ALL benefits stopped. Now what?

faithcecilia

marleyboy wrote: »

If she CANNOT work, then she will be entitled to PIP, if however as I suspect due to no entitlement to PIP, she WILL not work. Then you are responsible for her upkeep. Harsh, but there it is.

PIP isnt for being unable to work, it is to pay costs that stem from a disability, either needing to pay for help with personal care or needing to pay towards mobility needs. You can qualify for PIP and still be perfectly fit for work, and you can be unfit for work but not considered to have extra financial needs that would qualify you for PIP. ESA is the benefit paid to people unable to work, which OP has already said his partner qualifies for on the health side, but currently not on the financial side as he is now deemed to be paying her keep.

HappyMJ

marleyboy wrote: »

If she CANNOT work, then she will be entitled to PIP, if however as I suspect due to no entitlement to PIP, she WILL not work. Then you are responsible for her upkeep. Harsh, but there it is.

marleyboy wrote: »

If she CANNOT work, then she will be entitled to PIP, if however as I suspect due to no entitlement to PIP, she WILL not work. Then you are responsible for her upkeep. Harsh, but there it is.

She can't work as she's got a fit note from her doctor saying she's not fit for work. She might look like she can work but she can't. It's a long term life time condition but partially also temporary although she's been on ESA since September and had it and incapacity benefit for several periods of time since she was eligible to claim since leaving school it's likely to go on for while longer but part of the fit note also states it's not permanent. She does not have any difficulty doing anything day to day so no entitlement to PIP arises.

I am responsible for her ongoing upkeep yes I agree with that no problem at all. Just don't tell her she is being "kept" by me or she'll be quite angry with you. She does have a private pension which she uses to contribute to the household expenses so therefore she's not being kept she's contributing her fair share to the pot. It's just the old debts she's got. I can't afford to pay them for her and she now has no reasonable income to speak of to pay them any more.

-taff

She hasn't got many choices if she can't get benefits, she can't work and you can't pay her debts.
Phone on Tuesday for more advice [ it's a bank holiday monday ]

What about working from home? I know they're crappily paid for the most part but it is extra income.....

merlin68

Was her esa not contributory as she transferred from incapacity. Therefore she should have been able to keep it if in the support group.

dancingfairy

A dro sounds like it could be the solution but it would depend on the levels of debt involved, otherwise it would probably be bankruptcy.
I don't understand benefits but surely if she is unable to work due to illness she should get ESA? Ridiculous system.
In terms of being a 'kept' woman, I can understand she wants to stand on her own 2 feet. Maybe try and encourage her to seek advice for her debt and let her make the decisions regarding it (although obviously you'll help and support her), rather than taking over yourself (I know it's easy to take over though ).
It's not easy but she obviously needs to accept she's not well right now and hopefully when things get a bit better she can work and contribute more. Is there anyway she can contribute? Perhaps she can look for deals online or do meal planning or do matched betting herself? It doesn't have to be massive but she obviously needs to feel she is contributing to the partnership.
It must be tough on her having to give up her independence, it's obviously going to take some time for you both to get used to your new circumstances.
df

Torry_Quine

dancingfairy wrote: »

A dro sounds like it could be the solution but it would depend on the levels of debt involved, otherwise it would probably be bankruptcy.
I don't understand benefits but surely if she is unable to work due to illness she should get ESA? Ridiculous system.
In terms of being a 'kept' woman, I can understand she wants to stand on her own 2 feet. Maybe try and encourage her to seek advice for her debt and let her make the decisions regarding it (although obviously you'll help and support her), rather than taking over yourself (I know it's easy to take over though ).
It's not easy but she obviously needs to accept she's not well right now and hopefully when things get a bit better she can work and contribute more. Is there anyway she can contribute? Perhaps she can look for deals online or do meal planning or do matched betting herself? It doesn't have to be massive but she obviously needs to feel she is contributing to the partnership.
It must be tough on her having to give up her independence, it's obviously going to take some time for you both to get used to your new circumstances.
df

Unless you are in the support group then ESA is only contribution based for a year after which it is income based on the household so no she wouldn't be entitled.

missbiggles1

dancingfairy wrote: »

A dro sounds like it could be the solution but it would depend on the levels of debt involved, otherwise it would probably be bankruptcy.
I don't understand benefits but surely if she is unable to work due to illness she should get ESA? Ridiculous system.
In terms of being a 'kept' woman, I can understand she wants to stand on her own 2 feet. Maybe try and encourage her to seek advice for her debt and let her make the decisions regarding it (although obviously you'll help and support her), rather than taking over yourself (I know it's easy to take over though ).
It's not easy but she obviously needs to accept she's not well right now and hopefully when things get a bit better she can work and contribute more. Is there anyway she can contribute? Perhaps she can look for deals online or do meal planning or do matched betting herself? It doesn't have to be massive but she obviously needs to feel she is contributing to the partnership.
It must be tough on her having to give up her independence, it's obviously going to take some time for you both to get used to your new circumstances.
df

Living on benefits is hardly standing on your own two feet, however necessary it may be at times.

sourcrates

Hi,
Have just read this thread from the start, i think your partner should consider either bankruptcy, or a DRO, as previously suggested, how much does she owe ?

If less than 15k, a DRO would be preferable, although the limit is changing to 20k in October.

Depends on how much debt there is.

chesky

If she was only receiving ESA from last September, then she should still be eligible for it on a contribution basis. What reason did they give (in the decision letter) for stopping it? Did she ask for a mandatory reconsideration?
Does her child still live with her - and you?
She might find dealing face to face with CAB easier than Stepchange..

savvykaz

You say your partner is unable to work due to having to attend Dr and hospital appts, then why not look at evening work?
Also, why don't the two of you move into your property and save on rent??