Benifit confusion ESA & more

calcotti

£400 per month is £92.71/week for benefits purposes (400 x 12 / 52). This ignores the few extra days in a year but is the accepted way of converting monthly income to weekly income for benefits purposes.

The tax credits are clearly child tax credits and will be ignored for ESA purposes.

Guardians Allowance is also ignored for ESA.

On the face of it, provided your savings are less than £16,000, you should be getting some ESA (the amount would depend on whether you are in the work related activity group or the support group) and should be getting maximum council tax reduction. Housing benefit is not relevant as you do not rent your home.

There is a limit to how much help you can get on a forum. On the face of it there is either something you have forgotten about or the DWP have some incorrect information about your situation. I think you are going to have to speak to the DWP about your ESA to find out what is going on.

dirty_deeds

Thanks calcotti, that's a very concise summery of the situation & absolutely correct as I see it, sorry that in my frustration I couldn't see that £400 pcm equates to 90 odd pounds per week pension


We don't have savings at all, all money we receive is documented above, I presume I am in the support group now as I am unable to work but we still receive no esa or council tax reduction & I cant understand why


We have tried getting through to these people numerous times but keep hitting the same brick wall time & time again its driving me a nuts if I'm honest


Just for fun this morning I received 2 letters one a demand for repayment of the loan mentioned above & the other an appointment for a "medical"

pmlindyloo

Can you find your last ESA award letter and tell us exactly how they worked out that you are not entitled to any ESA?

When your partner's savings decreased did you inform the DWP?

It could be that when you originally claimed ESA they took an amount off for the savings which meant that you were not entitled to ESA.

Based on the figures you have given you should be entitled to income based ESA and council tax deduction.

Try to find the award letter and then we can go from there.

Ames

Can I just double check that the house you're talking about is the one you live in and your partner doesn't own another one?

dirty_deeds

Thanks for the replies folks


I don't have the original award letter as I have moved twice in the last 4 years & cant find it, good point though savings have reduced since the original award was made and they may still be working off old figures


Yes the house is the one we live in & she doesn't own another, I don't own anything anymore

Mojisola

When my parents first applied for benefits they were refused and I couldn't understand why - it turned out that the benefits officer had put their monthly pension down as a weekly income - people do make mistakes.

dirty_deeds

Mojisola wrote: »

When my parents first applied for benefits they were refused and I couldn't understand why - it turned out that the benefits officer had put their monthly pension down as a weekly income - people do make mistakes.

I am beginning to think something like that has happened here, I originally trusted the benefits officer to fill in the forms as I wasn't in any condition to do so myself, I am now wondering if I can get a copy of the original forms to check ?

xylophone

Just for fun this morning I received 2 letters one a demand for repayment of the loan mentioned above & the other an appointment for a "medical"

Is this your opportunity to sort matters out?

pmlindyloo

You really need to ring the DWP (ESA) and try to sort this out. I would begin by reporting a change of circumstances - i.e saying that your savings have reduced and could your claim be reassessed.

As regards the social fund payment telephone/write to them and explain that you are trying to sort out your benefits and would they put everything on hold until this is done.

You could go to CAB and ask them to speak to ESA on your behalf. Ditto with the social loan.

You need to gather up your paperwork - bank statements since your partner moved in with you (yours and hers), her pension details, your guardian allowance award, your tax credits paperwork.

You will need these anyway for a reassessment of your ESA.

xylophone

Should you be checking your LA web site in respect of council tax reduction?