Friend in a financial mess

zaksmum

Friend is currently unable to work, signed off sick with severe COPD and is awaiting a lung transplant.

She may not be able to return to work and has been off nearly 6 months now. Her WTC runs out shortly as does her SSP. She's 56, divorced, lives alone, no savings, gets HRM DLA. She's been told she will get ESA, probably support group after assessment, about £73 a week.

Her mortgage alone is £400 a month and lender will not allow a repayment holiday. She can claim help with mortgage interest after 13 weeks on ESA. She has had her house on the market for three years with little interest.

She's been told she is not entitled to income support or any other benefit. Is this correct?

tomtontom

She won't get income support, the SMI will be paid as part of her ESA. Has she looked at why the house is not selling, is she on an interest only product?

rogerblack

zaksmum wrote: »

Friend is currently unable to work, signed off sick with severe COPD and is awaiting a lung transplant.

Is she likely to be 'fixed' in 9 months, or will she still be ill?
In some circumstances, depending on her disability, it may be reasonable to consider an application for PIP.
However, if she is not going to be significantly disabled in 9 months time, then this is not a sensible thing to do as she would not qualify.

If she is likely to still be ill, then considering in more detail her likely disability would be needed to say certainly.

zaksmum

tomtontom wrote: »

She won't get income support, the SMI will be paid as part of her ESA. Has she looked at why the house is not selling, is she on an interest only product?

The house isn't selling because it's in a bad area. She originally asked £150K for it and has reduced it bit by bit till asking price is now 100K. She owes 55K on it. The mortgage is not interest only.

zaksmum

rogerblack wrote: »

Is she likely to be 'fixed' in 9 months, or will she still be ill?
In some circumstances, depending on her disability, it may be reasonable to consider an application for PIP.
However, if she is not going to be significantly disabled in 9 months time, then this is not a sensible thing to do as she would not qualify.

If she is likely to still be ill, then considering in more detail her likely disability would be needed to say certainly.

Her COPD is progressive and she'll probably be worse in 9 months.

rogerblack

zaksmum wrote: »

Her COPD is progressive and she'll probably be worse in 9 months.

My understanding was that a lung transplant is likely to fix most of the issues.
Is the lung transplant waiting list very long - >9 months, or is she unlikely to get a lung for other reasons?
Or have I misunderstood the likely effects of a transplant.
I do know that you can live fine on one lung if that is the sole issue, with no real disability.

zaksmum

rogerblack wrote: »

My understanding was that a lung transplant is likely to fix most of the issues.
Is the lung transplant waiting list very long - >9 months, or is she unlikely to get a lung for other reasons?
Or have I misunderstood the likely effects of a transplant.
I do know that you can live fine on one lung if that is the sole issue, with no real disability.

I don't know when - or if - the transplant will take place but as far as I know both lungs are affected.

SailorSam

Could she get a lodger to help pay her mortgage ?

rogerblack

zaksmum wrote: »

I don't know when - or if - the transplant will take place but as far as I know both lungs are affected.

Both lungs may indeed be affected.
However, replacing one lung is - as I understand it - likely to not cause a slight, but a near total improvement to levels of disability that would in no way qualify for PIP.

The above is if, and only if the above is in fact true. If they've got other diseases or problems that mean they would have significant care and mobility needs even afterwards - then applying for PIP may be worthwhile.

If her prognosis is that once she gets the transplant she will improve markedly, then the decisionmaker is likely to assume that she would not qualify for PIP, on the grounds that she would not have the needs in 9 months.

If she was entitled to both components of PIP at the highest rate, that would almost double her current DLA. But it does risk her being found not to be, if her case is marginal.

missbiggles1

rogerblack wrote: »

Both lungs may indeed be affected.
However, replacing one lung is - as I understand it - likely to not cause a slight, but a near total improvement to levels of disability that would in no way qualify for PIP.

The above is if, and only if the above is in fact true. If they've got other diseases or problems that mean they would have significant care and mobility needs even afterwards - then applying for PIP may be worthwhile.

If her prognosis is that once she gets the transplant she will improve markedly, then the decisionmaker is likely to assume that she would not qualify for PIP, on the grounds that she would not have the needs in 9 months.

If she was entitled to both components of PIP at the highest rate, that would almost double her current DLA. But it does risk her being found not to be, if her case is marginal.

That's my understanding of lung transplants as well, although there can sometimes be further complications, successful transplantees should be able to resume a normal life, including employment.

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lung-transplant/pages/introduction.aspx

BigAunty

The Shelter website has information for distressed home owners who are at risk of arrears or repossession.

I don't know if the scheme still operates but in the past, there was a scheme that permitted social housing landlords to purchase the properties of certain homeowners (inc those with disabilities) and allow them to live in it as social housing tenants.