ESA appeal and "bedroom tax" double whammy!

mazza111

Own_My_Own wrote: »

You need to read what you write.

I am perfectly aware that some people on DLA work.

What has that got to do with this thread and you not claiming it.

You do not work.

You are making no sense.

Or are you just pointing out that a disabled person can work, while you (non-disabled) can't.

No u need to know that even though I may have a problem that stops me from being able to work after being in work since leaving school, right up until I was medically retired. Yes I have a few problems that prevent me from working at the moment, but I am not disabled (not in the eyes of the government)

So again. Why would I claim a benefit I don't qualify for....

What it has to do with it, is your statement claiming that most on esa will probably get DLA when it's clearly not the case. I do not have mobility (well some but not enough to warrant a claim) nor care needs. I have a disability. That disability doesn't hinder me enough to claim DLA.

Does it bother me that you get tax credits. Not in the slightest, but then I'm not coming on here and criticising everyone else

You seem very quick to judge people who are disabled (the OP) when you are claiming benefits yourself, albeit different ones. Pot and kettle springs to mind.

As for sitting quietly and letting the government do as it wishes. Not a chance. The louder we shout the more we will be heard.

Own_My_Own

mazza111 wrote: »

No u need to know that even though I may have a problem that stops me from being able to work after being in work since leaving school, right up until I was medically retired. Yes I have a few problems that prevent me from working at the moment, but I am not disabled (not in the eyes of the government)

So again. Why would I claim a benefit I don't qualify for....

What it has to do with it, is your statement claiming that most on esa will probably get DLA when it's clearly not the case. I do not have mobility (well some but not enGough to warrant a claim) nor care needs. I have a disability. That disability doesn't hinder me enough to claim DLA.

Does it bother me that you get tax credits. Not in the slightest, but then I'm not coming on here and criticising everyone else

You seem very quick to judge people who are disabled (the OP) when you are claiming benefits yourself, albeit different ones. Pot and kettle springs to mind.

As for sitting quietly and letting the government do as it wishes. Not a chance. The louder we shout the more we will be heard.

Learn to read.

You are feeling sorry for yourself.

I have bashed no one.

Yet again someone who wants everyone to agree with them. And if they don't they are obviously a nasty person.

KxMx

Own_My_Own wrote: »

But in the last view weeks all you get on here are people moaning that they are going to have to pay more rent, pay more council tax. They spouse is expected to actually work.

(snip)

But I don't come on here moaning about it, it won't change it.

I now a lot of people come on here for advice, but if they actually looked, there are pages of it for them to read.

People generally on forums can be lazy, they don't want to go to the effort of searching and reading, they just type and expect the advice/answers to be spoon fed to them.

NOT directed at anyone here but I see it all the time on another forum I visit. I answer the exact same question at least 10 times a month lol.

Own_My_Own

Morlock wrote: »

Not really. I am very pro-welfare, particularly when wages are so low that they do not provide the means for working people to support themselves.

I just don't think you you realise how much hardship the bedroom tax will cause people, particularly when you state that without working you would receive £153.39 per week, which is more than double the amount an adult over 25 claiming JSA receives every fortnight.

After seeing your very poor sexist link on the other thread, nothing you say is of any interest to me.

You have shown yourself to be a sad little man.

Hope you enjoyed reading it.

wayne0

Own_My_Own wrote: »

I am really sorry for any heartache this is calling, but I rent privately and am finding this all a bit much.

I have always had to pay towards my rent as it is higher than the LHA, as are 99% of the houses in my area. I would also have to pay for any spare rooms we have.

My son has ASD and finds moving very difficult and stressful, but he has had to do it 3 times.

I have had to find deposits 3 times and a months rent in advance. ( Although I have had these back from 2 houses, still in 3rd). I have also had to find the removal money.

As I said, I do not wish heartache on anyone, but you are now just going to treated the same as I have been for the last 16 years.

And even with the bedroom tax you are still not paying as much as me in rent.

Brilliant summing up there:
Security is key...

Luckily ive had "good landlords" the last two/three properties ive lived in.
(this one lives in america, and is never around, pay rent to her, - infact, she gave us her american account details so as my wifes family can pay a bit of the rent for the next month or two - to help reduce costs (i think she saves money too on currency exchange or w/e lol))
previous one didnt get rent for three months (standing order didnt set up) but he never mentioned it, and when i told him "i dont think the rents gone out of my account" he was like "oh, right... well just pay it in when you can... " (was paid in the same week mind, but he wasnt an !!!!!! or w.e. lol = he always sorted anything that needed fixing ASAP.)

however: current house has single glazing etc... landlord wont invest a couple of grand.. (council will immediately)
my landlord can give me 2 months notice to leave...
(would the council?)

i got a message on freecycle today regards a person who is taking in a lodger because of the "dreadful bedroom tax" ... er.... you mean rent, right? - something that most of us have to pay anyway? in full

TBF... if the council is giving you a property rent free: shouldnt they have a choice as to who lives there?
if your not happy with this choice, you cover the revenue they could make on it, simple...

@OP: your mother has another option to the bedroom tax: get a lodger... and then they cover the rent shortfall.. (obviously, theres no massively additional costs for the additional head (central heating etc already on etc))

wayne0

nannytone wrote: »

i raised 2 children alone, when there were no tax credits and i worked full time until i was unable to through disability.

im not bashing here but: there were no tax credits, but you could claim the Income Support Child Element... (it topped up income from earnings etc)

wayne0

Morlock wrote: »

I just don't think you you realise how much hardship the bedroom tax will cause people,

but she does...

Private tennants often have to "negotiate" with landlords to get cheaper rent... often this makes the landlord move off from renting the property to you. (hmmm, cant afford £150/week... how can they afford £140? etc)

LHA rates RARELY cover the actual rent costs in the area... for the "bedrooms rate" they cover: often 50 - 100 a month less than the actual area! (sometimes more)

this is represented in the Bedroom tax...

if a private tennant cannot get the council to pay the additional cost... why should the social housing tennant get the full cost paid? - esp considering social housing for a 2 bed in my area is 90 a week. and my private let is 144 a week. (already 50 a week cheaper)

the idea is... social housing is for those with needs...

i rented a shared house when i was younger... i would happily move into a house with another person if i needed somewhere...

HelpForHeros outlined the number of people willing to offer people in need a home (one guy was living in his car and somebody heard his story on the radio and called the station to offer him a room! - and the guy owned his own home!)

its a principle: as i said above...

Social housing is given, often rent free - or a large sum of the already cheap rent is paid for you...

so why shouldnt the person paying the piper pick the tune...
and in this case the tune is: pay up, or get a lodger for them to pay up...

Morlock

wayne0 wrote: »

TBF... if the council is giving you a property rent free: shouldnt they have a choice as to who lives there?

Since when does the council provide 'rent free' properties?

wayne0 wrote: »

LHA rates RARELY cover the actual rent costs in the area... for the "bedrooms rate" they cover: often 50 - 100 a month less than the actual area! (sometimes more)

I've seen that statement many times on this forum, but have yet to see one shred of evidence to back up the claim that the majority of LHA recipients have to top up their rent (and by what amount on average).

seven-day-weekend

I do think for disabled people, for whom there is no suitable local housing, that they should not have to pay the extra.

I also think if there IS suitable housing, they could either move or cover the extra themselves.

belladonna13

I fear this so called bedroom tax = under occupancy tariff, is dividing people and even disabled people are being divided and, while in no way are the disabled a totally homogeneous group, the many shared experiences and some similarities for all who are disabled seem to be rapidly being forgotten in the debating of who is worse off and worst affected by the bedroom tax.

To me it seems like if nothing else this part of the welfare reform bill will set the collective disability rights movement back 50 years. We, the disabled appear now to be arguing among ourselves and I have never seen that before on such a scale.

I have already told my background on this forum so will not repeat in its entirety, but briefly I am an ex-professional and worked for 30 years. Due to a combination of bipolar, wonky tracking in my legs, osteo-arthritis (cervical and lumbar spondylosis inc), heart condition and a few other issues I have found myself unable to work and on DLA and related benefits.

I was for quite sometime in 2004/05 (due to psychosis) street homeless and then lived in a few hostels and lastly supported accommodation. I was then offered to house share with a now ex-friend who sadly stole money from me. I had just lost my mum so was grieving and was very deeply in depression but I needed to get out and fast so I took a small 2 bed private rented house at £500 per month. I received £300 per month HB and had to pay the top-up of £200. Mentally and physically I was not coping and although I had support from the MH services I was in all other ways alone. I could not afford to pay for any care and spent much of my time in bed unwashed, due to depression and physical pain. I was sometimes on my hands and knees crawling to the toilet and crying all the bloody way - did I feel sorry for myself? too bloody right I did!

I lived like that for 3 years always fearing I would not be able to renew my tenancy if the landlady decided to sell and feeling so very insecure and terrified that I would become homeless again. I still cannot believe that 3 years passed with me being totally out of it. I have no doubt it would have continued if it had not been for the support of the MH services who sorted out my medication, applied for the correct benefits and applied for social housing for me. I was on several social housing lists and the council list for 2 years before I was offered the little 2 bed bungalow I now live in.

I get full HB at the moment but come April I will have to pay £11.40 per week towards the rent and approx £7.80 per week towards the CT so £19.20 per week in total. To me after having paid £200 per month in private rental, approx £76.80 per month does not seem a lot. Although for those with different circumstances and who have not had to pay I am sure this is different. I did not ask for 2 beds but this was all that was available and there are 18 2 bed bungalows on this complex and no one beds and the stock of the housing association overall is mainly 2 beds.

I do pay for care and do not get direct payments for this (not sure why some qualify and others do not but I have never applied – do ppl get direct payments on top of DLA or instead of?) I use my DLA care and related disability premiums to pay for this. My last carer left and so it was suggested by the MH services that I apply to social services for assessment. I was assessed and requested 6 hours care per week at £12.50 per hour so £75.00 per week. This covers help with personal care (washing hair and bathing) and help with household tasks. Not help with cooking though, so often my shopping bill is higher due to buying ready meals for which I use my DLA. I also use my DLA to attend water fit twice a week, if I can manage, I cannot do many of the exercises but do find the water beneficial. During the better weather I pay for a gardener once a fortnight also out of my DLA.

I know locally that private care is charged at £15.00 per hour so that would have cost me £100.00 per week so social services at £75.00 per week is better. My care needs are increasing so if I ask for 2 extra hours that will be another £25.00 per week, so £100 per week. Without giving too much information, I often struggle with my toilet needs due to a combination of mobility and some incontinence issues I have. I often need to change several times a day and so more washing which costs in terms of water, electric, washing liquid etc,. but again these extra costs come out of my DLA.

The main reason for my care award of DLA was my mental health and although what I pay for in care does help with my mental health issues in some ways I do not use my DLA for specific support for my mental health. I am reasonably stable at the present time but if I do need support, for eg someone to stay over so I am not a danger to myself or others, I do not know how I would actually afford that on top of my other care costs. Although if I became psychotic I would probably be hospitalised like I have been before and would hopefully have the crisis team or home recovery team involved on a daily basis and would need to depend on telephone support for nights when discharged.

I guess the point I am trying to make is that so much needs to come out of my DLA and related disability benefits that I really cannot afford much more additional care at £12.50 per hour, although shortly I am going to need to. So although to others looking in from the outside it may appear that DLA is a generous benefit when you take into consideration what care alone costs (£12.50 - £15.00 per hour locally) and add on other related disability expenses it often does not even cover those costs, let alone bedroom tax and CB top ups. It will of course depend on the individual and their care needs and rate of DLA, but honestly if it is being used for the purpose it is given for it really is not generous or extra money it is much needed for the purpose for which it was given, to provide care and support and I, for one, am very grateful for it.

I am sad that this bedroom tax is dividing people in such a way and especially the disabled. We need to be challenging this badly thought out policy (which I agree with in principle but not in its current form) collectively, because individually we are not going to effect the much needed changes.

I love my little bungalow and would pay any price that I could to stay here but I am fully aware of the impact on others of the bedroom tax and I would hate that anything would make me leave what is now my sanctuary and is in a safe area and adapted for my needs with bath lift, grab rails, half steps and a few other aids.

I wish everyone well.