Extended short term benefits?

[W.olly]

Hi all, well what a year or so its been, its taken 15 months to near get my health back to normal, a few operations i have had done and a good chance i need more, Knee and elbow ahv ebeen done and more elbow are likley, i am back for a 6 week check up next week at the hospital so will see what the surgeon says, although the one needed now is a different area from the first time so...

Now i have been on ESA ( based on what i have put into the system ) for the last 9 months and its about to run out as it only lasts for 12 months then it goes to income based, i had a meeting at the job centre yesterday an di was shocked at how sympathetic the chap was about my situation, he said i should not go back to work, as i said i need to for the sake of finances aswell as sanity, but he said if i do then it wont help in the future, i need to sort my health first as it will just make it worse.
Problem is aswell though as the ESA runs out in about 3 months then i need to claim for income based, my wife works full time, they dont take mortgage payments and car/transport ( need that as wife starts works from 2-4am and works 5 miles away ) into account, The new benefit can reduce payments from not at all or not entitled to it. Which doesnt look good for our chances.
If that is the case we will be stuffed, T already spoke of getting rid of the house, she panics more than i do. I am stuck as i need to get the op`s out the way, can take another 6 months once i have been looked at again then pre op and then the surgery and recovery to see if its worked etc etc

So that is the situation, i ma asking here to see if anyone knows of any help i could get, well try to claim, and get it roling in the next few months as once ESA stops we are going struggle even worse, had to sell all i have last year to help out so no cash anywhere.
Job centre just say to see if i can get the Income based allowance. but then it will be to late if we cant and it can take weeks to sort out, then they said i need to budget for them weeks while its sorted, if only we can do that, cant even have the bloody heating on more than 2 hrs a day and food is down to £30pw now. Sorry dont want to moan just gets to me at times.

So any advice chaps?

 

[cumbriasteve]

If you have had problems for some time and may have for some time yet..which it does sound like, have you researched disability allowance or carers allowance if your wife has to assist with your normal living.

 

[Freddy0309]

have you had a work capability assessment yet? ii got told i wasn't eligible for income related but after a assessment i got placed in the esa support group

 

[W.olly]

Steve, not tried disability as i can do things just it causes a lot of pain after a few hours then in pain for hours after. I was once off work with loss of vision bad and they said i am fit for work so they would just laugh at me now.

Freddy, i had the health assesment a month ago and then i got a letter from DWP and a chq as they owed me back pay, they didnt give me the increase which should be done after the first 13 weeks. And in that they said that ESA will end on 15th March and then will be reassesed on Income based. Yesterday the chap inn the job centre said there is no point in sending me for the work based group as i am not fit for work and need to get that sorted first. Get lost at times with all these things, never been in this situation before.

 

[cumbriasteve]

just it causes a lot of pain after a few hours then in pain for hours

Well mate, to me that's sounds like a disability of some sort, I do however understand where you are coming from regarding proving a level that will meet the requirements of an allowance, think it may still be worth a chat with the doc and a browse of the forms, you may be totally correct and get nothing but until you look into it you won't know for sure.

 

[marlinspike]

Have you applied for in work benefits? Like working tax credits, child tax credits etc. There are a few benefits calculators on the web, I think 'Entitled to' is one. May be worth putting your info in one just to check.

 

[Freddy0309]

if was you (and it's what i did) get down to citizens advice, they did wonders for me and got everything sorted

 

[W.olly]

We tried for working tax credits the lot when i was out of work for 3 months with loss of vision and i couldnt get a penny, or when this started, just ESA was given. We have doen the online calculators and they just come back with ESA again, that is easy to get all you need is a sick note or medical report as its related to health, but as said only lasts for 12 months.

We have been chatting and an idea, well all i can come up with is to see the surgeon next week and i am 99% sure he will say i need another Op to get him to send me the reports ASAP and letter then go back to the Job Centre and tell then the crack, we have ;looked at our finance and if we loose the help we are getting now we are pritty f****d finance wise. I will take all i have income and out goings for them to see if they can do anything at all other than mess about.

Times like this when i have worked all my life and you get all this hassle when all we neeed is help and willing to get back to work, then the rest, well folk never worked or put into the system and get the lot, sooooo frustrating.

 

[mike os]

I know exactly where you are coming from. .. I am in a similar situation, good luck with it

 

[lshigham]

if was you (and it's what i did) get down to citizens advice, they did wonders for me and got everything sorted

Agree they have been brilliant with us

 

[W.olly]

Sorry i cant vouch for the CAB, tried them last time and its them that said i cant claim for anything, i believe its to do with luck an dwho you get to see on the day, they are voluntary and not all up on all things, could be true.