am i still entitled?????

pickle1998

Please can someone help and advise me, up until 3 ish years ago i was claiming income support as a long term sickness benefit as i hadnt paid enough tax for incorpacity benefit. i was signed off for a year at a time and had to go and be assessed every year, which is very difficult when your sickness is a breakdown, bipolar and other mental health problems inclucing extreme depression, and im sure there are enough people who have experienced this difficulty when being assessed as it is not something any doctor can see. Any how during the 6 years of being sighed off which started with the breakdown and a suicide attempt, i was accussed by the powers that be of fraud, saying i had someone living with me when i wasnt even in a relationship and only lived in a 2 bed house with my daughter. after some 2 years i fanally did meet someone and fell pregnant which i was very happy about, but we felt with the issues i already had and the on set of pre-eclampsia and later on eclamsia which is life threatening and epilepsy fairly early on in my pregnacy we desided it was best for him to move in, and in a panic i rang DWP and said i didnt need to claim anymore, so this imediately stopped. At the time matt had a very good job and we managed on his wages alone and tax credits. unfortunately like many people he lost his job and was on JSA for well over a year, just before he started a new job we decided to move via a mutual council exchange, for a fresh start and reasons id rather not go in to. but while moving i was very much misled on the cost of the rent, which turned out to be over £35 per week more than our old house, also the job matt took on was alot less than wot he was earning after tax its now only£1150 per month which as u no goes no where after rent and council tax. After all this woffling (sorry) my main question is as iv never been signed fit to go back to work, and on top of all the original mental health problems this now includes panic attacks sometimes as many as 6 aday, due to all this does anyone no if im still entitled to any sickness benifit of any sort, i just dont no where to turn now as we are now 3 months behind with the rent and drowning fast. please any advise would help.

SuziQ

I'm sorry you are having such a wroten time, however I think your husband's wage may be too much for you to be entitled to anything. To let the more knowledgeable people here help you, what are the ages of your children? Maybe you and your husband would be able to claim benefits such as working tax credits, council tax benefit or housing benefit- I don't know but others might.

Do you have any care needs that you cold apply for DLA?

Avaangeline

You should be able to get housing benefit they will pay a certain amount and then you pay the rest.

Horseunderwater

To Pickle 1998.
You would not get income support now as it no longer exists for sickness.
However with 2 children you would get child tax credits and if your partner works at least 24 hours per week, then he would be eligible for working tax credits at the couples rate and if he does 30 hours he would get a little more too. So I suggest you get a tax credits claim pack from either the job centre or ring them up for one, if you are not already getting them. Tel: 0345 300 3900

pmlindyloo

You will not be entitled to any sickness benefits (now called Employment Support Allowance) as your old sickness benefit was income based (dependent on your income and savings)

No you are living with a partner you are assessed for benefits on your joint income/savins so you will no longer be entitled to any sickness benefit.

Depending on your care needs you might be entitled to Disability Living Allowance (not means tested ) Google for more information.

If you do not think you are eligible for this then you might be eligible for the following:

Housing Benefit
Council Tax Benefit
Child Tax Credit
Working Tax Credit
(Child Benefit)

Put your details into the benefit calculator here: http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx
to find out.