ESA question re' means testing

Boots888

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

No, I didn't say we would not have made any changes to our lives if we were going to be affected by any changes to Benefits. I said we would not have moved abroad if we'd have had to RELY on said Benefits. We would certainly have made changes. We might well have relocated to Snowdonia , or sold up and bought a camper van and travelled the length and breadth of the UK and trips abroad. We just would not have gone to live abroad.

Whatsmore, with all due respect, you relied on your husbands pension. You didn't have an income of your own. Why?? did you never work??

i'm on my own relying on one income myself. Neither of us are independant in that respect, regardless of where our support comes from so you should have some empathy,

that or get off your high horse:eek:

Boots888

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

But surely that does not mean for ever more? Not even the DWP can say that, they don't know if/when there will be new legislation, or, if indeed, your condition will improve. I assume the letter means (and should say), that if nothing changes then you would still be entitled to it. They can't predict that nothing will change.

But they can say that it will??????????????????:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Boots888

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

QUOTE]

Out of interest, can I ask why you moved back to the UK?

seven-day-weekend

Boots888 wrote: »

Whatsmore, with all due respect, you relied on your husbands pension. You didn't have an income of your own. Why?? did you never work??

i'm on my own relying on one income myself. Neither of us are independant in that respect, regardless of where our support comes from so you should have some empathy,

that or get off your high horse:eek:

I did work, for most of my life apart from when my son was small. However I was only 54 when we went to Spain and wasn't entitled to any pension or anything. So that's why we lived on his Teachers' pension which he could draw (albeit greatly reduced) when he was 55.

We knew this was what we would have to live on and made our decision based upon this. But we knew this income, small as it was, was not in danger of disappearing. That is the difference.

I had to wait until I was 60 to draw my State Pension and still haven't drawn my Local Authority pension.

My husband is still not at State Pension age, we live on his Teachers' pension and my State Pension now. But for five years all we had was the Teachers' pension (and a small amount of IB, reduced due to the Teachers' Pension).

Hope this helps.

i do have sympathy for you, I just don't understand why you did not realise that that source of income was vulnerable, that's all.

seven-day-weekend

Boots888 wrote: »

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

QUOTE]

Out of interest, can I ask why you moved back to the UK?

Certainly. It was never meant to be a permanent move. We moved back just because it was time, we had stopped having an adventure. We just missed certain things in the UK that were not possible in our little Spanish village. We had kept our house in the UK, so we just moved back, although we have since sold the Spanish house.

Hope this helps

Boots888

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

I did work, for most of my life apart from when my son was small. However I was only 54 when we went to Spain and wasn't entitled to any pension or anything. So that's why we lived on his Teachers' pension which he could draw (albeit greatly reduced) when he was 55.

We knew this was what we would have to live on and made our decision based upon this. But we knew this income, small as it was, was not in danger of disappearing. That is the difference.

I had to wait until I was 60 to draw my State Pension and still haven't drawn my Local Authority pension.

My husband is still not at State Pension age, we live on his Teachers' pension and my State Pension now. But for five years all we had was the Teachers' pension (and a small amount of IB, reduced due to the Teachers' Pension).

Hope this helps.

i do have sympathy for you, I just don't understand why you did not realise that that source of income was vulnerable, that's all.

Why can't a disabled person (be able to) rely on an income the same way you rely on yours, either from your husbands pension, or your own state funded pension????

What is the difference??

Please answer the question (without a sense of entitlement)

Boots888

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Boots888 wrote: »

Certainly. It was never meant to be a permanent move. We moved back just because it was time, we had stopped having an adventure. We just missed certain things in the UK that were not possible in our little Spanish village. We had kept our house in the UK, so we just moved back, although we have since sold the Spanish house.

Hope this helps

I never felt I could move here permanantly either, I got a break, an inheritance, I took a chance on making a fresh start. I would have been stupid not to take the opportunitly. I can't afford to live here indefinatley and less so without the income of esa. I live frugally so I can buy myself time to give myself a chance in life. This phase in my life is that important, it's make or break time for me and gives me some hope.

I hope that helps explain my anguish.

seven-day-weekend

Boots888 wrote: »

Why can't a disabled person (be able to) rely on an income the same way you rely on yours, either from your husbands pension, or your own state funded pension????

What is the difference??

Please answer the question (without a sense of entitlement)

Look, I didn't make the rules!

Maybe it is because in many cases the condition can improve, become more manageable with better meds, or an operation can make things better, ...but mainly because the rules are different. That's just the way things are. I'm not saying that that is how things should be, just that it is how they are.

ESA is for sickness. DLA is the benefit for disability.

Boots888

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Look, I didn't make the rules!

& a bleeding good thing too I say!!!:eek:

but you took advantage of it when it's suited you

Maybe it is because in many cases the condition can improve, become more manageable with better meds, or an operation can make things better, ...but mainly because the rules are different. That's just the way things are.

ESA is for sickness. DLA is the benefit for disability.

whats the difference ??? never understood it myself. They do complicate things don't they, I agree with you there.

:cool:

seven-day-weekend

....but you took advantage of it when it's suited you.....

I'm sorry? When did I take advantage of it? I've never claimed any Benefits apart from Child Benefit, which everyone with a child got in those days.

ESA is what you claim if you are too ill to work. DLA is a benefit to meet the extra needs of disability and you can work full-time and still claim it if your disability allows it.