Getting very confused about benefits - calculators are all so different!

gracie83

I am getting very confused about benefits.  I have put the same information into various calculators and the results are very varied.  All with an income of £196 a month and as if I have been sacked so no salary.  
Entitled 2 £671.80 UC a month, Council tax support £77.83 a month, £323.70 ESA a month - (£866.66 housing which not on other calculators list - has me as owner occupier)
Turn2us £128.88 UC a month, Council tax support £77.83 a month (No esa listed)
Policy in Practice £0 UC a month, Council tax support £54.46 and £323.70 ESA a month

I am a  37 year old widow with no children and I receive a £196 survivor's pension a month.  I have a mortgage but no other debts.  I am currently off sick since March 2020 with Long covid.  Thankfully I have been on full pay since this began but I am running out of good will at work and I know this income will be drying out soon.  I have failed my return to work three times now and have a big meeting in a months time.  I am chair bound and just do not have the energy to do anything really.  My brain fog is very bad which is why I am struggling to make sense of these calculators.   I have been referred for chronic fatigue assessment but the waiting list is 6-9 months and I cannot see myself still being employed by then!  I am not going to jump from my job - they will need to sack me!

I applied for PIP in November but it will probably be May/June time before I get my assessment.  This makes the calculators difficult - I should get something from PIP (other long coviders are getting enhanced but then others are getting nothing) but as I do not know I am not including it in the above calculations.   I should get contributions based ESA for at least a year but I don't know if that cancels out the UC.   

I need just over £800 a month  (2021/22 prices) to keep my roof over my head and to keep fed. I am trying to find ways to cut down as much as possible but most of the payment is mortgage, council tax, energy, water etc.  

How can I get truthful amounts I can actually plan towards.  From what I see I am done for if I cannot get PIP - if I get PIP I should be ok.  Please point me in the correct direction for finding out exactly where I will be standing or which calculators to ignore.   Thank you, I am getting so stressed about this.  

poppy12345

If you've paid the correct amount of NI contributions in the previous 2 tax years you can claim New style ESA, which pays £74.70 per week for 52 weeks unless placed into the Support Group. You can't claim this at the same time as SSP and if you're entitled to SSP your employer must pay you this. When you do come to claiming it you will need your SSP1 form and a fit note from your GP.

If you claim UC as well then the ESA will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement, your pension will also be deducted in full from any UC entitlement. As you own your own home there will be no help with the mortgage payments. This means there would be no entitlement to UC.

Council tax reduction can be claimed from your local Authority.

PIP isn't means tested so any other income will not affect this. With regards to other people claiming different amounts that have the same condition as yourself, PIP isn't awarded based on any diagnosis so it's impossible to compare someone else to yourself.

calcotti

The widely different answers you have got indicates that you have put different information into the calculators (which is easy to do because they can be difficult to use).

As poppy says you will not get help with your mortgage so there will be no housing element.

Your maximum UC amount if you are found to have Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity (ESA Support Group) will be the standard allowance plus the LCWRA element : £324.84 plus £343.63 = £668.47. Your pension will be deducted in full : £668.47 - £196 = £472.47. If you claim ESA and are in the Support Group you get £228.20/fortnight (after 3 months at a lower rate) which is equivalent to £494.43/month. If you claim ESA there will therefore be no entitlement to UC. As the ESA is worth more than the UC it makes sense to claim it in preference to UC.

£494.43 + £196 gets you to £690.43/month plus Council Tax Reduction plus PIP (if you are awarded it).

If you claim ESA that, unlike UC, does not entitle you to free prescriptions, dental care etc but you can apply to the NHS Low Income Scheme.

Alice_Holt

calcotti said:

Your maximum ESA amount if you are found to have Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity (ESA Support Group) will be the standard allowance plus the LCWRA element : £324.84 plus £343.63 = £668.47. Your pension will be deducted in full : £668.47 - £196 = £472.47. 

  @calcotti
       I think this should read 'Your maximum UC amount...' 

      It is worth adding that if the OP claims New Style ESA, then there would be no deduction for her pension income.
      If placed in the Support Group then nsESA can continue beyond one year.

      https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/employment-and-support-allowance/help-with-your-esa-claim/esa-how-much-you-can-get/

     OP would be advised to claim nsESA, and council tax reduction (from her local authority) when her sick pay ends.


    I would suggest that she talks to her local advice charity, who may also be able to provide further help with the PIP claim / possible appeal.


EDITED to reflect poppy's post below.

poppy12345

Alice_Holt said:

calcotti said:

Your maximum ESA amount if you are found to have Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity (ESA Support Group) will be the standard allowance plus the LCWRA element : £324.84 plus £343.63 = £668.47. Your pension will be deducted in full : £668.47 - £196 = £472.47. 

 
   
      If placed in the Support Group then nsESA can continue beyond six months.
 

Typo Alice, that should be NsESA can continue beyond 1 year.

Alice_Holt said:

calcotti said:

Your maximum ESA amount if you are found to have Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity (ESA Support Group) will be the standard allowance plus the LCWRA element : £324.84 plus £343.63 = £668.47. Your pension will be deducted in full : £668.47 - £196 = £472.47. 

    If she has suffered from the effects of long covid for 3 months, she can make a claim for PIP now.

  

OP has stated they've already started a claim for PIP.

gracie83 said:

I applied for PIP in November but it will probably be May/June time before I get my assessment.

calcotti

Alice_Holt said:

  @calcotti
       I think this should read 'Your maximum UC amount...' 

indeed it should, have now corrected my post. Thanks for spotting.

gracie83

Thank you for all of the above.   Hope and pray that PIP is accepted seems to be the only hope.   It is so confusing with sick pay - according to work as it was long covid I have not actually used up and sick leave even though I have been sick or phasing back for nearly two years.  Hmm wonder if I can use my actual sick pay time to extend things or would that be cheeky?  I am praying that long covid clears up - the doctors do not know what to do apart from 'give it time'.  I was not made for sitting around the house just waiting to go to bed.  Anyway  thank you for all of the above.  It is clearer now.   ESA/ council reduction and PIP and forget UC for now.   Thank you

calcotti

Please note that if you are receiving occupational sick pay but have used up your entitlement to Statutory Sick Pay you can claim new style ESA now. You should check your SSP situation with your employer.

Spoonie_Turtle

gracie83 said:

Thank you for all of the above.   Hope and pray that PIP is accepted seems to be the only hope.   It is so confusing with sick pay - according to work as it was long covid I have not actually used up and sick leave even though I have been sick or phasing back for nearly two years.  Hmm wonder if I can use my actual sick pay time to extend things or would that be cheeky?  I am praying that long covid clears up - the doctors do not know what to do apart from 'give it time'.  I was not made for sitting around the house just waiting to go to bed.  Anyway  thank you for all of the above.  It is clearer now.   ESA/ council reduction and PIP and forget UC for now.   Thank you

As an aside, I can appreciate that but it is very clear that the only chance of recovery is with appropriate rest (physical and mental) for as long as is needed.  The Long Covid community thankfully can benefit from years of experience of people with ME/CFS and the absolute key is to not overdo it if possible.  There's no guarantee of recovery but unfortunately deterioration is extremely likely if body and/or brain are pushed beyond what it can sustain.  (There are innumerable non-physical activities that can occupy people's time and mind, but whether any of them suit the level or type of mental exertion you can tolerate is an entirely different matter.)

I know it's hard, and I wish you all the best in trying to find a way of living your life as it is now.  While I hope you are able to recover, I also hope that you are able to find joy in the small things and a measure of peace in the meantime, rather than feeling recovery is necessary to be able to get anything out of life.  Many of us are in similar situations but without the hope of recovery so either way you are not alone

Alice_Holt

gracie83 said:

  Hope and pray that PIP is accepted....

    A tenant of PIP is that of "reliability", so if you can't perform a PIP activity:
  - safely;
  - to an acceptable standard;
  - repeatedly (as required);
  - in a reasonable time period (i.e not more than twice as long as someone without that disability / illness)

then you should be awarded points for that activity.

  PIP assessors and DWP decision makers can get this wrong. 
I imagine that you might struggle with repeatedly and it may you take a long time to complete PIP activities.  If so, it is something to emphasis at the assessment.
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/help-with-your-claim/your-assessment/

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/985358/pip-assessment-guide-part-2-assessment-criteria.pdf
(Page 73 on)

 Any PIP decision carries a right of appeal, so if not accepted do get advice on appealing a flawed decision.
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/contact-us/contact-us/

Best wishes