February 20, 2013, 10:30 am
Hi
i hope someone can help me, my husband is due to have his house repossessed,we moved out of it in Aug 2012 as we had fallen behind with mortgage payments due to him being made redundant a few times,the house is solely in his name and we split up briefly due to the stress of it all but are now back together.
he also has other debts in his name ie credit cards,loans etc which he has been unable to pay, he entered into an IVA in july 2008 but had to end it in 2010 due to him losing his job.
we are now renting a house but was just wondering how long we have to wait until we can claim housing benefit and council tax benefit once the house has been repossessed as his wage is the lowest wage he has ever earned, he is intending to go bankrupt as he has no means of paying back anything he owes,but when is the best time to do that?
Also, i have beenon Incapacity benefit since 2001 suffering with arthritis and depression and was moved over to ESA in june 2012 and i am waiting to appeal the decision but have been told that even if I win the appeal i probably wont be able to get it anyway as its an income related benefit and my husband works, please, please can someone help me as I am a nervous wreck, we are a young family with 3 children aged under 10 and really struggling, i myself have catalogues and credit cards and i will need to sort these out too once my ESA ends in May
thank you
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February 20, 2013, 10:58 am
Hello,
This is my first post here so sorry in advance if Ive missed anything out.
Im hoping to get some advice on my current situation...
Me & My Fianc! (both 22) are looking to move in together as she is now pregnant - My partner currently is working around 40 hours per week at minimum wage.
I am currently employed at 25 hours per week at minimum wage - I am also a director of a company which took a bad turn last year and since hasn't been able to earn enough to pay me a wage, but its something Im working on and hoping to get it earning in the near future.
Around June my job will come to an end, and the baby is due in July. I've been offered a more permanent Job but will only pay £200 per week.
I've done a calculator on-line to see what we could get help with and so far we are only entitled to maternity allowance. Which just wouldn't be enough to rent a house & bills etc.
Do you have any suggestions on things we could chop/change to receive more help?
Thanks in advance.
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February 20, 2013, 11:46 am
Hello,
I have been on ESA after undergoing a massive spinal operation.
I have been left with damaged leg nerves due to the op, and cannot walk far, i receive higher mobility DLA.
I am giving serious thought of accepting a job offer, for 16 hours a week.
Am I right in thinking, because I would work 16 hours, I could come off ESA, claim Working Tax Credits, with the disability element? Would there be a penalty for coming off ESA and claiming WTC straight away? Like a period where no claim can be considered?
Jimbo
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February 20, 2013, 12:28 pm
Hi there,
first off i apoligize if i have put this in the wrong section.
i am in desperate need of help and advice.
i am newly registered blind and have been told i will have to wait at the very least 6 months to get a support worker to help me get all the benefits i deserve, as it stands i only receive the lower rate of DLA which is roughly £165 per month ,my wife earns roughly about £800 per month making that an annual pay of around £9600.
We have only been married a year, and i stopped geting income support because my wife works more than 24 hours a week. So as it stands i feel as if she is the only 1 bringing in any money.
I just wondered if there was some other kind of benefit i could get to boost my "income" because i am only getting my DLA this is around £41.00 a week to live off of.
Any advice is greatly appreciated.
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February 20, 2013, 1:38 pm
Hi,
I am curious to know if there is any winning situation for me should i sign up with an agency with irregular work hours, potentially no work for the whole week versus JSA joint claim.
Also, what if the work doesnt work out the first couple of days once i signed off?
Many thanks in advance for those who advice.
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February 20, 2013, 1:53 pm
Hi
I've currently working in a 20 hour job a week and earn minimum wage. I've just been offered a 1second job which is 10 hours a week which again is minimum wage. However I'm not sure how if I will have to pay any income tax. I will still be earning below the personal allowance that is allowed but will I have to pay any tax say on my second job? I've had a read through many websites regarding this and still can't get my head around it.
Any help?
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February 20, 2013, 2:11 pm
Does anyone know how long you have had to be on jsa before you are changed over to the work programme please, my partner has been on it for 4 months and hes got an interview next week with his advisor to change to the work programme.Not really sure what it entails either, does anyone know please.Thankyou.
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February 20, 2013, 6:01 pm
Right i have had a sanction for a while now and i have been in touch with my work program adviser who sent the forms down to have the sanction lifted but they said they never received them so i had a call from the one who is working on my case and he said they need that form before they can lift it so he said to have it sent by e-mail or fax so i said to my work program adviser and she said that it is the place in cardiff who lifts sanction but i don't know if the guy was calling from cardiff cause they are all the same number 0845 so now my work program adviser is trying to find out who to send the form to as she does not know who called me so would they give me a number for me to give to my adviser or a fax number or e-mail so she can send it to the one who is dealing with my case thanks
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February 20, 2013, 6:05 pm
My sister has been accepted on the Motability Scheme and is due to pick up her car next week. She had her own car already and the MS dealer has made her a good offer for the car which she has accepted.
The question is does she have to notify the DWP of this as she now has a little in excess of the £6k threshold. I have told her that she should spend the excess on necessary items for the home, but she seems to think that the savings ceiling won't apply if you sell your personal items.
She is in receipt of ESA and Housing Benefit, I even suggested the she topped up her rent account with the excess money as she will have to pay the extra 14% in April, which I would have thought was acceptable.
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February 20, 2013, 11:24 pm
Hi,
i was wondering if anyone could throw some light on a question i have - a few months ago we were given middle rate care allowance for our autistic daughter, this extra money has been fantastic, although we still get through a ton of money trying to stop her screaming and keeping her entertained - it has also increased our tax credits. But i just found out that we could also get Carers allowance for her.
i am self employed - i dont earn much, i get working tax credits, DLA for mobility and the disability element of tax credits.
My partner is studying with the OU and she gets child tax credit (with the disability element for Darcie) and child benefit.
we also get housing benefit.
i was told my partner would get the carer's allowance but we dont want this to affect our other benefits.
thanks
Simon :)
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February 21, 2013, 12:50 am
Does anyone know if there is a tax or benefit calculator that will calculate for years 2013/2014.
Thanks
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February 21, 2013, 1:51 am
I have been looking at my parents finances after receiving a letter from the council explaining that they are now only receiving the LHA rate of £114 for their property (£115 in April) however in April their rent for the housing association is going up to £136pw which is a whopping £544 4 weekly for a 3 bed house; however I know the rental rates round here and a 3 bed property just next door has just been let at £475 a month by a private landlord.
In hindsight they could have arranged to move next door but it is too late for that now, I feel the HA is charging way over the odds for the property when I always though HA were supposed to charge lower rents than private landlords to help people on low incomes.
Is there anyway I can challenge the rental rate being charged?
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February 21, 2013, 3:56 am
The jobcenter are forcing me to come in everyday right now,I am registered with all the agencies they suggest even before they suggest them, am on Total jobs & ,no joke at least 50 other online jobsites as well of course as Universal job .I bring in printed jobs every that Ive applied for
Surely this is harassment,If Im wasting time traveling to & fro & to agencies to get proof that Im registered , I cant actually look where I know the best chances are & not where the advisor says
? Any help - suggestions
? Who regulates the jobcenter as I find the line manager is on the side of the advisor ,even if they are suggesting something totally rubbish ?
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February 21, 2013, 4:33 am
Hello folks,
My hubby is very poorly and we filled out an Atos Healthcare questionnaire and returned it early January. Today he received a letter "your benefit is changing to Employment & Support Allowance" letter. He hasn't had an Atos Assessment, my question is, are these letter's just standard and sent out before that happens? It does say on the letter "you have been placed in the suppport group because your illness or disibility restricts the possibility of working". It also mentions he can "volunteer" to see a personal adviser if he wants to. Then on Page 3 it says "At a work-focused health related assessment a health care professional will ask how you feel your illness is stopping you from working". So this letter has basically contradicted it's self and hubby and me are no further forward. On Page 5 it states the amount we will be given but " the amounts on this page apply from 12 March 2013 to April 2013, which is confusing as well. I've tried phoning DWP 0845 number but gave up holding after 5 minutes.
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February 21, 2013, 4:56 am
Who pays for the cost of moving? this includes removing flooring, carpets, curtains, poles, boxing items, removing and re-installing of cooker and washing machine. Then there's all the physical effort involved in this as well as the mental effect on people being removed from familiar surroundings.
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February 21, 2013, 4:57 am
Hi everyone,
Last year I received an unexpected demand for repayment of overpaid tax credits from the period April to August 2011 and I would like some help understanding what they are saying.
There was actually an overpayment going on for longer than that (I think it would have been around January 2011 to August 2011) and I was in detailed communication with HMRC about it at the time it was happening. I was having difficulty getting them to update my details because of a security restriction on my account, but as I proved that I had sent them updated details of my work hours which they had not correctly processed, they happily admitted the overpayment was their fault, said that they had written it off and assured me that my account was balanced with no overpayments as of the end of August 2011. I have not claimed any tax credits since that date and so I assumed my dealings with them had ended.
However, last year I received a demand for repayment of an overpayment of almost £500 from the period of April to August 2011. Needless to say I was bewildered and requested an explanation (none had been supplied, only a bill). They eventually wrote back and said (if I have understood them correctly) that the overpayment had occurred because they had been making "provisional payments" based on an estimated income which had proven to be incorrect when my actual income was declared, and I now owed them the balance.
I am trying to understand whether or not this is a separate issue from the other overpayment that happened during the exact same period. I think some confusion may have arisen because of the financial year end occurring in the middle of the issues I was having with them. Why were they making "provisional payments" when at the time I was supplying them with the correct information about my hours worked and wages? Does the fact that they were making "provisional payments" not just mean that they weren't correctly implementing the information I was sending them and therefore make it the same issue as the first one and therefore they should have written it off when they dealt with that issue?
I don't know very much about how the tax credits system works, but considering that I was directly assured by HMRC that no overpayments existed on my account as of the end of August 2011, I don't feel it is fair that they should change their mind and I should have to pay them for an overpayment which happened between April and August 2011.
This is giving me a huge headache trying to understand it so if anyone could explain in idiotproof terms what has happened and if/how I can contend it I would really appreciate it!
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February 21, 2013, 5:20 am
As some of you know, I put a claim in for JSA on 31/1/13.
I have just had a text to say my benefit had been awarded and will be paid 3 days after my next sign on day... fab, BUT, my next sign on day is Friday 1st, meaning i prob wont get any cash till wed 6th - i literally am down to my last £4, so wondered if i will be able to get a crisis loan to tide me over?!
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February 21, 2013, 5:21 am
Amazing day! Just last week my wife and I were sitting in a CAB office with an advisor who couldn't get the DWP to say which office was dealing with my claim. Despite several letters since Sept last year, including complaints, we'd only received 1 reply. This was from a very nice and friendly sounding chap but his attitude changed when we insisted that we needed written replies to our queries and complaints. He then sent a stupid letter saying he couldn't answer for other offices and made a few comments which we are seeking professional advice about as they appear to indicate a policy is in place that is outwith the law and against the Will of Parliament. (I know some feel this is a dead end but I've been advised that the Will of Parliament is an extremely forceful concept that can be used).
So, not sure if asked for reconsideration was taking place, no idea where to send appeal to and just had the big finger from a DWP decision maker. Not much hope left. A lot of you will know just how awful all that feels. TODAY! A letter saying reconsideration has taken place and that I'm out of WRAG and in the Support Group!!!!!!!!!!
Second letter from my GP saying my health was threatened and explaining why she thought that was, made all the difference. Exemptions under reg 29 and 35 ARE valid. If you think these apply then ask your Dr. to write. We made a pro forma letter based on one seen on the Black Triangle web site, provided LIMITED 'background reading' including the regs and how they should be read (taken from same site). She said that as we had done all the work she would charge only £20 for clerical expenses. I've heard of some Drs. charging £150!
One interesting phrase in the letter I got today, in fact the key phrase is "A non functional descriptor has been applied as a result of the cumulative affect of your conditions."
They also sent the Medical Report Form from the first decision ie the one that put me in the WRAG. Several errors but one VERY interesting comment. Under PROGNOSIS it simply says "I advise that work is unlikely within 2 yrs". So, a HCP doesn't think my conditions will allow me to be ready for work within the next 2 yrs. However, they advise that I'm put in a group with the expected (demanded?) outcome of being employable within a year! Anybody else had this GAP YEAR in their information?
I'm over the moon but it's tinged with sadness as I know that many folk haven't got the rulings they are legally entitled to. I need a break from all this horror but am determined to continue gathering evidence in order to stop this abhorrent and discriminatory abuse of legislation. NO, I'm not saying I think the legislation is fair if applied as written, it clearly isn't, but making the Government apply it's own laws correctly is, I feel, the first step to getting some sense into the system. Keep fighting and keep your hopes alive, this morning I was in the same dreadful place as most of you are. My place is getting better, may yours do so too. YORKIST
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February 21, 2013, 7:23 am
Hi there, i was just wondering if there are any extra benefits that we can claim as a married couple, i work and earn 16645.00 per year, my hubby is not able to claim anything as he has a work pension of 2500.00 per year from when he was made redundant 6 years ago, we are not entitled to tax credits is there anything else we can claim as i have a wheat, gluten and dairy intolerance but am not entitled to free flour etc and my weekly food shop is sky high with my special diet. any info greatly received :)
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February 21, 2013, 7:51 am
Hi All,
Hope you can help - or point me in the right direction at least.
I'm not overly worried about our financial situation (we'll manage somehow) but I'm just looking for some clarification on where we'll be.
- I am currently 13 weeks pregnant and will qualify for statutory maternity pay but I won't have a job to come back to, current salary £16,950p/a (baby due in August)
- My husband is employed full time, earning £21,500p/a
- My husband has a mortgage on our current house joint with his cousin (currently living in Poland but making a contribution to the mortgage)
- I am in a protected trust deed until November 2013
I know that we will be entitled to child benefit but the tax credit calculator is confusing the life out of me. Does anyone know where I can find out what will be available to us?
We're in Scotland if that helps :)
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