Income Support Problems

Boppy_2

I applied for income support and incapacity benefits on 8th April, haven't heard anything back since so i phoned them and they can't find my claim, i don't know what to do then to make matters worse Tax Credits have stopped my money because i now need to claim as a couple (my OH doesn't work because he's looking after me and our son whilst i'm poorly.) So as of next week we'll have £18.80 to feed 2 adults, a 3 year old, 2 dogs and a bearded dragon, then there'll be gas and electric to put on the meter and i have £5 to pay for rent arrears, what am i going to do? This really isn't helping my depression, i feel like running away

[Deleted User]

what if anything did they suggest you do about the claim forms they lost?The dwp are famous for losing them and then suddenly finding them again!
The only suggestion i can make atm is to apply for a crisis loan until they sort your claim out,and dont forget when your claim is actioned it will be back dated.
As an aside i`d suggest anyone making any claim either sends it registered post,or deliver it yourself(if possible)and ask them for a receipt to prove you have handed it in
Meanwhile Boppy remember its always darkest before the dawn
good luck
John

Boppy_2

Thank you so much for that John, you are right is is darkest before the dawn and i must keep telling myself that.

Regarding the lost forms they said there would be nothing they could do at present but mention it again when someone phones me back regarding everything tomorrow. I forgot to mention in my original post that i filled in the claim forms with a Jobcentre manager there who took everything off me to forward on so i felt it was safer doing it that way than posting, how wrong was i???

I will apply for a crisis loan depending on what tomorrows outcome is. I am worried that because they have lost the forms they won't backdated it to the first day i was eligible, or will they?

Thanks again.

jul22

Boppy,
Did you make your claim via a contact centre and therefore receive a Customer Statement? The reason I ask is that if they have lost your original claim then you might want to book an appointment at your local JobCentre and ask them to print off the customer statement again. You can then do any amendments and get the JobCentre to fax it to the Benefit Delivery Centre (BDC). As benefit would be due by now, you might not be eligible for a Crisis Loan. In which case you could ask for an Emergency Payment which should hopefully get your claim processed faster and give you and your family some much needed money sooner rather than later!

jai_2

Contact the Tax Credits and Job Centre plus and ask them both for an interim payment whilst they sort your claims out. Make sure they know you have kids to feed.As far as the lost claim has gone most job centre plus offices are now a slave to centre processing job centre plus. This means that all documents are sent to one central branch before being distributed to a processing one then back to the central one before distribution to the first one...,......Most are losing stuff as i am sure you can imagine. All you can do is complain...maybe even to your local MP?

tatiepot

Please don't give up hope,things like this happened to me.Even though I went through Jobcentre Plus with my claim, it didn't just get lost once but twice.I also wrote two letters which also got lost.So I cannot advise you to do that, but for you and your family's benefit, you need to go and speak to your local office, take someone with you if you can who is not emotionally involved.Write down , times and appointments when you have been in touch with someone.Express deep concern at this state of affairs and ask THEM what you can do to help THEM get this sorted out asap.I sincerely wish you well..let us know how you get on. Best Wishes X

susieh_2

All new claims now have to have relevant notes on that have to include an initial date of claim, so if you have to fill in new forms or apply again when the question is asked "what date do you want to claim from" you need to put in 8th April. There is then a section asking why you want to backdate your claim or why you didnt claim earlier, you would put that claim has been lost and that you did originally make the claim on that date.

Susieh

tatiepot

Hey Boppy, forgot to say that everything did turn up albeit quite a while later.Apparantly faxed by the Jobcentreplus to the wrong floor. You will get there hang on. !