confused, scared and a little bit paranoid I've done something wrong

smilingontheoutside

Hi. I'm not sure how this will pan out, my head's a mess and I'm all over the shop. I'll try and give a sensible and relevant precis, but I'm sorry if it ends up a bit of a ramble!
I have suffered from a really awful, treatment resistant depression for at least the last 12 years. I have had lengthy spells off work (years at at time) but through it all, I have somehow managed to hang on to my job. The NHS has been a good employer, if not so good at treating me, but that's another story! My husband had to give up his job about 10 years ago to be my carer, and we went through hideous experiences of hospitalisation and dreadful,dreadful times in between admissions.
I was awarded higher rate care DLA and lower rate mobility, and my husband claimed carer's allowance for me. At times he felt he wasn't caring for me the required 35hours per week (though what constitutes care is debatable!)and he told the DWP, and it was stopped, but started again when my illness deteriorated.
During most of this time I wasn't receiving any salary so we were living on benefits, incapacity benefit, income support, DLA and CA. We had no capital as any savings we had we put onto our mortgage to try and reduce our monthly repayments and we just about got by.

I had an (unexpected), premature baby in 2008 and as finances were tough, I decided to return to work in 2009. My husband and I felt this was the best way to work things as my job was flexible and understanuding of my illness and allowed me to return to work on a part time basis which I could only just cope with but somehow managed, with a lot of in-work at and at-home support. The industry my husband works in is rather less forgiving and flexible and he wouldn't be able to keep taking carer's leave if I became unwell again, which is why he had to resign from his job in the first place. If he was at home looking after our daughter, if I was not well enough to be at work, he would be available to look after me. So some people think it's the wrong way round, it worked for our situation.

With the baby, the bumpf about tax credits came with her! don't understand the system very well but we found ourselves entitled to a decent amount due to my disability and the fact that I can only work limited hours because of it.

Anyway, years down the line of just about hanging on in there at times, I became ill in October last year and needed an emergency admission to hospital again. I am entitled to 6months full (part time)pay from my employer, and then 6months half pay. My SSP ran out if April so my employer sent me an SSP1 form I think which triggered an application for ESA, which has confused me as I was previously on incapacity benefit. Anyway, I went through the whole application form on the phone with the lady at the DWP. I told her about some savings that we built up again in the time that I'd been back at work, (I'm lucky enough to have a well paid job so even tho I only work part time, we managed to put a little away each month)which amounted to about £8000.

I was unsurprised when she said I wouldn't be entitled to income related ESA, only the contribution bit. Then came the dreaded ESA50 questionnaire which I really struggled to complete, knowing that I have a job to return to when/if I get better and also because I was scheduled to come back into hospital(planned)to try and sort me out a bit better than things are. Even though I was discharged before christmas, life since then has been really difficult and hard, not really living,just getting by at best. So I am a bit worried about the outcome of the questionnaire, waiting to hear.

Would the fact that I have a job to return to and/or that I'm currently in hospital, mean that I wouldn't have to attend a medical or join the work related activity group?

Then we've just had to complete the tax credits form which has had my head in a complete mess. I tried to explain to them from my hospital bed that my forecast for next 12 months is really uncertain in that if I remain unwell enough to return to work, after october, my salary will be nil and now I am on half pay. I'm currently in the assessment phase of ESA, not sure what the outcome of that might be as yet. I am still receiving DLA, but obviously that will stop after 4 weeks in hospital as will carers allowance. They didn't ask me about any savings that we had Anyway when the award letter came back, it states we'll be eligibl for £2731.96 CTC and £4089.86 WTC. That seems like a lot to me? Especially as I won't, probably :'( be well enough to get back to work anytime in the next 6 months. If I do go back to work my salary will go back to normal, if I can't go back, my salary will be nil. How can I be given tax credits when I'm not receiving salary? Am I still classed as working even if I'm not receiving a salary? I was under the impression that CTC was a means tested benefit, which obviously opens doors to other things, but I have means! We have circa £8000, but they didn't ask about that. I suppose it looks strange on paper that my 2011-2012 salary was approx £25K and this year it'll be £6250 ish if I don't get back to work. I know I'm sort of going round in circles here but I'm worried that I'm going to be overpaid by HMRC and they'll want it back when it will probably have been spent. I'm worried that they'll say I didn't declare my savings but I don't know where to. I didn't get very much interest from my savings, most are offset against my mortgage. The rest earnt about £2.50 interest. And I'm worried about the whole ESA stuff too. If anyone's had the heart to read this outpouring, bless you! I know it's jumpy abouty but that's kind of where my head is at the moment. it's taken me about 3 days to write this! Electricity through ones brain doesn't do much for ones ability to think straight! I would appreciate any comforting comments or reassurances. Or a heads up if I've done anything wrong that I could put right before I end up in any trouble. Many thanks and apologies for waffle!!

mynameistallulah

If you click the "Edit" button you can split your text up a bit - it is incredibly difficult to read at the mo.

BigAunty

Cut down to the nub - what are your specific benefit entitlement queries in a sentence per query, please.

sistafromanothermista

My eyes.....:eek:

no-oneknowsme

smilingontheoutside wrote: »

hi. I'm not sure how this will pan out, my head's a mess and i'm all over the shop.

I'll try and give a sensible and relevant precis, but i'm sorry if it ends up a bit of a ramble!

I have suffered from a really awful, treatment resistant depression for at least the last 12 years. I have had lengthy spells off work (years at at time) but through it all,

i have somehow managed to hang on to my job. The nhs has been a good employer, if not so good at treating me, but that's another story!

My husband had to give up his job about 10 years ago to be my carer, and we went through hideous experiences of hospitalisation and dreadful,dreadful times in between admissions.

I was awarded higher rate care dla and lower rate mobility, and my husband claimed carer's allowance for me.

At times he felt he wasn't caring for me the required 35hours per week (though what constitutes care is debatable!)and he told the dwp, and it was stopped, but started again when my illness deteriorated.

During most of this time i wasn't receiving any salary so we were living on benefits, incapacity benefit, income support, dla and ca. We had no capital as any savings we had we put onto our mortgage to try and reduce our monthly repayments and we just about got by.

I had an (unexpected), premature baby in 2008 and as finances were tough, i decided to return to work in 2009. My husband and i felt this was the best way to work things as my job was flexible and understanding of my illness and allowed me to return to work on a part time basis which i could only just cope with but somehow managed, with a lot of in-work at and at-home support.

The industry my husband works in is rather less forgiving and flexible and he wouldn't be able to keep taking carer's leave if i became unwell again, which is why he had to resign from his job in the first place. If he was at home looking after our daughter, if i was not well enough to be at work, he would be available to look after me.

So some people think it's the wrong way round, it worked for our situation. With the baby, the bumpf about tax credits came with her! Don't understand the system very well but we found ourselves entitled to a decent amount due to my disability and the fact that i can only work limited hours because of it.

Anyway, years down the line of just about hanging on in there at times, i became ill in october last year and needed an emergency admission to hospital again. I am entitled to 6months full (part time)pay from my employer, and then 6months half pay. My ssp ran out if april so my employer sent me an ssp1 form i think which triggered an application for esa, which has confused me as i was previously on incapacity benefit.

Anyway, i went through the whole application form on the phone with the lady at the dwp. I told her about some savings that we built up again in the time that i'd been back at work, (i'm lucky enough to have a well paid job so even tho i only work part time, we managed to put a little away each month)which amounted to about £8000. I was unsurprised when she said i wouldn't be entitled to income related esa, only the contribution bit.

Then came the dreaded esa50 questionnaire which i really struggled to complete, knowing that i have a job to return to when/if i get better and also because i was scheduled to come back into hospital(planned)to try and sort me out a bit better than things are. Even though i was discharged before christmas, life since then has been really difficult and hard, not really living,just getting by at best. So i am a bit worried about the outcome of the questionnaire, waiting to hear.

Would the fact that i have a job to return to and/or that i'm currently in hospital, mean that i wouldn't have to attend a medical or join the work related activity group? Then we've just had to complete the tax credits form which has had my head in a complete mess.

I tried to explain to them from my hospital bed that my forecast for next 12 months is really uncertain in that if i remain unwell enough to return to work, after october, my salary will be nil and now i am on half pay. I'm currently in the assessment phase of esa, not sure what the outcome of that might be as yet.

I am still receiving dla, but obviously that will stop after 4 weeks in hospital as will carers allowance. They didn't ask me about any savings that we had anyway when the award letter came back, it states we'll be eligibl for £2731.96 ctc and £4089.86 wtc.

That seems like a lot to me?

Especially as i won't, probably :'( be well enough to get back to work anytime in the next 6 months. If i do go back to work my salary will go back to normal, if i can't go back, my salary will be nil. How can i be given tax credits when i'm not receiving salary? Am i still classed as working even if i'm not receiving a salary?

I was under the impression that ctc was a means tested benefit, which obviously opens doors to other things, but i have means! We have circa £8000, but they didn't ask about that. I suppose it looks strange on paper that my 2011-2012 salary was approx £25k and this year it'll be £6250 ish if i don't get back to work.

I know i'm sort of going round in circles here but i'm worried that i'm going to be overpaid by hmrc and they'll want it back when it will probably have been spent. I'm worried that they'll say i didn't declare my savings but i don't know where to. I didn't get very much interest from my savings, most are offset against my mortgage.

The rest earnt about £2.50 interest. And i'm worried about the whole esa stuff too. If anyone's had the heart to read this outpouring, bless you! I know it's jumpy abouty but that's kind of where my head is at the moment.

It's taken me about 3 days to write this! Electricity through ones brain doesn't do much for ones ability to think straight! I would appreciate any comforting comments or reassurances. Or a heads up if i've done anything wrong that i could put right before i end up in any trouble. Many thanks and apologies for waffle!!

edited.............

emsywoo123

smilingontheoutside wrote: »

I suppose it looks strange on paper that my 2011-2012 salary was approx £25K and this year it'll be £6250 ish if I don't get back to work. I know I'm sort of going round in circles here but I'm worried that I'm going to be overpaid by HMRC and they'll want it back when it will probably have been spent.

er I think this is the main question-am I right OP? :A

GlasweJen

You can only claim working tax credits for 6 months if you're off work sick, you'll still get child tax credit though.

Your DLA will stop after 28 days in hospital but startup again when you get out - its a fairly quick process.

Your contributions will last for 1 year if you get put into the work related ESA group,indefinitely if you go into support group. Most people need a face to face medical for ESA but there are exceptions.

Tax credits in their present form don't count savings, only your income from savings so dont panic about that. When universal credit comes in this will change but there will be transitional protection in place.

Hope this helps.

smilingontheoutside

Thanks GlasweJen and emsywoo. your responses helped a lot and put my mind at a bit of ease. And feel a bit better that I haven't done anything wrong essentially.
I do apologise for the long text. As I said, it took me three days of composing on a 3" screen which is difficult to then go and edit after wards without it dropping off the screen, so I really am sorry. They should have computer access in hospital I think!
GlasweJen, the 6 months of tax credits, is that 6 months after I stop getting paid from work or six months after I stopped work, which is now, give or take a few weeks, I went off sick in october?
Thanks for taking the time to read and reply.

smilingontheoutside

mynameistallulah wrote: »

If you click the "Edit" button you can split your text up a bit - it is incredibly difficult to read at the mo.

I'm sorry - I realise how awful it looks Really tricky on a tiny screen that's playing up. sorry

smilingontheoutside

sistafromanothermista wrote: »

My eyes.....:eek:

sorry bout your eyes-mine are a bit boggled too!
And I can only see half a screen at a time! I do apologise!

GlasweJen

It's 6 months from the date on your first sick note. Even if work are still paying you tax credits won't.