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Losing benefits

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Today I received a letter saying that I am no longer entitled to income support as my circumstances have changed (I don't understand what they mean, nothing has changed) and that they stopped on the 1st of December (9 days ago but they only told me today). I'm signed off sick and am in a day hospital (5 days a weeks) so I can't work. Also I get housing benefit but that is dependent on getting IS so in theory that will stop too. I just can't cope with all this shit right now.

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Have you contacted them? They may have made a mistake. Did they say HOW your circumstances had changed?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Have you contacted them? They may have made a mistake. Did they say HOW your circumstances had changed?
    I've not contacted them yet as I only got the letter this morning and they are only open on weekdays. I already have an appointment booked with my welfare rights advisor for the week after next but that was meant to be for starting a new claim for DLA rather than sorting out stuff I thought was already sorted. It is a really stressful situation for me to be in especially with Christmas coming up, even if it is a mistake (which I really hope it is) then they will take weeks or even months to resolve it.

    They did not tell me how the circumstances have apparently changed.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I hope it's a bureaucratic error, but shit I'm really sorry.

    I'm on PM if you need to rant. I wish I could be some practical use. :(
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Has anything changed at all? Did you originally go to the day hospital? Were you originally on DLA? Or are they just daft?

    I suspect it's the latter.

    Good luck with sorting it, and while I realise you probably can't see your advisor before your appointment is there some way you can get in touch with them before hand to tell them the problem so it's not news to them when you turn up.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Has anything changed at all? Did you originally go to the day hospital? Were you originally on DLA? Or are they just daft?

    I suspect it's the latter.

    Good luck with sorting it, and while I realise you probably can't see your advisor before your appointment is there some way you can get in touch with them before hand to tell them the problem so it's not news to them when you turn up.
    I've never been on DLA, the day hospital doesn't affect benefits (as I don't live there) I don't think. I did move house a few months ago but that was just a straight forward change of address (and this is the only address I have ever done housing benefit for) and is in the same borough, still exactly the same situation i.e. not cohabiting etc. I think they are just daft. I might e-mail the adviser.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It's something they try on every so often as a way of punting people off the statistics. They hope people won't notice or will be too scared to fight back, and they will save some money. The reason for this, of course, is that the Government and the top civil servants are cunts of the highest magnitude who deserve to be nailed upside down to a wall and flayed.

    Hope you get it sorted quickly.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Kermit wrote:
    It's something they try on every so often as a way of punting people off the statistics. They hope people won't notice or will be too scared to fight back, and they will save some money. The reason for this, of course, is that the Government and the top civil servants are cunts of the highest magnitude who deserve to be nailed upside down to a wall and flayed.

    Hope you get it sorted quickly.
    The funny thing is that the week before last I had a compulsory "work focussed interview" at the JCP where they point out that I would have more money if I was well enough to get a job and other 'helpful' advice like that :rolleyes:

    They told me that although my original medical certificate was for 6 months (the doctor said I could just get a new one after 6 months) that because the certificate said depression that I didn't actually need a new one until October 2009 because it was done automatically on a new scheme thing.

    This might sound really silly but I feel that the stress of being on benefits e.g. trying to get them, having them force me to do a work focussed interview, having them tell me that I'm no longer entitled to anything for no apparent reason etc is causing me a lot of stress and is actually making my health problems worse rather than allowing me to be in a position to focus on getting better.

    They make claiming benefits so hard and complicated, it's no wonder people end up broke and homeless.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Randomgirl wrote:
    They make claiming benefits so hard and complicated, it's no wonder people end up broke and homeless.

    Thats because you, like everyone else on incapacity benefit, is a lying bitch who isn't really ill at all :rolleyes:

    This country really does stink sometimes. That's what one gets when everyone votes Labour.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    maybe a part time job will help you though? Might help you get out of the rut you're in.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    She is on income support because she isn't capable of working.

    She's in hospital 5 days a week, I doubt she wants to work in that little time she does have.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    She is on income support because she isn't capable of working.

    She's in hospital 5 days a week, I doubt she wants to work in that little time she does have.
    or do some voulunteering every now and then or anything, breaking the routine might help. Just a suggestion.
  • BunnieBunnie Posts: 6,099 Master Poster
    Ballerina wrote:
    or do some voulunteering every now and then or anything, breaking the routine might help. Just a suggestion.
    volunteering wont get her any money, and get her out of this bad situation. If anything it would prove she could work, and that wouldnt go in her favour now, would it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ballerina wrote:
    or do some voulunteering every now and then or anything, breaking the routine might help. Just a suggestion.
    This thread has nothing to do with her routine, its to do with her money situation.

    RG is NOT capable of work therefore, cannot get a job whether thats volunteer work or paid work. Thats why she is on incapacity benefit and income support.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    This thread has nothing to do with her routine, its to do with her money situation.

    RG is NOT capable of work therefore, cannot get a job whether thats volunteer work or paid work. Thats why she is on incapacity benefit and income support.

    To be fair it was just a suggestion, theres no need to jump down the poor girls throat for it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    This thread has nothing to do with her routine, its to do with her money situation.

    RG is NOT capable of work therefore, cannot get a job whether thats volunteer work or paid work. Thats why she is on incapacity benefit and income support.
    jeez i'm only trying to make a small suggestion, give her something to do at weekends or something, not being able to work doesn't mean she can't have a hobby or something to work towards - might help overall as i'm sure she's not planning on staying in this situation forever.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    im sure this situation has nothing to do with what she plans or isnt planning. Its her situation now, and I dont think "a little part time job" is really a helpful suggestion just now, especially considering what shes going through.

    I really hope they sort it out for you ASAP Randomgirl.
    I wonder if you could get an advocate to help you with the benefits people and speak to them on your behalf? Maybe it would take some of the pressure off.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    im sure this situation has nothing to do with what she plans or isnt planning. Its her situation now, and I dont think "a little part time job" is really a helpful suggestion just now, especially considering what shes going through.
    ok sorry, only trying to help :rolleyes:
  • littlemissylittlemissy Posts: 9,972 Supreme Poster
    Ballerina wrote:
    ok sorry, only trying to help :rolleyes:

    As good as your intentions were in this thread, your suggestions have nothing to do with how to solve the problem at hand and the reason why RG made this thread in the first place.

    In response to the original post, I'd telephone the benefits people at 9am, explain what you have just told us and, if it starts to get too much / they aren't helpful / whatever, do as SCC suggested, by appointing an advocate to assist with it all.

    Hope you get it all sorted out.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm seeing an adviser on the 21st of December and will just hope that the Housing Benefit people are too slow to get their act together to cancel my housing benefit too.

    I don't qualify for Incapacity Benefit as I was a full-time university student until the summer so only ever worked part-time in the last two years and hence did not pay enough National Insurance contributions to qualify, so my only income was the 'income support' (£45.50 a week) and housing benefit which I only get because I am on Income Support (this covers most of my rent but I have to pay about £12 of the rent from my income support a week because the housing benefit doesn't fully cover it).

    My original medical certificate is not due to expire until February 2007 and I am quite confused with what has happened. I do have one month to appeal (from the date of the letter, not from receiving it about a week later) and I won't starve before then because I still have a student bank account as HSBC wouldn't change it to a graduate account without seeing my degree certificate and hence my over-draft facillity is massive.

    If and when I recover enough I may do some voluntry work as it is likely that I would be able to do that sooner than I would be able to get a full-time paid job but for now this is not an option as I am not well.

    Thanks for your replies guys, it feels good to be able to have a rant on here about it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hope you get it sorted soon RG, these letters always appear at the weekend when the helplines are closed don't they?

    I know what you mean by the stress of benefits, I get DLA for my son (he has high functioning autism) and his DLA runs out at the end of March. I've had to do the 54 page application again, just in case he has been magically cured in the space of a year. Not likely eh! I should get the letter with their decision anyday and I'm seriously panicking that they will stop his pennies and leave us up sh*t creek and I'll have to go through some massive appeal process. Anyhow, hope it's sorted soon xx
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Housing benefit wont automatically stop (at least I dont think it will) unless you go and tell them. The two dont really communicate with each other. Just dont say anything to them and try and get your I.S sorted out.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Update

    I saw the lovely benefits advisor today and she phoned them up and resolved it. It was a mistake on the part of the DWP and they are going to give me the money that I have missed out on this month as a lump sum which will arrive before Christmas.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hurrah :D
  • JsTJsT Posts: 18,268 Skive's The Limit
    Wahoo!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thats good news :D
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Excellent news :D
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thank God! That's good to hear. xx
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Good news!!!
    Glad its all sorted out :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm really glad to hear that!

    The DWP staff get an unfair rep- they'd be good if they weren't understaffed by about a half.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thanks guys.

    I just checked my bank statement online and I got my lump sum today :D
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