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ESA and savings amount

January 9, 2016, 4:56 am
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I've recently claimed and been awarded income-related ESA, though I've not yet been assigned to one of the groups. At the time of applying to ESA, I had £1150 savings which I declared to the DWP and this has now gone up to £1350 as I've been contributing to my savings semi-regularly although the amount saved varies depending on my outgoings and circumstances (and whether I extend loans).

I'm aware of the £6,000 savings limit that I can have without it affecting my benefits, and I know if I go over £16,000 I won't be eligible for ESA (would this count for my PIP too?) but I don't fully understand how my benefits are affected if my savings are between £6,001 and £15,999 -- those I've asked are particularly vague or simply tell me that my benefits will be reassessed if/when I go over £6,000. I'm hoping to keep a tighter control of my finances this year and would like to have a long-term savings goal. It's possible that I could be back in employment by the time my savings hits £6,000 (I certainly hope so) but at the same time I might not be, and I don't want to aim for £16k in savings if going over £6k affects my income hugely.

I'd be very surprised if I managed to get anywhere near 6k in the near future but would like to know what actually happens if I do. :o
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CIS Subcontractor help needed.

January 9, 2016, 1:15 pm
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Hello
Was made redundant in October, I have been offered a job but was told I had to register as a CIS subcontractor the work will be regular but only 24 hours per week, I have previously been on housing benefit and tax credits when I was working part time and attending college, can I apply for these again due to limited hours and how do I state the hours I'd expect to work as there's no formal job contract.
Thanks
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Interview Under Caution Urgent Advice Needed!

January 9, 2016, 6:14 pm
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Hello all,

I am new to the forum and have used the site many times before, but have now found myself in desperate need for others advice and opinions on my situation.

First I should go into more information about this topic, I received a letter asking me to attend a interview under caution at my local council office, as they are investigating my benefits. The letter was sent by the Department of Work and Pension's not my local council however.

This story starts a year and a half ago from the time i write this, give or take a month or two, where I was asked to go to a interview at the local job center for a Customer Compliance Interview. At the time I was signing on JSA and get DLA as well as a private pension (more of this is detailed below) the interview was conducted as I failed to alert the DWP of my pension, as I had no idea I had to tell them about it and did not mean commit any form of fraud! At the interview, I was asked by the person interviewing me to send various evidence to her office regarding the pension and then hear back later from her. So i gathered what she asked for (information about payment dates etc) and sent it. I then found work and signed off JSA immediately and did not hear anything about it again. I then worked for a short period and was then signed off due to illness and began claiming ESA until I got my letter to attend a medical (another story for another time) and later had to sign on JSA

I recently moved from JSA to ESA work related activity group after a long struggle with DWP (a story for another time again) and was awarded my ESA. I also do "Permitted work" where i work between 6 hours and 15 hours a week at a local shop, for therapeutic work in order to get me back in the way of working, as i suffer from severe depression and anxiety. The DWP are all completely aware of this permitted work, I sent my payslips etc and do everything to the letter. I also recieve DLA lower mobility and care component and a council tax reduction, I have a mortgaged home so do not receive housing benefit and I also receive a private pension from my late husband as mentioned above. The pension itself is very small and this time I alerted the DWP about it and exactly how much I was getting (around £30 a week)

So now I have detailed a little about any income I get, its easy to say my situation is more complex than a lot of other people. Anyway, as soon as I seen the letter, I phoned my local CAB, who have yet to respond to me, and then phoned the number on the letter in order to discuss what this IUC is about. The woman on the phone told me the interview was to see about a pension I was in receipt of. I then told her that I have alerted the DWP about it and was told that any other information would be discussed at the interview.

So now I am panicking that there is a mix up or that I am going to go to jail for fraud I did not even mean to commit! The worst of it is, I have a letter from the department when I was still on JSA saying that they are aware of my pension, so I have no idea what this is about. Possibly the information did not transfer with the switch from JSA to ESA after my tribunal?

I have no idea what to do, and I can't sleep or think worrying about this situation.

Can someone please help me make sense of this? I do not know what else to do. If any of the information is unclear I will respond to any questions.

Thank you
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Permitted Work ESA

January 10, 2016, 5:24 am
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Was talking to a DWP adviser the other day and She said something along the lines of if your in the ESA SUPPORT GROUP you can work less than 16 hours a week (15 hours max) and still get the full amount of your benefit and the wage you receive for your employer.

As I understand it those in WRAG can only do this for a year where as those in the SUPPORT GROUP can do this without a time limit.

Just wondered if anyone on ESA has done this and what where the outcomes?

Is it some sort of trap some the DWP can transfer me from SUPPORT GROUP to WRAG?
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Tax credits

January 10, 2016, 6:23 am
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Hi

Just want to confirm this before I apply as a couple.

Partner moved in in early December, I stopped the claim as a single person and I am just completing the new claim (not sure I will get anything but hey ho)

Your income for the year 2014 - 2015....is this number after tax is taken or before.....last year I claimed £14601....as I have dropped this year because I started working 30 hours will I need to make a new claim in April? At the income bit of this letter it has my income from 2015 - 2016 on it....I don't know that yeat as I've dropped to 30 hours and will have an increment in June 16....

I'm confused
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When can college leaver sign on?

January 10, 2016, 7:48 am
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My daughter will be finishing her college course in July. By then she will be 19. She's applying for lots of jobs and apprenticeships but just incase the worst happens when can she sign on? I've got a letter stating cb and ctc will go on until August but I was under the impression that was for if she's going back to college next year. I've also been told if she registers with Connexions I can get cb and ctc for another year but that doesn't seem to exist where we are (lowestoft).

I'd appreciate no nasty comments please. No one is planning to live off benefits for the rest of their lives.
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Can I work if my partner claims PIP/ESA?

January 10, 2016, 9:18 am
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My partner currently receives higher rate care and higher rate mobility for PIP. She also gets ESA (support group) and I claim Carer's Allowance for her.

I'm looking to get back into work full time but at the moment my partner is still unable to herself.

My question is, if I started a full time job, how would it affect her money? (if it was an average full time job of £15k - £20k a year for example) Obviously I would cease to receive carers allowance for her and she would lose the carers premium from her ESA but how would it affect her ESA claim overall and would it affect her PIP claim? (she currently has a Motability car which is a lifeline to her and we currently couldn't afford to run a car if she were to lose it as its an adapted car and they're quite expensive to buy so i don't want to jeopardize that for her).

Thanks
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Young working couple first baby

January 10, 2016, 1:35 pm
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Hi all,

New to these forums - I suspect this has already been answered so apologies for reposting.

I am working guy 23yrs old, work in a office only earning £16,060 a year , my partner is a full time student just finished her 3rd year but with our baby due anytime now! she has had to put 4th year on hold.

My question is - would we be entitled to any sort of benefits? I'm completely new to benefits having never claimed any in my life!

Let me know if you'd like me to provide more information! - I tried using the benefit calculator on here but sadly doesn't work as my partner is a student.
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Yo wondering rapid reclaim

January 10, 2016, 4:11 pm
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I work 8th September when will rapid reclaim stop? I worked it out to 3rd of March im phone tomorrow just in case. How do we find out? Annoying when it will stop!
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Exceptional Hardship Fund Application - Help Needed

January 10, 2016, 11:48 pm
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I need to get some forms back where I am applying for discretionary housing payment from the exceptional hardship fund. Can I ask what the criteria is and how hard my circumstances have to be in order to recieve this?

I'm long term sick but don't get any DLA/PIP just ESA and my landlord put my rent up £10 a week and on top of the top-up I already had to pay I now lose £37 out of my £204 ESA every fortnight. This is because Housing Benefit will not consider the rent increase since I'm on the Rent Officer way of doing this and I will have to wait until August until they will even look at the increase! So I'm having to cover it. And I'm very poor and in debt.

Should I mention smoking and drinking? Will that help or hinder me? Because on the forms it asks me about that. At the moment I do neither as I'm sticking to my new year's resolution and I can't afford it anyway but I've tried many times before and I always go back because of chronic anxiety. When I'm having bad panic attacks a few drinks makes all the difference between getting the things done I need to do outside the house instead of not even leaving the house, or going out and having the attacks without a drink and feeling so worthless afterwards risking falling into a bad depression which I try at all costs to avoid. So I don't know what to put on the forms, at the moment its £0 but it might not be for long as I've never managed to give up more than a few weeks due to how much it helps me to get things done.

My council tax is £9 per fortnight so between the rent top-up and council tax I'm £46 down from the £204 ESA plus with everything else including food, paying debts, heating (its all electric here so costs an arm and a leg) I'm really strugling.

Any advice on how to fill out this form would be most appreciated. All I'm asking them to do is pay the extra £10 a week (the rent increase) which they are forcing me to cover because they won't reassess my housing benefit claim until August.

Thanks.
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Habitual Residency Test

January 11, 2016, 3:14 am
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Hi All,


Quick question - my father has returned to the UK and is searching for work. He's applied for JSA (don't worry I'm telling him to get a job asap - the JSA wont even cover what he owes me a month in rent!)


As part of his application he's required to do a HRT, however for what purpose would they need my details? Aside from living in my property (as a lodger in essence) we have no connections.


I'll be investigating, but someone might have an answer which eludes me at the minute
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Help urgently needed

January 11, 2016, 3:48 am
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my father was admitted to hospital in July and now has been transferred to a permanent nursing home, we've just had his financial assessment done and the council will be paying for his care due to lack of funds. i was told to ring dwp up and cancel his dla and pension credit. that's going to be a lot of cash , maybe more than he has . his basic funeral was paid for with the money being paid in. how the heck is he going to pay back the dwp. he will only have £24 pw spending money . any thoughts please
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PIP Assesment, where to send additional info?

January 11, 2016, 8:36 am
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I have a PIP Assesment coming up and have some additional information that I didn't send off with my PIP2. It is 5 pages long. Do I send it to DWP or should I take it to my Assesment? I am thinking of maybe sending it in advance to the Assesment centre so the HCP can read it in advance as I have the address, but don't know who to address it to. thanks x
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Will i get anything?

January 11, 2016, 9:20 am
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Im looking for a bit of advice. Last year I was self employed and made an income of £9640. I done the tax credits calculator and its says im entitled to working tax credit and child support as I have 1 child.


However this tax year my predicted income will be around 17K.


So based on last years ( 2014-2015 ) I will be entitled to something .


But this tax year we are on now I wont be ?


Should I still fill in my form or will I have to repay what they give me if im not entitled to it from April ?


Hoping someone can help
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Denied Flexible Working

January 11, 2016, 2:14 pm
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My 52 weeks of maternity are coming to an end and i have made the decision not to return to my work.

I requested flexible working hours (reduced hours over shifts and days) but it was denied.
The reason i feel i can not go back is because it was a 45 hour week and 5 hours of travel and i do not want to put my son in nursery for 50 hours a week.

I would see my son for 30mins in the morning and 1 hour at night Mon - Fri and that isnt enough for me!
I have no family near me for child care and nursery was to expensive. It would have been £13,000pa leaving my salary at £4,000pa.
My husband works away Mon - Fri so it would be down to me to cover my sons illness days and such.

2014/2015 tax summary
My husband earns 21,000 before tax
I earned 17,000 before tax (15,997 due to maternity)


I have made an appointment at the job centre as i believe i have to talk to them about my NI contributions as i am not working.
I am looking for a part time job of about 20hrs a week as i do want my son to gain experience in nursery that me and toddler groups wont fullfil! Also i have always worked so some money would be nice!

I know i wont qualify for JSA as i left my job willingly when they denied me flexible working (i will take my letter from my employer with me).

We can survive on my husbands wage in terms of bills and such but it will be hard.

I am just wondering if there is anything i should be doing?

I have never claimed any benefits before in my life. I phoned the tax credits line last year ro tell them i was on maternity leave and they gave me working tax credits which was a suprise and very much appreciated as with my husband working i never assumed i was allowed anything.

I have never been out of work before, well i moved 200 miles away a few years ago and got a job within 2 weeks so i class that as a 2 week moving break lol so i am hoping that i will find a job fairly soon.
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Work programme/job club Help

January 11, 2016, 2:30 pm
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I wonder if you kind people in this sub can help. Throwaway for obvious reasons.

Circumstances

20 year career as a consultant
6 month sentence to prison last February for a fight I got into on a night out, first offence

Problem

Upon release i signed up to JSA. It is a requirement for all detained prisoners regardless what offence must go to the job club for the following 2 years upon release except for times when working.

Since release I have had three short term contracts which is my bread and butter. I have been out of work 2 weeks in between these contracts. During that time I visited the job club as directed but found my own contracts with absolutely no assistance, not that I needed it.

Each time the job club want to confirm with the agency that I am working and who for and how long. I dont want them doing this, they are not involved in that process and didnt source the roles I told them I have signed off and the DWP have that information and therefore there is no need for you to contact these agencies.

On the first contract they contacted them against my wishes, asking how I was getting on, everything fine blah blah blah. The agency contacted me as they didnt want to speak to them without authorisation, I blew my top with the job club. I gave thema perfectly good reason why I didnt which I will explain at the end. I agreed with them that they would not contact them as long as I sent them a copy of the contract.

Second role and the local office ddnt contact them but the main operations centre contacted the 2nd agency and asked more invasive questions, I spoke to my contact at the local office and they said there is a marker on my online file that there is to be no contact, she ways it comes up as important info in a new window when they access my record, still this woman did from the operations centre and the agency asked me searching questions as to why, I said I used their facilities whilst searching for roles and it was half left there.

After those two situations I am ignoring them altogether, I dont want them putting my jobs at risk and they are. I am now in a 3rd contract after 2 weeks on JSA and I have blocked their phone number. I have been getting emails from a new person at the local office who is "managing" my case. I have ignored his last two emails ad today i get one off of my old contact there saying that they will have to go to the agency and confirm unless i speak to them and give them the information and mentioned my current agency which they said they got from the DWP.

I do not want them anywhere near my contracts or contacting anyone, I am not signed on adn the information is provided to DWP and readily available so why do they need to phone and confirm? (I am aware of the staged payments they get and all that) but the issue is this. You can only be on job club if referred if on JSA 3 months or more. I am only out of work for a matter of a week or two and have worked continuously for the last 20 years bar three months earlier this year, so any decent recruiter would know that the only only reason I am on there is I have been imprisoned and this will jeopardise any role I do and potentially lose it. I have only taken roles whereby I have not been asked to declare in any which way if I have any convictions so as not to break the rehabilitations act, i just want to get on with my life after a short sharp shock.

What can i do legally to stop them contacting my employers? Happy to conform to the rules if claiming but that wont be often.

TIA
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Shared ownership and housing benefit

January 11, 2016, 3:32 pm
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Apologies if this has been covered before, but has anyone got any knowledge on claiming housing benefit for a shared ownership property?
I'm about to leave my job and I own 35% of my property, paying rent on the remaining 65%
The online benefits checkers and the like don't include an option for shared owners!
Many thanks
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Will Inheritance affect tax credits for childcare

January 12, 2016, 2:34 am
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Hello all, my son is eligible for working tax and child tax credits which help to pay for full-time nursery care for his daughter. He is a lone parent and works full-time. His father has just passed away and left him half a house and 20K cash. He wants to repay me £10,000 loaned for his current house purchase and put the other £10k towards buying out the other half of his dads house on a 'buy to let' loan he hopes to obtain. He then plans to rent out dads house - small terrace. How will all this potentially affect his free childcare eligibility?
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Maternity allowance and class 2 National Insurance contributions?

January 12, 2016, 5:01 am
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Previously, HMRC would collect class 2 National Insurance on a monthly basis for the self employed. From what I understand, it is now an annual bill that is assessed along with your tax return? So if someone wants to apply for maternity benefit, how do they prove their national insurance contributions, when they have not been paid yet (as they are now paid at the end of the year, and not weekly?)

Thanks for any help! :j
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Universal Credit / Jobseekers Allowance

January 12, 2016, 5:53 am
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Due to relocation, I gave up my job last year. Now, following recovery from surgery, I am back looking for work. I haven't made a claim since I stopped working, but now time it flying and money is tight and am wondering if I am entitled to jobseeker's seeing as I have been contributing to the system OR doesn't it work like that anymore? I looked online at my area and it says that JSA is not available. It's Universal Credit.
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