Benefits advice needed please.

swingaloo

Thanks Lindyloo, I know I made a bit of a hash of it yesterday with the ESA thing, he was reading things out to me as I was posting and I was getting at cross purposes. I soke to the CAB who told me to use the Turn 2 Us and then took my details and said they would pass them on and I have to wait for a call back.

Thats why I thought I would call the council. I went down there with all the relevant paperwork for everything and she inputted it all on their system. I told her that I was looking at trying to claim Pension Credits and thats when she told me i would not help as the more income we have the less help we would get with housing.

Our income is as follows-

Husband does not work and gets

Industrial Injuries benefit £67.20 per week
Pip (care and mobility) £76.90 per week
ESA (contribution based) £109.30 per week
Work Pension £30.57 per week


My pension £149.21 per week

My wage (as Im working at present) £144.00 per week.


None dependent adult wage £270 per week


No other income or property. saving at moment stand at just over £3000.

No dependent adult will probably be moving out by Xmas so that may make a difference then as well.

Rent and council tax are-

Rent £580 per month

Council tax £114 per month.

The local rate for a 2 bedroom rental is based on £98.90.


Think that covers everything. Thanks.

pmlindyloo

Thanks.

How old are you and how old is your husband?

swingaloo

pmlindyloo wrote: »

Thanks.

How old are you and how old is your husband?

He is 53 (will be 54 later this year) and I am 64.

Thank you very much for helping.

pmlindyloo

Sorry I have taken so long but it is rather complicated.

Since you have to wait for CAB I suggest you contact AgeUK and ask them to do a benefit check for you. They may be able to visit your home and they have a good reputation.

The reason I am saying this is because I do not want you to rely on what I say (as I've said it is very complicated!)

Your husband is receiving contribution based ESA and also receives his Industrial Injuries Benefits and work Pension as separate benefits.

If you stopped work and were added to his ESA claim he would get an income based 'top up' for you BUT his Industrial Injuries benefit and his work pension would be counted as income and reduce the amount of ESA.

Similarly if you made a joint Pension credit claim then because it is an income based benefit the IIB and his work pension and your state pension would be counted as income.

But being on means tested benefits also means you would be entitled to certain disability premiums (extra money) so even when the IIB and pensions are deducted you may still be entitled to the means tested benefits.

Although you would not be entitled to Carer's Allowance as you are receiving your state pension (they are overlapping benefits) you could still make a claim and even though you wouldn't receive Carer's allowance you would be entitled to the carer's premium (extra money) added onto any means tested benefits that you and your husband claimed.

So you need advice on whether to be added to his ESA claim, or claim Pension credit as a couple. Both would then become means tested benefits.

Either would give you entitlement to HB up to your circumstances (2 bed rate)

Because your husband is receiving standard rate care of PIP then there will be no non dependent deductions made to your HB or CT reduction.

Also, if you are entitled to HB, then if you haven't claimed HB in the last 52 weeks and could afford the rent when you took on the tenancy then you should be assessed on the rent you are actually paying for 13 weeks (called a 13 week protection period).

Finally (phew!), I do think it is feasible for you to give up working if you wish to do so. (You need to work less than 16 hrs at national minimum wage to claim Carer's Allowance)

Even if it works out that leaving things as they are - your husband continuing to claim contribution based benefits then you may be able to do some 'jiggling' to make things work.

The household income is reasonable and if you get a little HB/CT reduction just based on your husband's benefits then 'every bit helps'.

Have a good read of everything on this site as regards reducing income and do consider raising your son's contribution to the household!

I'm sorry that I can't give you 'figures' and please don't accept what I've said as 'gospel'.

At the very least I hope I have given you some ideas of the different options and please.....

let us know how you get on.

swingaloo

Thank you so much for going to all that trouble, its really good of you. I will look into speaking to Age Concern as like you say it is very complicated.

thank you again.

Smodlet

That was a kind thing you did, pmlindyloo.

swingaloo

Final update-

The CAB rung me this lunchtime, I was quite impressed that they got back to me so quickly as they had said 'within 5 days'.


We had quite a long conversation and she took all the figures and explained all the options.

She did suggest claiming carers allowance to raise the amount we could be expected to live on. She also said that if we did that then the 'none dependent deduction' would not apply. She said we would not qualify for Pension Credits.

She finally said that after looking at each and every way she could try the result was that we will not be entitled to anything at all.

So its back to the drawing board. There are various things we can cut back on but it still wont make it possible to manage without my wage unless we stop the physio and hydro therapy which we have been paying for my husband to have as on the NHS it is limited but
we will work something out.

Thank you for all the help Lindy.