you wait to hear about the appeal.

yummy-mummy-amy

Onearmedbandit wrote: »

Hi you should still be receiving the lower rate whilst you wait to hear about the appeal.

thanks for that, tax credits said the same thing but when we rang ESA they said nothing be will paid until a decision is made and then IF hubby is re-awarded they will back date it.

i'm going CAB tomorrow as i cant get today

missmontana

I really feel for you Amy, I thought they would pay the normal rate whilst the appeal was going on too.

Have you thought about claiming a crisis loan?

gingergee

what about hardship payments? x

pmlindyloo

They should currently be paying the assessment rate of ESA while it is being appealed.

(Just as an aside, this may change in April 2013.

See here: http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/latest-news/1530-no-esa-for-claimants-who-want-to-appeal

Anubis_2

You know this is strange because my friend is in the exact same position. Her and her partner claim CB ESA and they have had no money for 8 weeks now while waiting for appeal! She texted me and I told her they should be paying assessment rate, but they still haven't paid her anything. It's like they are enforcing the rule early.

FBaby

Could it be anything to do with the fact that you could go to work yourself of at least claim JSA, so you are not solely depedent on your husband ESA?

karenx

Why cant you work?

yummy-mummy-amy

because for me to work they will have to pay child care costs as my hubby is not able to look after our toddler and at the last benefit appointment we had they said this would work out more expensive than them paying the small % that he gets for me.

when i asked about job seekers for me they said it would go against hubbys claim and appeal and they wont pay income support as we are married.


BUT back to my original question does anyone actually know what the minimum amount required to live on is???

lj123

If they have got an appeal from yourselves and current medical evidence then they should be paying you the assessment phase rate of ESA for a couple which is £105.95 per week whilst the appeal is being heard.