Can he change from Cont ESA to Inc ESA?

Jaspersmum

Good morning and Happy Easter
My Husband is claiming Cont ESA migrated from IB for 12 years following a serious accident at work. I work 23.75 hours per week earning £164.76 gross per week. Unfortunately we are under threat of redundancy and have lost 3 staff in the past couple of weeks, so no chance of more work.

I work 10 miles from home and need a car to get to work as public transport stops at 5.25pm. My car is 13 years old and has given up the ghost, I can get the bus to work but not home again - the cost of the bus fares and a taxi home is £74 per week!!! :eek: I have even been to speak to my MP who is at a loss what to suggest regarding transport in the area and the time limiting of ESA Cont!

Anyway my question is in June my husbands ESA stops (WRAG), will we be entitled to anything at all? We have one child age 10 and no childcare costs. I have tried entitled to but our scenario does not fit the questions. To be perfectly honest I feel like just giving up on my job after 27 years! Would we be better off, re mortgage costs etc. I have read the Impact assessment from the Government who have already highlighted the fact that people in this situation would be better off not working! I cannot believe I am asking the question but unfortunately until I can get a job in a place I can get to, I have to deal with reality.
Thankyou

Thomas_Hardy

As you have a mortgage you may be entitled to IB ESA. How much capital is outstanding on your mortgage, not including any additional borrowing for consolidation loans etc?

mikey_bach

Put the claim in now and see. You work under 24 hours a week so he can claim for you as a partner, they will send the form the ESA3 and a MI12 for the mortgage.
You would get a £10 disregard on your earnings then its taken into account pound for pound

They will need your last three payslips if paid monthly five if weekly.

If you have to give your job up then he would get full ESA.

If you are entitled now you will be in June

Jaspersmum

Thank you for the replies
The outstanding mortgage is around £84,000.
If they only disregard £10 of my wage then I would be working for £76 per week after paying for travel, not enough to keep us and pay a mortgage somehow!
It seems if I gave up we would be financially better off!
My MP has said he will try to help get my Husband into the Support group - but reading other peoples accounts, I don't hold out much hope, even though he fits some of the descriptors the ATOS forms seem very difficult and irrelevant to his condition and problems.
Thanks again

mikey_bach

If you entitled to help with your mortgage then its paid direct to the lender. The system takes your earnings into account then if entitled you get the extra help towards the mortgage..

ESA IB is income based, so any income coming into the house is taken into account, if you did not work then you would get full entitlement

you will have to weigh everything up yourself in respect of your job....

Jaspersmum

When you say full entitlement - what would that actually mean - he currently receives Ind Injuries at £31.40, would this be deducted also? I understand we would still receive child tax credits but I have no idea on the IB ESA. I am trying to do an SOA but its very difficult when I have no concrete figures.
Many thanks

aleisha2k5

have you tried claiming for Working Tax Credits? that can be an extra £89 a week on top of your wages? x

You could get
Working tax credits
Child tax credits
and child credit (old family allowance) that you should be getting anyway.

there is an online test you can do from the direct gov website or you could go to the jobcentre or CAB and see if they can advise you x

epitome

Does he get DLA care?.... low, middle or high?

He should claim ESA IR for you now, and backdate it to the start of his ESA Conts claim, but the max backdating allowed may turn out to be 3 months. Using an ESA3 from jobcentres, just fill it in return it to the BC and check ofter 8 - 9 days that it did arrive.

Your entire "after tax" income would be deducted from ESA IR (possibly less a nominal amount like £10) it would not be written down as "£76 after transport costs."

If he claims ESA IR now he will still continue to get the gauranteed ESA C amount until June...........but he will have his ESA IR set up just incase you decide to finish your job, if you do , then there will -obviously- be no more of your income to deduct of his ESA IR allowance and he will receive the full amount.

You can also claim Working Tax Credits -now- to see if eligible.

I believe IIDB is deducted from ESA IR.

Mortgage help kicks in after 3 months (hence the backdating).

He can appeal for the Support Group.

Horseunderwater

The income disregard for IR ESA is £20/week - not £10.
Regardless of which group of ESA your OH gets - if he converted to IR, then you would get help with your mortgage after 13 weeks, Free NHS help for medication and dental and if eyes need testing and glasses obtaining then vouchers are given towards the costs. You would also get help with council tax under the new council tax support scheme. And you'd get Full child tax credits paid for each and every child.

Jaspersmum

Thank you for your replies, it is looking like we will be financially better off if I gave up my job! At least we would get help with the mortgage, council tax and prescriptions etc. It just goes against the grain really, I have always worked since leaving at school at 16, I had 6 months off when I had our Daughter and that is it.
I will try and find something else nearer to home and where I can get a bus to work but I have been looking for a while and the majority of employers are looking for part time workers - flexible hours - Travel*dge are a joke - anytime day or night and do everything, reception, food and clean the toilets for minimum wage!!
Anyway I will contact them on Tuesday and request the forms to claim IB ESA, a I presume it is not a speedy process! I will also hand my notice in at work - I can't believe I am saying that!! What is the Country coming to?
(P.S By the time I had left the appointment my MP (con) had his head in his hands)!!

schrodie

Horseunderwater wrote: »

The income disregard for IR ESA is £20/week - not £10.
Regardless of which group of ESA your OH gets - if he converted to IR, then you would get help with your mortgage after 13 weeks, Free NHS help for medication and dental and if eyes need testing and glasses obtaining then vouchers are given towards the costs. You would also get help with council tax under the new council tax support scheme. And you'd get Full child tax credits paid for each and every child.

Do you get any extra help as in free prescriptions, eye tests etc. if you're in the Support Group of ESA?