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Benefits and college

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I'm quite loathed to post about this because I have a feeling that the anti-benefits brigade are going to come and give me what for because I'm "wasting your taxes". If I could get support so that I would be able to sustain myself in full-time employment then I would, but I can't.

I have been given a place on a course I desperately want to do, its been my dream for a long time, and I think this course will be the making of me. Its about 15/16 hours a week, and I was planning on working around those hours to get money to live on, but I was signed off for 2 months, started claiming ESA, and I've gotten worse not better. On ESA for some reason (I think to do with my savings), I only get £23 a week. That would continue if I started the course and its 15hrs but only if I am allowed on to the work-related part and not put on JSA. I could still do the course and get JSA if its under 15 hrs, but I would then have to be looking for work I wouldn't really be able to do.

I would like to work part time around the course, but right now I would struggle to get into to college and do the work (although I know I'd make myself, even if it was against my best interests, because its my passion). I can't seem to find any work where I live that would work around college hours that I can do (lots of driving/warehouse/etc type jobs, no vacancies at local supermarkets, shops might be my only option, but there are few vacancies), and even if I wasn't doing the course, I don't think I'd be able to work full time because asides from my own health issues, I care for my mother.

I'm in a catch 22. If I do the course and work, I won't be able to afford rent even on the cheapest of places, and I won't be able to get any help with it. If I am on JSA then I'll be looking for work I can't really do. I don't think I can get income support, and its unlikely I'll get put on work related ESA. but all of these would allow me to get some housing benefit.

The other option is that I live off my savings (inheritance from my grandmother), but once they're gone, I'll never get them back. They were meant to be used as a deposit against a house, or getting married and buying stuff for a baby, but they've totally dwindled because I've had to live off them and support my mother whilst she's been ill and waiting to hear about benefits (it took 9 months for them to come to a decision). They could support me for another 3 months or so but then there'd be nothing else, and I think benefits wouldn't help me then.

I know I need to see a professional about this, I just don't really know who because the local CAB is awful, and the job centre doesn't give advice. I'm just wondering if there is an obvious solution here I'm not seeing. We're looking to move to a smaller house because housing benefit won't cover this one, but landlords that accept HB around here are few and far between. We're also looking to go on to the council list but we won't get accepted until october because we've not lived here for 6 months (and we'll be second priority because there are no children involved).

This whole thing is scaring me. I hate dealing with benefits, I'd much rather be out of the system and able to work and do the course and be able to get by, but I don't know how I going to be able to do it without making myself ill, and not being able to look after my mum.

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Can you get access to a benefits adviser through the CMHT? Your GP might be able to refer you.

    Also, you might be able to claim DLA, which wouldn't be affected by college. You can apply online at direct.gov.uk.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The CMHT won't take me on because they don't think i have a severe and enduring illness.

    I have DLA until November, but I don't know if I'll get it again. Considering what bastard twat-face cameron is like, i guess not. DLA is only £19 a week, which will help a bit, but won't make up the rent.

    I'm doing a council house application form, see what happens with that.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Does the having this inheritance money mean you get less?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yes a lot less.

    I would get £23 a week ESA and about the same in housing benefit. Thats not enough to live on.

    I think I'm just going to have to apply for all i am entitled to at the rates with my savings included and just use them up until i'm under the threshold and can get the full amount. I don't know if i'd have to give them month by month updates to my finances and see if they would up my benefits accordingly...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Your savings are treated as giving you an income and you're expected to live on your savings until they are less than £6000. For every £250 of savings over £6000 you are treated as having an income of £1 per week (e.g if you have savings of £10,200 you'll be treated as having an income of £16 per week) and if you have more than £16,000 in savings you cannot claim income-related ESA at all. If you frivolously waste your savings the DWP can treat you as still having the savings even if you have spent them. If you're spending them quickly keep receipts.

    Have you already had your work capability assessment carried out? If not, you will soon be assessed as to whether you have limited capability for work; if the DWP don't think you do, you'll be booted off ESA and you'll have to claim JSA anyway. Bear in mind that with ESA you can only do 'permitted work' as you cannot generally work and have limited capability for work at the same time. Permitted work allows you to work for an unlimited period earning less than £20pw or for a period of up to 52 weeks if you earn less than £95pw and work fewer than 16 hours per week.

    Whilst you can do part-time study whilst on ESA, be aware of the fact that the DWP assessors will quite often decide that if you're well enough to study you're well enough to work. You cannot study full-time and receive ESA unless you get DLA.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You cannot study full-time and receive ESA unless you get DLA.

    And be careful on what counts as 'full-time'. 16 hours' teaching often equates to around 32 hours' work and so a course with that amount of teaching will often call itself 'full-time'.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I do get DLA at the moment, so that might work in my favour.

    I've got less than 16 but more than 5 (not a lot more than 5 though). I've worked it out and i'm actually being under paid by about £10 a month.

    The Drs are testing me for glandular fever atm, so i'll have to wait and see.

    Am I right in thinking that they take off the same amount from HB too for savings?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It depends. The income from savings is known as a "tariff income" and it doesn't kick in until you have more than £6000 in savings. If you have less than £6000 in savings then you should not have any tariff income.

    If you're getting any amount of income-related ESA, even 10p a week, then this is a "passporting benefit", which means that you automatically get full housing benefit and council tax benefit together with free prescriptions. Full housing benefit doesn't necessarily mean that you will get your full rent paid, it depends on what your rent is and where you live. If you stop getting income-related ESA then it will be deducted in a similar way, however HB and CTB are calculated differently so it isn't a straight pound-for-pound drop.

    If you think you're being underpaid, give Community Legal Advice a call on 0845 345 4345 or have a look on entitledto.co.uk. Remember that if you're under 25 and still in the assessment phase you'll be entitled to less money anyway.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    its just they've calculated it on the wrong amount of savings.

    I called the council and they said that I would get a reduced amount of HB and CTB...I need to find someone to help me do all the paperwork.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Income-related ESA is a passporting benefit so you get full housing benefit if you get any amount of income-related ESA. The issue is what full housing benefit is. If you're under the age of 25 and don't qualify for the severe disability premium on your ESA or need overnight care you're only entitled to the housing benefit needed to pay for a room in a shared house (this is likely to be raised to 30 or 35 years of age in the next few years).

    Your local CAB can help you with the forms.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thats fine, I'll either be sharing with my boyfriend or my mother so it will cover my share of the rent.

    Appointment with CAB for next week sorted.

    Thanks!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If you move in with your boyfriend his income will be taken into account when assessing your income-related ESA, HB and CTB as you will be treated as a couple.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    you've seen my post in relationships, I doubt it will be happening anytime soon, but thanks anyway!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If you get the severe disability premium does this mean you don't have to share?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If you get the severe disability premium then your local housing allowance rate should be for a one-bedroom property, not for a room in a shared property.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I only get low rate care so I doubt I'll get that.
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