JSA and occupational pension

Steve_k243

HI

Refused again
I recently ended a work contract (it seems only contracting is available in IT now) and claimed JSA. I received a letter saying I was not entitled to JSA because I have not made enough contributions (crap!) and as I have a pension income (issued as I was too sick to work at the time) I can deal with the NI issue later, but what is annoying me to the point of exploding is the fact that they are harassing me about "signing on" and how they will "cut me off" if I don't attend "sessions" which amount to 8-10 a month.
How can nothing be cut off?

My real problem is that I have to attend a lot of hospital appointments, and have been told that as I receive no money from JSA I cannot claim the travel cost. One hospital is 20 miles away by car. These costs will wipe out my pension leaving me with nothing. I lost my home as a result of a heart attack and subsequent unemployment 7 years ago and now live in my Mothers spare room.
Apparently I will have to fund my own dental treatment. My last dentist visit cost me £80, more than a weeks pension.

I believe I am entitled to transport costs to/from hospital and dental treatment, it's those morons at the chav, oops jobcentre who do not know their own rules. Here is a list of my ailments.

Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Hypertension
Left bundle branch block
Severe Diastolic Dysfunction
Moderate Global Systolic Dysfunction
Left Ventricular Dilation
Persistent Atrial Fibrillation.
Ejection Fraction 25-30%
Peripheral Artery Disease in both legs
Osteoarthritis
Prolapsed L5 S1 Disc
Loss of function in R lower leg and foot
Leg and foot pains
Back pain
Type 2 Diabetes
And finally--well on my way to stress/depression.

My GP will not sign me off as sick!!!!!!!!! Because ESA is the obvious route here.

Am I entitled to free dental treatment and hospital travel?
The trouble here is that jobcentre staff do not know their own rules.

Caz3121

Steve_k243 wrote: »

Am I entitled to free dental treatment and hospital travel?

You need to fill in an HC1 form and they will confirm if you qualify
http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages/nhs-low-income-scheme.aspx

allen35

Have you tried changing your GP if he doesn't class you as too ill for work.

Criteria for sickness benefits are not about what conditions you have but how they affect you, visit directgov website for info' on possible entitlement to DLA

Dunroamin

allen35 wrote: »

Have you tried changing your GP if he doesn't class you as too ill for work.

Or perhaps accept that s/he is right?

allen35

Dunroamin wrote: »

Or perhaps accept that s/he is right?

Fair point

terryw

Steve_k243 wrote: »

HI

but what is annoying me to the point of exploding is the fact that they are harassing me about "signing on" and how they will "cut me off" if I don't attend "sessions" which amount to 8-10 a month.
How can nothing be cut off?

It looks as though any payment of JSA is being negated by the amount of your occupational pension. If you sign on, you are really only receiving a credit for National Insurances purposes.

Unfortunately you still have to jump through all the hoops exactly like any other JSA claimant.

Steve_k243

allen35 wrote: »

Have you tried changing your GP if he doesn't class you as too ill for work.

I'll be doing that tomorrow, he did sit on my spine injuries for ages and I once had to almost bang my fist on his desk to get a referral to a consultant. The resulting MRI found my injuries to be much more severe than just "a bad back" The trouble is that I imagine back pain to be the cause of most of the bogus claims out there, however I have evidence in the MRI and X-rays, not to mention the obvious muscle wastage and weakness in one leg.

Steve_k243

terryw wrote: »

It looks as though any payment of JSA is being negated by the amount of your occupational pension. If you sign on, you are really only receiving a credit for National Insurances purposes.
Unfortunately you still have to jump through all the hoops exactly like any other JSA claimant.

You are correct re the pension, however I was out of work for 2 months last year and my dentist treated me gratis as in his opinion the fact that I was "signing on" and could prove it was the qualifying factor. The fact that I received no payments was in his opinion irrelevant.

The "signing on" is annoying as it seems those of us who are genuinely looking for work get the Gestapo treatment whilst the tracksuits simply turn up--tie the staff/pit bull terrier up outside, swagger in, sign and out--literally over in seconds.

Dunroamin

Steve_k243 wrote: »

You are correct re the pension, however I was out of work for 2 months last year and my dentist treated me gratis as in his opinion the fact that I was "signing on" and could prove it was the qualifying factor. The fact that I received no payments was in his opinion irrelevant.

.

I'm afraid your dentist is totally wrong about this. You could be a millionaire and still be getting NIC credits, or NIC contributions based for that matter. That's why most concessions state specifically that they're only available to those on means tested benefits.

Steve_k243

Dunroamin wrote: »

I'm afraid your dentist is totally wrong about this. You could be a millionaire and still be getting NIC credits, or NIC contributions based for that matter. That's why most concessions state specifically that they're only available to those on means tested benefits.

What about the NHS low income scheme? Given that last year my pension was only £1.70 a week more than the minimum liveable income, surely I am on a low income and qualify that way?
My pension is less than half of minimum wage when worked out over 52 weeks.

xylophone

he did sit on my spine injuries for ages :eek:

But seriously, have you seen this http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/1130.aspx