We need help :(

no1wf

My Dad and I don't really understand what's going on so hopefully someone can help us.

We used to claim housing benefit and Dad was on Jobseekers allowance.

Dad has COPD and can't walk or be busy for very long as he gets out of breath. He was admitted to hospital on the 10th with pneumonia as he'd had a chest infection since before Christmas.

During his hospital stay he was due to go to a jobfit appointment so I rang up and said he wouldnt make it and could they reschedule. Which they did, but only until the next week, so I had to ring again.

I told the jobcentre he was ill and they gave me forms to fill, one to say he was sick and another to cancel jsa. And a number to ring to claim ESA

We rang the ESA on Monday but after 12mins of questions they told us the system was down and we had to wait for the forms. In between waiting we've got no income, will they even backdate this?

Now information is being passed around between everyone we received letters today from council saying we're in rent arrears (which I don't understand because I've been paying the rent myself), the ESA forms along with a housing benefit form, and another letter saying they've stopped our housing benefit because they need more information (what, I don't know) and our council tax even though Dad says they paid up our council tax.

On top of this he's worried that when he does apply for ESA that he won't get it because he can't get to the medical assessment they'll want him to do

we just don't understand what's going on

DomRavioli

no1wf wrote: »

My Dad and I don't really understand what's going on so hopefully someone can help us.

We used to claim housing benefit and Dad was on Jobseekers allowance.

Dad has COPD and can't walk or be busy for very long as he gets out of breath. He was admitted to hospital on the 10th with pneumonia as he'd had a chest infection since before Christmas.

During his hospital stay he was due to go to a jobfit appointment so I rang up and said he wouldnt make it and could they reschedule. Which they did, but only until the next week, so I had to ring again.

I told the jobcentre he was ill and they gave me forms to fill, one to say he was sick and another to cancel jsa. And a number to ring to claim ESA

We rang the ESA on Monday but after 12mins of questions they told us the system was down and we had to wait for the forms. In between waiting we've got no income, will they even backdate this? Yes they will backdate to the date you made the claim (if you called them it will be that date)

Now information is being passed around between everyone we received letters today from council saying we're in rent arrears (which I don't understand because I've been paying the rent myself), the ESA forms along with a housing benefit form, and another letter saying they've stopped our housing benefit because they need more information (what, I don't know) and our council tax even though Dad says they paid up our council tax. the HB will have stopped as JSA will have been stopped - they notify HB/CT; you will need to provide a letter from ESA when it arrives if it hasn't already. Please call the council to ask WHAT information they require - only they will be able to tell you!

On top of this he's worried that when he does apply for ESA that he won't get it because he can't get to the medical assessment they'll want him to do If he needs a home based assessment, his GP can write a letter stating why he needs one and they will decide based on this Please don't worry about that bit, it is very easily sorted.

we just don't understand what's going on

Have you sent the ESA forms back with the fit note (sick note) and any medical evidence such as letters from consultants which explain the condition? If you have then contact ESA to find out where this is up to.

Try not to worry, but please call the council for advice on what needs to be provided, and call ESA if you have sent the forms back. I've added what I can in Red above.

no1wf

I've just posted the ESA forms back now along with the sick note from his doctor, thank you

no1wf

Dad said because our housing benefit has stopped our rent will go up. If we pay that and then he gets his ESA sorted will we get any of the rent back or will they just leave it?

StormyWeather_2

no1wf wrote: »

Dad said because our housing benefit has stopped our rent will go up. If we pay that and then he gets his ESA sorted will we get any of the rent back or will they just leave it?

HB will have received an automatic notification that his JSA has stopped. They aren't told why e.g. they don't know if he has started work. So it's automatically suspended.

Contact them and ask what he needs to provide for proof of income for this period. It's his finances, so his bank statements.

no1wf

Dad says the council tax would have been stopped because his JSA has been stopped.

So we can't get housing benefit back until we get the ESA letter back to give to them. In the meantime we've nothing coming in except my part time wage (which I have my own outgoings) until however long ESA takes which I imagine will be a while, they'll make him an appointment then we'll have to tell them he can't leave the house and get the doctors letter which will take longer. All the while we're paying increased rent and I don't even know about the council tax they were supposed to have paid up on that.

Does anyone think it's worth applying for PIP?

BP1987

Your father needs to confirm to the council that he has no income while he awaits his ESA, they should then desuspend his HB/CTS and pay it on Nil Income. This may need to be in writing.

no1wf

There was (yet another!) form we filled in yesterday where he did mention that he had no income so hopefully that's the same thing. If we don't hear anything we will ring, though we tried to call today with no luck

HB58

Your father should get the assessment rate of ESA quite quickly, that will continue until a decision has been made regarding his eligibility for the main-phase of the benefit*.

Face2face assessments (I won't glorify them with the name 'medical') are taking months to come through at the moment, hopefully your father will have been out of hospital for ages by then! Home assessments can sometimes be arranged although this is entirely at the deiscretion of the company who do the assessments (they are called ATOS). A f2f might not even be needed if ATOS think there is already enough information upon which to base a decision.

For PIP, the claimant needs to have had their condition for at least 3 months and be expected to have it for at least a further 9 months, it is awarded based on the claimant's care and/or mobility needs rather than the actual condition. Claims are taking many months to be assessed but backpay will be given if the award is granted.

* Contributory benefit will be limited to 365 days (unless a decision has been made to place him in the 'Support Group') but he might be entitled to income-related benefit after this.

no1wf

That's the problem with these 'medicals', even before he went into hospital and he's his usual self he's not fit for work, no employer would want someone who needs to stop what they're doing every 10mins. But at the assessment he was sent to with the jobcentre because he managed to walk from the door to the desk they said he was fit for work.

Hopefully everything happens as soon as possible and we don't have to go long without income. Then we'll see what they say about ESA and then he can decide if he wants to apply for PIP.

no1wf

We rang up and said we've no income and our housing benefit and council tax has been reinstated.

But we've got nothing coming in and still havent heard off the ESA, is there anything else we can apply for?