Verifying Device
www.thesun.co.uk
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FfsThis is what's wrong with the benefit systemVerifying Device
www.thesun.co.uk
I hate to see this. Benefits are literally a life line to many and then there's people like this literally taking the piss.
This is what's wrong with the benefit systemVerifying Device
www.thesun.co.uk
I wonder why a version of this story has been run in newspapers like The Sun every year since 2020? In fact this woman has been in the papers being held up as an example of 'what's wrong with the benefit system' at least once a year for the last 10 years.Ffs
This is such a small thing tbh. Okay some people spend their benefits on daft things but benefits pay you duck all majority of the time, barely enough to live nevermind other luxuries. It pushes the same narrative that everyone on benefits is a scrounger, lazy, etc. It's just punching down at poor people as usual, I take these articles with a grain of salt. They do it on purpose, our gov officials pocket more money than anyone on benefits and don't get penalised.This is what's wrong with the benefit systemVerifying Device
www.thesun.co.uk
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To keep up the narrative that people on benefits are lazy workshy scroungers who get thousands for doing nothing. It is just not true though for the majority of people, yet they're the ones who are stigmatised for being on benefits. Same old tit.
When you get a letter stating what benefits you are entitled to it usually says words to the effect of ..the minimum people with your condition can live on.
The key word being the minimum. Not average not above average but the bare minimum they think you can survive on.
Noone is living the high life on benefits alone. It isnt possible. So they are either working on the side or doing something illegal.
But it makes for good divide and rule if you can make those ignorant of benefits believe that benefit recipients are living the life of riley.
The key word being the minimum. Not average not above average but the bare minimum they think you can survive on.
Noone is living the high life on benefits alone. It isnt possible. So they are either working on the side or doing something illegal.
But it makes for good divide and rule if you can make those ignorant of benefits believe that benefit recipients are living the life of riley.
Had a letter this morning rejecting my ESA claim. It just says 'the law says we can't pay you ESA from 29/02/2024.'
I'm confused and lost, I have no money now and I don't know what I'm supposed to do.
I'm confused and lost, I have no money now and I don't know what I'm supposed to do.
You can only get ESA New Style now, and that’s only if you’ve got sufficient NI contributions.
You will need to claim Universal Credit if you have insufficient credits. If you have a working partner or savings unfortunately the view of the DWP is that you will have to live off savings or your partner.
Ugh I have no clue, it's all changed so much! I had no idea ESA was now contribution-based, but even so, I have no savings or anything and I've paid loads of NI over the last tax year. I can't even get onto my UC account as I was never given my 16-digit code thing.
If you phone the number on the letter they should be able to give you an explanation of why theyve made the decision they have. Not helpful at the moment I realise but it may help you understand a bit better and be able to give you advice on where to go next.
Yeah gonna ring them Monday morning because I've waited weeks for this and have now ran out of money. It's not a fun time haha.
Is anyone else on ESA? An have savings?
Right now I have a 15h job, I'd absolutely adore to go full time but unfortunately she doesn't have the work there to bring up my hours, so I get ESA to help bring my wages up (am still currently earning less than a 25h contract) however I am trying desperately to save up for a car as right now I have to rely on my parents taken me to/from work (I have a severe anxiety disorder an can't take the bus an taxis are expensive) but I've read that if you have so much in savings they start to deduct an even take away your ESA, as it is my ESA covers my rent an bills (still at home with parents so they get that) an I live off my wage, if they started to deduct or take away my ESA I'd have no chance of saving for a car as my wage would be halved for rent, its already taken well over a year to even get half the amount needed for a cheap car
So am wondering how they can tell how much you have, have they access into your bank account an can see what's happening, what your spending things on? Am I best getting the money out an just having it at home?
I hate being in this position, I'd love nothing more than full time work but it's taken so much work to even land this job due to my disorder so going into any work place isn't as easy, I'd love to get a morning job to go with this job to take me to full time but absolutely nowhere around me that I can handle is hiring for morning an the ones that are I wouldn't be able to handle
Right now I have a 15h job, I'd absolutely adore to go full time but unfortunately she doesn't have the work there to bring up my hours, so I get ESA to help bring my wages up (am still currently earning less than a 25h contract) however I am trying desperately to save up for a car as right now I have to rely on my parents taken me to/from work (I have a severe anxiety disorder an can't take the bus an taxis are expensive) but I've read that if you have so much in savings they start to deduct an even take away your ESA, as it is my ESA covers my rent an bills (still at home with parents so they get that) an I live off my wage, if they started to deduct or take away my ESA I'd have no chance of saving for a car as my wage would be halved for rent, its already taken well over a year to even get half the amount needed for a cheap car
So am wondering how they can tell how much you have, have they access into your bank account an can see what's happening, what your spending things on? Am I best getting the money out an just having it at home?
I hate being in this position, I'd love nothing more than full time work but it's taken so much work to even land this job due to my disorder so going into any work place isn't as easy, I'd love to get a morning job to go with this job to take me to full time but absolutely nowhere around me that I can handle is hiring for morning an the ones that are I wouldn't be able to handle
If you are getting income based ESA (now known as 'New Style' ESA) you can have up to £6,000 in savings without it affecting how much benefit you get. If you have between £6,000 and £16,000 in savings your ESA payment will be progressively reduced - for every £250 you have over £6,000 you lose £1 off your ESA payment. Once you have more than £16,000 in savings you will no longer be eligible for ESA.
I think the government abandoned plans to be able to routinely check bank accounts of benefit claimants but they can if they have evidence of fraud. Hiding your income or savings in order to increase your entitlement to benefits is benefit fraud which is not only morally wrong but a criminal offence for which you can be fined or imprisoned.
Ok thanks, definitely don't have anywhere near 16k, but I'd like to have at least 5k saved to put down for a car, I'd rather not take finance on it or if I need too then take as little as I can
It honestly annoys me that they don't allow you some growth with ESA, like my work could offer me 20 hours but can't offer more than that, an I'd rather them allow my ESA to come down a little so I could do the 20h but it's either 15h or nothing so am stuck at 15h
The thing is that ESA is a benefit for people who find it difficult to work because of a health issue. It would be illogical if there wasn't some kind of limit to the number of hours / amount of income. Have you tried comparing what you would get on Universal Credit? That is based only on the income you receive and not the number of hours that you work. Even people without health issues are only expected to look for more hours if they earn less than the equivalent of 18 hours a week at minimum wage (£892 a month for single claimants) so you might be able to take the 20 hours your employer could offer. The best way to check this is to use an online benefit calculator. You can play around with the answers to the questions, altering the hours you might work, income you might receive etc. to see what effect it has on your benefits.
Benefits Calculator - entitledto - independent | accurate | reliable | www.entitledto.co.uk
Check what benefit entitlement you are entitled to. The entitledto benefits calculator will check which means-tested benefits you may be entitled to e.g. tax credits, universal credit, housing benefit …
www.entitledto.co.uk
Thanks I'll check that out, they didn't explain to me about UC, at the time ESA was fine as even 15h was highly stressful back then an it was a struggle to work that in my last place, but with working with my job (one they helped me into) I feel I've started to build myself up to being able to handle more hours there but unfortunately they can't make it full time or even part timeThe thing is that ESA is a benefit for people who find it difficult to work because of a health issue. It would be illogical if there wasn't some kind of limit to the number of hours / amount of income. Have you tried comparing what you would get on Universal Credit? That is based only on the income you receive and not the number of hours that you work. Even people without health issues are only expected to look for more hours if they earn less than the equivalent of 18 hours a week at minimum wage (£892 a month for single claimants) so you might be able to take the 20 hours your employer could offer. The best way to check this is to use an online benefit calculator. You can play around with the answers to the questions, altering the hours you might work, income you might receive etc. to see what effect it has on your benefits.
Benefits Calculator - entitledto - independent | accurate | reliable | www.entitledto.co.uk
Check what benefit entitlement you are entitled to. The entitledto benefits calculator will check which means-tested benefits you may be entitled to e.g. tax credits, universal credit, housing benefit …
They did say I could apply for disability allowance but I just don't feel right applying for that, so I'll look at UC
I should have said the savings rules are the same for UC i.e up to £6,000 has no effect on your payments
Thanks, honestly once I've got 5/6k I'll take it out, should hopefully be enough for a car or at least pay a good chunk of it, I can't keep relaying on my parents every time I need to go to work