Exceptional Hardship Fund Application - Help Needed

CTX

I need to get some forms back where I am applying for discretionary housing payment from the exceptional hardship fund. Can I ask what the criteria is and how hard my circumstances have to be in order to recieve this?

I'm long term sick but don't get any DLA/PIP just ESA and my landlord put my rent up £10 a week and on top of the top-up I already had to pay I now lose £37 out of my £204 ESA every fortnight. This is because Housing Benefit will not consider the rent increase since I'm on the Rent Officer way of doing this and I will have to wait until August until they will even look at the increase! So I'm having to cover it. And I'm very poor and in debt.

Should I mention smoking and drinking? Will that help or hinder me? Because on the forms it asks me about that. At the moment I do neither as I'm sticking to my new year's resolution and I can't afford it anyway but I've tried many times before and I always go back because of chronic anxiety. When I'm having bad panic attacks a few drinks makes all the difference between getting the things done I need to do outside the house instead of not even leaving the house, or going out and having the attacks without a drink and feeling so worthless afterwards risking falling into a bad depression which I try at all costs to avoid. So I don't know what to put on the forms, at the moment its £0 but it might not be for long as I've never managed to give up more than a few weeks due to how much it helps me to get things done.

My council tax is £9 per fortnight so between the rent top-up and council tax I'm £46 down from the £204 ESA plus with everything else including food, paying debts, heating (its all electric here so costs an arm and a leg) I'm really strugling.

Any advice on how to fill out this form would be most appreciated. All I'm asking them to do is pay the extra £10 a week (the rent increase) which they are forcing me to cover because they won't reassess my housing benefit claim until August.

Thanks.

dippy3103

It's discretionary so it's very difficult to predict what they will do- really is down to the officer that looks at your claim.

mad_spaniel

Why do you get ESA? Are there additional/ unusual expenses associated with your illness? Are you particularly vulnerable in any way. e.g. high fuel bills,and you suffer from chest infections a lot e.g. walking difficulties and you need to take taxis that cost a lot e.g. mental health needs and you have high travel costs to see a counsellor.

Diary

Why don't you get Pip? Have you applied?

kittykat17

mad_spaniel wrote: »

Why do you get ESA? Are there additional/ unusual expenses associated with your illness? Are you particularly vulnerable in any way. e.g. high fuel bills,and you suffer from chest infections a lot e.g. walking difficulties and you need to take taxis that cost a lot e.g. mental health needs and you have high travel costs to see a counsellor.

I would imagine that the OP gets ESA because he/she is not well enough to work. ESA is the equivalent of JSA - for living expenses and nothing to do with extra costs due to illness / disability. DLA/PIP is for extra expenses / costs due to disability - which OP is not claiming.

marliepanda

kittykat17 wrote: »

I would imagine that the OP gets ESA because he/she is not well enough to work. ESA is the equivalent of JSA - for living expenses and nothing to do with extra costs due to illness / disability. DLA/PIP is for extra expenses / costs due to disability - which OP is not claiming.

It appears to me mad spaniel is asking to ascertain details for the form for why he needs more money. Not criticising. I'm sure he knows what ESA is.

CTX

I am about to put in a claim for PIP as advised to do so by the guy that saw me at my 6-monthly ESA interview. He said he saw people in my position all the time that get PIP and I should apply so I will but I doubt I will get it due to mental problems only and not physical problems. I am waiting for a local disability group to give me an appointment as they will be helping me fill in the forms.

The only thing I'm asking for in the discretionary payment is for them to pay the extra £10 a week rent which they are currently forcing me to cover because they won't reassess my housing benefit claim until August. Its because after paying everything out I have nothing left and I'm going to need new shoes soon, there's tons of other stuff I'm doing without and its too much of a burden on me considering I only have the ESA. So no I'm not asking for any special needs stuff.

I just wanted to know if there is anything useful I should be aware of when filling out this form because this is so important. £10 a week may not seem like a lot but its £40 a month that's enough for some shoe's especially in the sales which I can't take advantage of because I have nothing left.

sammyjammy

How much are you using to fund debt repayments?

NeilCr

Re the smoking and drinking

I would be inclined to put down your current situation. Yes it may change - but it may not. Good luck with the resolution!

😀

pol-zeath

I would just put no to smoking and drinking as that is your current situation.

As for the shoes, rather than buy cheap new shoes look in the charity shops or Ebay, very often you can pick up hardly worn Clarks leather shoes very cheaply.

Good luck wiith your application and staying off the drink and ciggs.

missbiggles1

If you've stopped smoking and drinking, won't that give you some money spare to top up your rent?