Esa and Eorking Tax credits one not both?

Plymchris

Hi can anyone help me please? My husband was made redundant ant the end of June, but prior to that he was working but it was killing him so the redundancy was a good thing health wise. He has Emphasemia, hiatus hernia and ischemic heart problems which make his breathing difficult and any physical exertion very painful. He applied for Disability living allowance and was rejected we recently went to the tribunal stage and his appeal was rejected as did not meet critea.

Since July 1st he has been in receipt of ESA of £71 per week Contribution based only as I had been self employed for 38 hours per week. We have been in recipt of £56 per week Working Tax credit. Until November 2011 I was in recipt of Incapacity Credits only as I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalagia. From Nov 2011 until Nov 22nd 2012 I received a return to work payment of £40 per week for self employment that has now stopped. Since April I have only been able to generate £20 profit so I have not been able to give myself a wage. My health is paying the peanalty because of the stress of trying to find work, working and caring for a very ill husband with no ther help. We do get full housing and council tax benefit but struggling to pay basic bills.

I have taken the decision to reduce my hours to 20 as we have been informed that as I work 24 or more hours we are not entitled to income based esa payments, but now I have been told by the working tax credit representative that because I work less than 24 hours a week we are no longer entitled to working tax Credit. I thought that at 56 years old it was 16hours or more hours per week to qualify for WTC, but I have just been told no, 24 hours or more. So that means we can recieve one or the other not both is that correct?

I had an income review done by Advice Plymouth who said we should recieve both, they are on holiday until 2nd January and this is making me feel sick with worry which is agrivating my Fibromyalagia. I know that worrying will not change things but we are now desperate please advise me?

Icequeen99

Do you have any children? If you do, then it would be 24 hours.

If you don't have children, then it will be 30 hours unless you are aged 60 or over or qualify for the disability element (the worker must be the one who qualifies for it).

IQ