Benefits Specialists??

Life_Goes_On

Hi guys

Does anyone know of a benefit specialist I can call to check what I'm entitled to?

I've tried the citizens advice but they said there isn't one in my area and just read me things off google

Rubyroobs

What are you needing to know or do you need help appealing a decision ?

Life_Goes_On

Rubyroobs wrote: »

What are you needing to know or do you need help appealing a decision ?

Thank you for the super quick reply.

I've been on ESA for many years and the claim was a joint claim for both myself and my partner.

I had a medical assessment last year and failed as the assessors report was full of lies that would have been impossible to have happened.

Since then I have been going through a appeal that is now at the upper tribunal.
In this time we have not been claiming any benefits as we didn't want to go on universal credit.


I have now had an assessment for PIP and from looking at the assessor report (still full of lies) it looks like I have scored enough point for the standard rates on both Dailey living and mobility.

Now I know I will be on pip and my partner can be on carers allowance but I've heard I/we could still be on UC or new style ESA and a few other things.

I'm very confused on what we need to do IF I do end up on pip.

Alice_Holt

Did the first tier tribunal (FTT) find in favour of the DWP?

Are you appealing the decision of the FTT to the Upper Tribunal on a legal error in their statement of reasons?

Were you receiving ESA whilst waiting for the FTT hearing?

What type of ESA were you receiving - Income-based or Contribution-based? Which group were you in - WRAG or Support Group?

Life_Goes_On

Alice_Holt wrote: »

Did the first tier tribunal (FTT) find in favour of the DWP?

Are you appealing the decision of the FTT to the Upper Tribunal on a legal error in their statement of reasons?

Were you receiving ESA whilst waiting for the FTT hearing?

What type of ESA were you receiving - Income-based or Contribution-based? Which group were you in - WRAG or Support Group?

Yes that is all correct.

To be honest I'm not very hopeful about the upper tribunal and so I'm moving on with the pip claim.

I just don't know what else we need to do if I am awarded pip.

tacpot12

You haven't actually answered Alice Holt's questions:
- Which type of ESA were you receiving?
- Which group were you in, WRAG or Support?

You could challenge the decision made regarding PIP. This is risky as they will reassess you from scratch and may score less points second time around.

You can claim UC, but the DWP will also ask you to undertake a Work Capability Assessment (WCA), and if you fail this (as you have the WCA for ESA), they will expect you to seek work. I don't see this as a reason not to claim UC though ;the outcome of the WCA could be different, and if it is not, you can wait to see what claimant commitment you are asked to agree to. Your work coach is supposed to take your circumstances, including your disabilities, into account. If you really can't agree to the commitment, you could ask for a review or close your claim.

I wouldn't discount the Citizens Advice advice, Google returns links to the Citizens Advice and GOV.UK websites, so you were probably being given the correct information. If you know that you were given incorrect information, you could complain to Citizens Advice.

Vegastare

https://www.turn2us.org.uk

Used to signpost clients to this site. Hope it helps....

Life_Goes_On

Vegastare wrote: »

https://www.turn2us.org.uk

Used to signpost clients to this site. Hope it helps....

Thanks

I've actually used this and another one, the trouble is it just shows a list of benefits you could be entitled to as I posted in my original post.

That's why j asked about a benefits specialist, as i thought I could ask them about my specific situation and what we could claim as s couple.

Alice_Holt

Life_Goes_On wrote: »

Yes that is all correct.

To be honest I'm not very hopeful about the upper tribunal and so I'm moving on with the pip claim.

I just don't know what else we need to do if I am awarded pip.

It does sound like UC is the other benefit you should consider claiming.
Other income-based benefits would include council tax support (from your local council).

Benefit calculators here:
https://www.entitledto.co.uk/
https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/AboutYou
https://www.betteroffcalculator.co.uk/#/free

calcotti

The PIP and the CA are completely separate from any decision about trying to stay on ESA or claiming UC. PIP is a standalone benefit. If you do claim UC you will be entitled to the carer element within any UC award for your partner to look after you without having to claim CA.

You say you have not been claiming any benefits for some time which suggests that you have something else to live off. Do you have savings over £16,000. If so you are excluded from UC. However if you were getting income based ESA before that indicates that you did not have savings over £16,000 because you would have been excluded from ESA if you did.

New style ESA is a contribution based benefit and if you have not worked for many years you will not qualify so you can ignore this as an option.

calcotti

Alice_Holt wrote: »

What type of ESA were you receiving - Income-based or Contribution-based? Which group were you in - WRAG or Support Group?

Given that OP says it was a joint claim it must have included an income based element even if there was a contribution based entitlement underneath this.