Specialist Benefits Advice - Any ideas??

[liziJ]

Hello,

I'm currently going through a really difficult time at work and have been signed off with stress for the last couple of months.

I've been so ill since my kids were born (now 3 years old) that I'd say over the last couple of years I've had nearly as much time off sick as I have at work. This has led to no end of problems, and I'm really not convinced that I'm in a fit state to be working at the moment.

I've been thinking long and hard about my options, and after lots of research it seems to me I may be able to have as much income from benefits as I would from working. But it's all so complicated, and I need to know a precise figure that I'll be looking at before I start getting assessed as unfit for work, to make sure we can still afford to live. I've tried all the online benefits calculators but for some benefits they say I'd get "up to" a certain amount - so that could mean anything! And some benefits are affected by others - ie if you get benefit A this reduces benefit B.

So basically I need to find a proper benefits expert to go through it all with me and let me know how much I'd be likely to get each month. Hopefully it will be enough for us to live on and I'll be able to step back from my career and give myself time to recuperate.

I'm going to try the CAB tomorrow but apparently it's getting harder and harder to see a benefits adviser there. So I thought I'd see whether any of you have any other suggestions of people/organisations who can help me?

Thanks,
Lizi x

[slf]

Hi Lizi
Sorry you're going through a rough time,i had a similar problem,and expert advice was far from forthcoming. I rang the DSS with avery similar problem to your own,I still thought I could work then but had to face up to the fact it would'nt be continuosly so could'nt afford to live like that. I was advised to apply for ESA (employment support allowance) and was told I could work while claiming. Duly filled in and approved. A week or 2 later I returned to try and work,informing them of this,then without a word benefits were stopped when i became sick again. I had completely messed up the system by working(it was all my fault!)and I had to wade through another application,apparently I could only work when they let me,which in my circs meant not at all.
Much later I went through the test for fitness to work,which i failed completely and was threatened that benefits would stop,so I appealed on the grounds that disability is an illness that seriously affects day to day life. Appeal failed,so appealed again,this took about 20 months before my tribunal,I supplied doctors certificates all this time, and lost.
Only then did my nice gent at CAB realise I was on the wrong benefit,I was entitled to Pension Credit,I am afraid you will have to wait many years for that!(over 60) so not much help but my experience may give you guidance of the pitfalls.
Good luck
Steve

[john]

hi liz,
this is sad to read, i'm really sorry for you.
the best advice i have is go to CAB.
a couple of our friends work in the barnet CAB offices, they are both ex lawyers and really know their stuff.
hopefully you'll get good advice from your home branch.
gone are the good old days when jenny j was just a phone call away eh?
good luck liz, keep remembering that your health is tantamount and don't get too stressed out by all this.
love john

[liziJ]

Oh dear Steve, that sounds like a real nightmare. I have a feeling this process ain't gonna be easy!

This is what I've come up with so far:

I already get DLA albeit only the lowest rate of the care component and none of the mobility component. The great news is that we've just had confirmation that my son Jacob has been awarded the highest rate of DLA which automatically makes us eligible for much higher rates of Child Tax Credit - I think this is the biggest chunk of income we'll get from benefits.

The whole Employment & Support Allowance thing is really confusing, but of course my aim would be to get the "unable to work" component of it. I think I may be eligible for Council Tax Benefit and a Council Tax reduction for disability, and that my husband Mark may be able to claim Working Tax Credit. I think I can get Carer's Allowance for being Jacob's carer. I did wonder if Mark could get it as my carer but I think I need to be on a higher rate of DLA and he'd need to reduce his working hours.

Then there are all sorts of "premiums" that get added to the ESA: from my reading I *think* we *may* being entitled to Disability Premium, Disabled Child Premium and Enhanced Disability Premium (child rate)!!

I also need to look into other money-saving schemes available when you've got a disability or a child with a disability, or when you're on a low income. So far I've found BT Basic (for a cheaper phone line); NHS Low Income Scheme; Free Eye Tests; NHS Optical Vouchers; Healthy Start Scheme; Taxicard; Cinema Exhibitors Association card ... phew!!

So can anyone think of anything I haven't covered yet? And any other thoughts as to who will be able to put this ridiculously complicated jigsaw together?

L xx

[slf]

Hi
Specsavers do a pretty good deal,maybe other opticians do too!Also dentistry. Being old I get stuff anyway:-)
Steve

[liziJ]

Thanks Steve!

John, I reckon you're right - will try to get in to see someone at CAB this week. Fingers crossed ...!! xx

[liz2mac]

Hi all,
As I may have said elsewhere, those of us with Bronchiectasis can join the British Lung Foundation, they have their own benefits advisor. I am working as fast as I can to arrange somthing more permanent for us, but in the menatime am talking to BLF about UKPIPS somehow buying services from BLF for our members. Does anyone have any contact with Jenny J? If so, could you ask her to email me via the 'A PID Organisations Email' address?
Lizi, let us know how you get on?
Liz