Received inheritance but am dsabled and vulnerable.

GirlFromMars_2

Ames wrote: »

I think this is aimed at me - the last thing I want is to scare people, but I equally don't want people to just go ahead and do it and find themselves in a mess.

I missed out in my post that my benefits advisor said they'd sounded out a decision maker and talked about my case. Whether they did or not I'm now wondering, but I still think I made the right decision.

I'm really sorry, it may have read like it was aimed at you, but it really wasn't! I've spoken to you enough about this that I know your situation.

I wrote it in the middle of the night when I was having a bit of a strop, and it was aimed at people who have absolutely no personal experience themselves, but who are adamant that it's DoC, and don't make it clear that the only person who can make a decision is a Decision Maker, and the person they are "advising" needs to contact a Decision Maker personally.

I agree with you that nobody should do anything nearly so risky without contacting a Decision Maker first. But they need to contact an actual decision maker personally and get a written response for it to count.

Other than the three decision makers I spoke to, I spoke to a lot of people, including Benefits Advisors, Call Centre DWP folks, and people on this forum, everyone other than the decision makers (and Housing Benefits Officer from the forum who pointed me to the relevant advice) said it was DoC. The Decision Makers said it wasn't DoC, ultimately the only decision that matters is the one from the decision maker.

I was freaked out as anything, by the time I finally contacted a decision maker, as so many people had said it was impossible, and if I'd not already been well and truly down the route of buying my own property when I heard about DoC I would never have found the courage to contact them myself. The process was really simple once I knew who to ask, and what to ask. And in my case at least the response was positive.

Speculating about DoC decisions particularly about buying property to live in is really unhelpful, especially where people have a real opportunity to change their lives.

Anyway, really sorry, I was in a strop, but I wasn't upset with you!

GirlFromMars_2

Celifein wrote: »

Which poster are you refering to? I asked if it's DoC, a couple of posters said it definitely isn't DoC and a couple of others said it might or might not be. I didn't see anyone who was adamant that it's DoC. (I may have missed it, though, I'm a fairly addled at the moment.)

Does it matter? I was having a middle of the night strop, and I apologise.

Nobody can say either way whether anything is DoC or not, the best advice is to write to the Benefits Office and ask a Decision Maker to make a decision. Speculating either way really isn't helpful.

All I can say is that in my situation where I wrote to and spoke to real decision makers about my own real case, I was given the go ahead to purchase a property to live in without it being considered DoC.

I would advise anybody else considering a similarly large purchase to contact a Decision Maker themselves, as the process is very simple whatever the outcome of the decision.

GregoryH

Regarding 'spending reasonably'. I meant within the limits of my current benefit entitlement. With the help from my Mum with some bills I just get enough to survive.

Regarding 'me thinking of buying a 4k tv for <£400 quid'. This was purely 'wishful thinking' on my behalf and besides, I have known about the will for quite a while now (just not the amount). Of course I had some spending plans/wishes. Besides if I was left <£16,000 pounds I would have had up to £16,000 worth of wishes (albeit reasonable/small ones). Even if I had been left with £0, I would still have had wishes/wants. Don't we all?

Ames

GirlFromMars wrote: »

I'm really sorry, it may have read like it was aimed at you, but it really wasn't! I've spoken to you enough about this that I know your situation.

I wrote it in the middle of the night when I was having a bit of a strop, and it was aimed at people who have absolutely no personal experience themselves, but who are adamant that it's DoC, and don't make it clear that the only person who can make a decision is a Decision Maker, and the person they are "advising" needs to contact a Decision Maker personally.

I agree with you that nobody should do anything nearly so risky without contacting a Decision Maker first. But they need to contact an actual decision maker personally and get a written response for it to count.

Other than the three decision makers I spoke to, I spoke to a lot of people, including Benefits Advisors, Call Centre DWP folks, and people on this forum, everyone other than the decision makers (and Housing Benefits Officer from the forum who pointed me to the relevant advice) said it was DoC. The Decision Makers said it wasn't DoC, ultimately the only decision that matters is the one from the decision maker.

I was freaked out as anything, by the time I finally contacted a decision maker, as so many people had said it was impossible, and if I'd not already been well and truly down the route of buying my own property when I heard about DoC I would never have found the courage to contact them myself. The process was really simple once I knew who to ask, and what to ask. And in my case at least the response was positive.

Speculating about DoC decisions particularly about buying property to live in is really unhelpful, especially where people have a real opportunity to change their lives.

Anyway, really sorry, I was in a strop, but I wasn't upset with you!

Fair enough, I was probably being a bit sensitive.

I completely agree with your post.

GregoryH

I don't get it. I did the benefits calculator to see if I would be entitled to any benefits. I ticked that I was already receiving income related ESA (support component) and that I had £60000 (which I don't at present) in the bank and it said I would still be eligible for Contribution Based ESA if I had paid enough NI contributions :huh: . Can anyone confirm that?

nannytone_2

its telling you that savings don't affect contributions based benefits.

savings of 6k would only affect income related benefit by £1 a week.
you would lose £1 for every £250 ( or part of) over the £5,999 threshold.
so £4 for every 1k over, until you have 16k, when all income related benefit would stop

GregoryH

Please don't make personal judgements/comments on/to me based on speculation unless they have/would have legal implications.

Although some of you may have been in a similar situation, none of you are in my situation right now. None of you have to make the decisions I have to make regarding this matter or suffer any repercussions for me making the wrong decisions. Within the limits of the law I have the right to make my own decisions and whatever choices I make are within the limits of what the law allows. I have already stated that I am going to inform the DWP so please do not make me feel any more 'picked on' than I already feel by such comments. I have asked for advice (which I have gratefully received) and nothing more.

GregoryH

Celifein, nannytone :-

Thanks. I'll see what the DWP say.

cheruk

My best friend has just passed away, leaving me approximately £45,000. I am also on ESA in the Support group and on PIP. My friend has stipulated in her will that I am to be paid £1,000 every 4 months to help to keep my home running.

Will this be accepted by DWP?

elsien

cheruk wrote: »

My best friend has just passed away, leaving me approximately £45,000. I am also on ESA in the Support group and on PIP. My friend has stipulated in her will that I am to be paid £1,000 every 4 months to help to keep my home running.

Will this be accepted by DWP?

I would suggest you start a new thread with this question as more people will see it and be able to respond. It's under the forum tool bit at the top right when you go into the specific forum.