Budgeting loan

enfield_freddy

I helped a friend fill in a form about 2 weeks ago , he has received a letter denying him a loan this morning.


sickness and unemployment are not my strong points , please can you advise?


friend was injured at work (mentally) after armed robbers attacked him and the till in approx. September 2012 , link to story here http://www.lep.co.uk/news/local/robbery-terror-at-preston-store-1-5135535


he was advised by his doctor as not fit for work , claimed sickness until he could apply for ESA? (sorry don't know terminology) , this was granted for 12 mth after a ATOS medical + , payment of basic seventy + twenty something + thirty something , totalling about £140 a week , he did not have to report to the job centre or send sick notes in


earlier this yr he had another medical (atos), that said he was not receiving treatment and changed his benefit , dropping it by about £30 a week , and he now has to visit job centre a few times a year.




letter from DWP loan dept:


bla bla bla , we have decided we cannot give you a budgeting loan for the following reasons


you are not getting income support income based jobseekers allowance, income related employment and support allowance or pension credit


ok is there statement correct , or have they made a boo boo?


the guy (single age 60) receives


now into his bank £186.16 YXxxxxxxxxxC DWP EESA 0001xxxxxxxxxxxxx




and prior to the drop in money


£247.40 YXxxxxxxxC DWP EESA 000xxxxxxxxxxxxxx


those figues ar per 2 weeks , and I believe they are taking aprox £3 per week for water rates direct.


he also gets 100% rent paid , and has to pay approx. £4 per week towards his c?tax




are the benefits he is getting not the correct ones for this budgeting loan?


many thanks ,

nannytone_2

Who can get a Budgeting Loan?
To get a Budgeting Loan:

you or your partner must not be disqualified from getting Jobseeker’s Allowance under section 14 of the Jobseekers Act 1995 (trade disputes)
you must be getting Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance (income-related), Pension Credit or payment on account of 1 of these benefits or entitlements
you must also have been getting Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance (income-related), or Pension Credit for the last 26 weeks, or have been the partner of someone getting Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance (income-related), Pension Credit or payment on account of 1 of these benefits or entitlements, for you for 26 weeks, or a combination of them - if at any time during that period you or your partner stopped getting Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance (income-related), Pension Credit or payment on account of 1 of these benefits or entitlements, any gaps of up to 28 days will be ignored/

based on the above, the DWP are correct in denying a budgeting loan as your friend is receiving contributions based benefit. as he has been moved to the WRAG from the support group, this will only last for 365 days and then he will be put onto income related benefit.
how long has it been since his ESA was reduced?
what does he need the loan for?B]

enfield_freddy

the benefit change was in approx. feb/march this year , I can get an exact date if needed


the last medical was in fact late 2014 (nov/dec) with the result / answer being the feb/march of 2015


he actually needs the loan (£150) to buy a new washing machine , he has had 4 second hand ones that have failed him , and it seemed sensible to apply for a loan rather than Wonga/provident etc


I don't thing either of us are suited to argue the use of the loan , apart from the fact that for once it is a loan being used for a genuine reason.

nannytone_2

it goes from the date of the decision, so he's nowhere near his 365 days yet.
what does he need the loan for?
i'm only asking because there may be other ways to find what he needs apart from getting a budgeting loan

enfield_freddy

ok , as first posted , I,m not up on unemployment , so he cannot get a loan thru them until he has been moved from contributions based to income based , and this would be 365 days after the Contribution based benefit started (feb / march 2015) .


so no loan till feb/march 2016


the loan use is stated in my last posting


any other forms of alternative loans / or grants would be welcome

nannytone_2

if he was in the support group, then costs based ESA isn't time limited. but because he has been moved to the WRAG, he will only get 365 days before being considered for income related.
so yes.... it would be a year from the date of the decision.

i suggest you look on sites such as freckle or fragile. people very generously, regularly give away all kinds of useful things that are still in good order, including washing machines

pmlindyloo

I would have thought that your friend would be on income based ESA if he is receiving HB and CT reduction.

Does he have a copy of his award letter? It should say there.

If he doesn't have the award letter then ring and ask which he is on - contribution based or income based?

If he is on income based ESa then you need to appeal the decision about the budgeting loan.

enfield_freddy

ok , thanks for the explanation, and simplifying it , I will relay the info on to him

enfield_freddy

pmlindyloo wrote: »

I would have thought that your friend would be on income based ESA if he is receiving HB and CT reduction.

Does he have a copy of his award letter? It should say there.

If he doesn't have the award letter then ring and ask which he is on - contribution based or income based?

If he is on income based ESa then you need to appeal the decision about the budgeting loan.

sorry no letter available , please define contribution based and income based?


the job he was in finished after the incident , he had only worked there for just under a year , prior to that he had been unemployed for several yrs , and the low paid /low hrs job was to get him off a stupid course system they started

nannytone_2

lindy ....
i don't get why you assume he is on income related just because he receives housing benefit and council tax support.
if conts based ESA is the only household income, then it is probable that full housing benefit is given.

nannytone_2

the letter clearly states that your friend is NOT getting income related JSA or income related ESA'
this is the significant part, because if he is getting income related then he will qualify.
you really need to find the letter or phone DWP and ask