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Benefits
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
If you can't work due to illness how much can you claim in benefits?
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Have a look on there, that should help you out.
would you not be able to go in as an in-patient rather than a day patient? or alternatively find some kind of subsidised sheltered accomodation arrangement?
i don't know how much you'd be entitled to in benefits, but i can't see it being that impressive an amount.
You're best speaking to the PCT or even your GP to find out what arrangements can be made for accommodation (presumably a council flat?) and incapacity benefit.
if its disability assocaited with mental health, then benefits will depend on how serious your illness is and how long term it is too.
I think they opt for day patient as much as possible as going to be an in-patient for a year would mean it would be hard to do anything except be in hospital whereas at least as a day patient you can see your friends in the evenings and at weekends.
Looked at that website and I couldn't really work out what I'd be entitled to anyway and to rent a room in this area costs more than the whole maximum allowance (unless there is housing benefit on top of that?) especially as I have to live in this (expensive) area to stay in the hospital catchment. Oh well. I'm sure they will explain it to me eventually.
i guess it depends on the facilities in your area.
one of my cousins was recently a voluntary inpatient on a psych ward, and he was allowed to leave the hospital whenever he didn't have scheduled rounds or treatment sessions, as long as he was in the hospital between 10pm and 8am. that worked out great for him (until he absconded, but that's another story).
i can see their reasoning on sending people home for the night it they are going somewhere familiar and safe and comforting, but if 'home' is a grotty council flat on your tod with not even a couple of pennies to rub together i just don't see how it would be beneficial.
You are probably right though, staying somewhere horrible will probably turn me more mental.
ask to be assigned to a mental health social worker - they will look into your needs re: treatemnt, accomodation, benefits, etc and help sort you out.
Housing benefit is on top of other benefits like incapacity benefit. Unfortunately if you are under 25, the government will only pay what they think it costs to live in a shared house. Round here, it's a maximum of about £40 a week, I expect it is a lot more in Camden.
But just go to the job centre or housing office and speak to someone there.