Benifit confusion ESA & more

dirty_deeds

Hi I am really confused about my benefit situation, I am currently on ESA and am expected to jump through hoops with pretend medical examinations etc but they don't actually give me a single penny, I guess this is because my partner owns the house & that is classed as income somehow ?


Secondly I get tax credits for my granddaughter who I am legal guardian for, that obviously goes to my partner as she pays all the bills including those for my granddaughter & most for myself out of a small pension


So I am left with £17 & pence guardians allowance as my personal money


How can this be right ? can I claim anything else ? is my partner expected to support me for the rest of my life ?


Angry & confused after paying into the system for nigh on 40 years that I cant seem to get the help we need

[Deleted User]

dirty_deeds wrote: »

Hi I am really confused about my benefit situation, I am currently on ESA and am expected to jump through hoops with pretend medical examinations etc but they don't actually give me a single penny, I guess this is because my partner owns the house & that is classed as income somehow ?


Secondly I get tax credits for my granddaughter who I am legal guardian for, that obviously goes to my partner as she pays all the bills including those for my granddaughter & most for myself out of a small pension


So I am left with £17 & pence guardians allowance as my personal money


How can this be right ? can I claim anything else ? is my partner expected to support me for the rest of my life ?


Angry & confused after paying into the system for nigh on 40 years that I cant seem to get the help we need

Yes your partner is expected to support you or you could get a job.

poppy12345

You and your partner are classed as a couple when claiming any means tested benefits. Your house isn't classed as income. You say there's a small pension, who's is this and how much is this? Does your partner work, if so how many hours? When was the last time you worked? Without these details we can't help you.

You're claiming ESA for National Insurance credits only and to claim this you have to go through the same procedure as everyone else. Which group are you in for ESA, or are you still in assessment rate?
Or pop both of your details into this benefits calculator.

https://www.entitledto.co.uk/

calcotti

If you have a long term health condition or disability you may qualify for Personal Independence Payment which is not means tested and is awarded solely on how your illness affects you https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip

TELLIT01

dirty_deeds wrote: »

Hi I am really confused about my benefit situation, I am currently on ESA and am expected to jump through hoops with pretend medical examinations etc but they don't actually give me a single penny,
Angry & confused after paying into the system for nigh on 40 years that I cant seem to get the help we need

It does come as a huge shock to people in situations similar to your when access to benefits is denied. I assume that any entitlement you had to Contributions based benefit has ended and you are now only getting NI Credits. Once entitlement to Contribution based benefits ends, total household income is included when assessing entitlement. That includes your partner's income, pension income etc and entitlement reduced £ for £.
Many people, myself included, feel that the system actually encourages people to do nothing for themselves and punishes those who have worked. Unfortunately, that is the way the system works and it is unlikely to change.
In answer to your question, Yes your wife is expected to support you for the rest of your life if you can't get a job and she continues to work.

dirty_deeds

Thanks for the quick replies, here is some more information in response to the above


Due to my health I am unlikely to ever work full time again if at all, my partner does not work for similar reasons, she isn't my wife as getting married would mean she lost her small pension of around 400 per month, she gets nothing else but does own the house outright


I haven't worked for approximately 4 years since I moved in with her & we took on the care of my granddaughter in very difficult circumstances, no regrets there but as you can see from the above we are struggling & receiving no real help


Previous to that I was already receiving esa while working part time for a couple of years & moved in with my partner to be able to bring up my granddaughter, I am unable to do that on my own, my partner took all that on willingly & without her I would have sunk long ago to be brutally honest


Also I am now being chased for repayment of a budgeting loan I took out to provide clothes, a bed etc for my granddaughter & to be able to afford to move from my home town.
This really annoys as the benefit people in both towns were fully aware of the situation, where I was going & my partners income etc they must have known I wouldn't be receiving esa anymore it was never made clear to me or I would never have taken out the loan in the first place, I own nothing more than my clothes & a few worthless items from my previous life everything else was sold to help support my granddaughter

marliepanda

What benefits are you all getting, as you havent given enough info.

You keep saying 'is my partner expected to support me' well no, she is not, if she is only getting a £400 pension a month, but clearly there is more tot his.

What are you and your partner claiming?

TELLIT01

dirty_deeds wrote: »

This really annoys as the benefit people in both towns were fully aware of the situation, where I was going & my partners income etc they must have known I wouldn't be receiving esa anymore it was never made clear to me or I would never have taken out the loan in the first place, I own nothing more than my clothes & a few worthless items from my previous life everything else was sold to help support my granddaughter

It's not up to DWP staff to tell you how to live your life. They can't know every detail of how claimants live and many claimants would rightly be offended if they did try to interfere.

Mojisola

dirty_deeds wrote: »

I am currently on ESA ... but they don't actually give me a single penny, I guess this is because my partner owns the house & that is classed as income somehow ?

No, the house wouldn't count as income.

Unless you give a list of all the income coming into the house, no-one will be able to give advice.

If you don't want to do that on a public forum, take all the information to an appointment with CAB or other welfare advisors.

seven-day-weekend

There must be more household income than £400 a month. Is any rent or Council tax paid by Benefits? Or any children's benefits?

ohreally

dirty_deeds wrote: »

she isn't my wife as getting married would mean she lost her small pension of around 400 per month

I was somewhat sympathetic to your position until this, you're quite content to play the system to suit your agenda while complaining about its application within the wider context of your situation.

Are you being entirely honest about household income?