How does ESA and other benefits work?

March2012

My partner has fallen ill and been ill quite a while. We are regularly at hospital for tests etc. he suffers from a lot of different pains but so far we are unable to find out what it could be though the doctors know he has a problem. so far we are on ESA and for 2 adults and 1 child we get £200 every two weeks. Is this the normal amount as it is a real struggle? i have to care for the child too at the moment and spend a lot of time trying to help him. As yet not looked into the disability element as everyone is saying that it is practically impossible to get .
I have not applied for carers as yet either as i think this is linked. I hope this will just tie me over for a while until i can get to the bottom of his health etc and reassess what to do.
we are also looking into a community grant as our boiler has broken down and other bits too.
any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks !

BigAunty

Enter your details into the Turn2us online benefit calculator to identify if you are entitled to child tax credits, council tax discount and housing benefit (if a tenant), plus you should also be getting child benefit.

You cannot get carers allowance until DLA is awarded.

If you do feel that your partner has care/mobility needs, then contact a disability organisation who may have the resources to help you with the application. There are charities for Disability who have advisors that help with this type of thing.

EDIT - I note from a past post that you have a mortgage. If he's receiving Income based ESA, he might get help with paying the mortgage interest but i assume he has to be the owner. See this link and the Shelter website for details on the SMI scheme.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/DG_180321

nannytone_2

arent you getting child tax credits too?

until the medical has been passed, the benefit rate is the same as JSA ( about £111 a week for a couple) ctc credits are paid for the child seperatelt.

ubkess your partner receives DLA care at middle or higher rate, you cant claim carers allowance

March2012

how does it work . how do they deduct my salary (self employed) from any entitlement he may have? thanks in advance. also if the house is mine rather than in his name. we have debts too as he fell ill and left us in this situation at the moment. any tips appreciated. will also try again turn to us though sometimes i find easier to speak to others through this too as not clearn on returning back to work etc. thanksn in advance!

nannytone wrote: »

arent you getting child tax credits too?

until the medical has been passed, the benefit rate is the same as JSA ( about £111 a week for a couple) ctc credits are paid for the child seperatelt.

ubkess your partner receives DLA care at middle or higher rate, you cant claim carers allowance

rogerblack

March2012 wrote: »

how does it work . how do they deduct my salary (self employed) from any entitlement he may have? thanks in advance. also if the house is mine rather than in his name. we have debts too as he fell ill and left us in this situation at the moment. any tips appreciated. will also try again turn to us though sometimes i find easier to speak to others through this too as not clearn on returning back to work etc. thanksn in advance!

It depends if the ESA is contributions, or income-related.
Contributions based ESA is only payable to the claimant, and other income does not matter.
Income-based ESA takes into account the partners income.

Any self employment income (over a small disregard (20 pounds? I forget)) will come off income-based ESA pound-for-pound.

Debts are not generally relevant to benefit awards.

epitome

He needs to ask if he gets ESA C or ESA IR

He is either on assessment rate ESA IR at £222.90 per fortnight (less your income)

Or he is on ESA C and has passed medical into WRAG and gets £198.30 per fortnight.

If the latter, he will only qualify for mortgage help if you work less than 24 hours a week, and you have combined savings less than £16,000
If so he should complete an ESA3

If the latter, also, his payments will stop (completely stop) after 1 year. He will only get it again (realistically) if he claims again afer waiting 12 weeks and qualifies again for another 365 days ESA C WRAG

March2012

understood all of this..Contributions based ESA is only payable to the claimant, and other income does not matter.

rogerblack wrote: »

It depends if the ESA is contributions, or income-related.
Contributions based ESA is only payable to the claimant, and other income does not matter.
Income-based ESA takes into account the partners income.

Any self employment income (over a small disregard (20 pounds? I forget)) will come off income-based ESA pound-for-pound.

Debts are not generally relevant to benefit awards.

March2012

it me just htinking this? so if you dont plan for illness you are basically...fxxxxx?

epitome wrote: »

He needs to ask if he gets ESA C or ESA IR

He is either on assessment rate ESA IR at £222.90 per fortnight (less your income)

Or he is on ESA C and has passed medical into WRAG and gets £198.30 per fortnight.

If the latter, he will only qualify for mortgage help if you work less than 24 hours a week, and you have combined savings less than £16,000
If so he should complete an ESA3

If the latter, also, his payments will stop (completely stop) after 1 year. He will only get it again (realistically) if he claims again afer waiting 12 weeks and qualifies again for another 365 days ESA C WRAG

March2012

ESA? how does it affect or not the other person? thanks allx

March2012 wrote: »

it me just htinking this? so if you dont plan for illness you are basically...fxxxxx?

HB58

March2012 wrote: »

ESA? how does it affect or not the other person? thanks allx

I'm not sure what you are asking. Can you rephrase the question please?

Face1992

March2012 wrote: »

it me just htinking this? so if you dont plan for illness you are basically...fxxxxx?

I think that is why people try and get insurance policies for instances like that if funds allow when they are working.