DWP Benefits

[BaxterBillions]

And why would these ppl know my views?

Because people don't come up to people they don't know and casually drop "Oh, by the way...I'm a benefits fraudster" into the conversation, that's why. They must know you on some personal level and given your tone know that you would be disapproving.

Come on now, be honest with us.

 

[GiggleBee]

Thank you, that makes it all so easy to understand. I thought the housing costs were coming from somewhere else. I've honestly no idea about any of the benefits system really, but you've made it make sense.

 

[Snippysnips]

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

 

[thegirlscout]

I receive pip from having COVID in early 2019, then I had long COVID and now CFS.
I also get UC.
I also own my own home with no mortgage.
I get everything else paid for me and receive just under £2200 per month into my bank from DWP.
Now if I was well enough to work and trust me I would bloody love to be working. I would be at a deficit.
I'd get around £400 a week after tax and NI etc. then have to pay full utility bills (I get a ton of money from the cost of living utility crisis. Also I'd have to pay council tax, prescriptions, kids school meals, the list goes on.
I've always worked hard. Always been the 1st in and last out. Always worked 12hr+ days. So while I don't enjoy being laid up constantly. It's nice to be looked after for a change.

I’m curious - how do you get so much with having M.E/CFS? I have M.E and have done since I was 13 and I get around a third of what you do. I’m not saying that you’re not entitled to the amount, far from it, I’m just wondering if different areas have different criteria? I have to live with my mum and don’t own my own house and I don’t have children. I wonder if that adds to it. My PIP is peanuts too, I’m grateful that I get money but in this environment I don’t see any of it because it all goes on rent to my mum.

 

[HotesTilaire]

I had to come post on here after hearing all of the ‘rumours’. I was SW before I left after having my third baby last year to be a sahm. I’m not entitled to anything that’s not my reason for posting on here. My reason is the worry I feel for people. With my previous job majority of people and families I worked with were on the bread line already never mind with all the cost of living crisis. I honestly can not imagine how people are feeling about this. It’s easy to say ‘they should just get a job’ but it’s not that easy for starters there aren’t enough jobs out there for people with little to no experience. I know of people who have tried and tried to get jobs but they just can not. I don’t like to talk politics but I can not wait to see the back of this government. I can’t imagine the devastation all of this is going to cause for some People….many vulnerable People with children.

I’d love to work and my problem is always that, because I’m a bit intelligent people think I’m lying about cognitive issues, but they don’t see me when it’s problematic. Also it’s executive function issues. And they’d want me to sit up to type, my voice is unpredictable whether it works. I hope I don’t get encouraged to start a home business making cupcakes again (they’re easy!you can do it from home!)

 

[BaxterBillions]

That you find that so hard to believe suggests we're from different worlds.

Oh I think that is pretty obvious. Given that you have reacted so defensively to such a simple question confirms for me that you, like most who react that way, are exaggerating.

 

[mochibean]

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.

 

[mochibean]

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.

 

[HotesTilaire]

I would have thought the driving, and operating heavy machinery, 5 days a week would have some bearing on a pip claim

Not necessarily - you can hold down a full time job and still qualify for PIP

 

[HotesTilaire]

You can play around on a website like EntitledTo or Turn2Us and see exactly how much you'd be entitled to in any given situation. The benefits system is a lot more generous to some than others. If you're a single person with a mortgage and you lose your job, you really don't get much at all. I'm not an expert but I think all you'd get is Jobseekers Allowance at £70 a week plus Universal Credit of about £350 a month. Better than nothing but I doubt that covers anyone's bills for a month. If you are disabled, have multiple children with disabilities and live in rented accommodation, you can get a hell of a lot more as other 'elements' get tacked on like housing benefit, disability benefit, etc. Necessary disclaimer - of course I don't begrudge anyone with genuine disabilities who gets benefits as nobody should have to live in poverty because of illness, and I understand that if your disability causes a lot of extra expenses the benefits package probably doesn't seem all that generous.

You get the jobseeking element of UC, or jobseekers. Not both. so you get about £350 per month only, which is about £80 per week. Not both.
Anyone who is entitled can get housing element of UC (which is capped by the local authority) this may not cover all your rent. You would also get council tax discount, if entitled.
Any additional on top of that is for child or disability.

 

[HotesTilaire]

No. Do not say sometimes. Absolutely fill out the forms based on your worst day.

If the question is can you walk 100 metres, if its likely to take you triple the time of an able bodied person and leave you wiped out the answer is no.

Not 'yes with extreme difficulty or with aides'

I think the mental toll of addressing where your body or mind is failing you can be extremely hard for people. These forms are made that way. Genuine people want to try and do the most their body will allow despite the consequences of that.

The mental toll is spot on. Having to say you can’t do x (even if you can sometimes) feels like lying. Plus mental gymnastics isn’t my strong point.
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That would be correct assuming you applied for UC before April 2017 or were already receiving the comparable "work related activity' component of ESA. Otherwise you would only receive standard UC (the same as someone looking for work).

From the 'Turn2Us' link that you posted ... "From 3 April 2017, the limited capability for work element will not be available to claimants who claim Universal Credit (UC) on or after this date ..."



Absolutely agree. In many of claims I prepare, even though I have the assessment criteria and guidance to assessors available to me, I still can't predict with any certainty whether PIP will be awarded and if so at what level. The '50% of the time' rule for people who have good days and bad days is a good rule of thumb but even then it's no guarantee and you know that DWP assessors will try to undermine it.

They absolutely do get a payment for LCA

Benefit and pension rates 2023 to 2024

www.gov.uk

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The mental toll is spot on. Having to say you can’t do x (even if you can sometimes) feels like lying. Plus mental gymnastics isn’t my strong point.
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They absolutely do get a payment for LCA

Benefit and pension rates 2023 to 2024

www.gov.uk

Ok I understand now, it’s not for newer claims since 2017 (who has been LCW since 2017?)

 

[GiggleBee]

She is very likely to be better off.

I don't understand why? Surely the government want people in full time work ect and don't want to be giving them money and free stuff like eye tests? Surely this money is better spent on the NHS, schools ect?

I completely get some people can't work and need the help from the government but when you're working full time and dropping hours to make more money, something seems wrong with the system.

 

[HotesTilaire]

A PIP claimant can only get a Motability car if they were awarded the 'enhanced rate mobility component' (currently £71 per week). The lease for the car is paid from the money that you get under PIP. How much you pay depends on which car you choose. I think the cheapest current car is around £60 per week.

To get the 'enhanced rate mobility component' of PIP a claimant is probably going to have at least to prove something like that they can "stand and then move more than 1 metre but no more than 20 metres, either aided or unaided". I don't know who Billy is but if he can walk more than 20 metres even on artificial legs, he probably isn't going to qualify for a Motability car.

As part of the process of PIP replacing the old DLA (Disability Living Allowance) benefit in 2017, the DWP reassessed every claim and because PIP sets a higher standard for mobility than DLA ], many claimants found that they no longer qualified for the enhanced rate. This meant that those claimants lost their Motability car. In the first three years of transition to PIP over 100,000 people lost their eligibility for a Motability Car.



You don't get extra UC simply for being "too sick to work" If you are assessed as having LCW (Limited Capability for Work) you get the standard UC amount. If you are assessed as having LCWRA (Limited Capability for Work Related Activity) i.e. you are so sick or disabled that you cannot even take part in activities to prepare you for work in the future, you get an additional £390.06 a month.

It does sound like the chap may be committing benefit fraud by working 'cash in hand' but it's hard to detect especially if the cash doesn't go into his bank account. As I said before instead of simply complaining about it, people should report cases to DWP.

I get LCWRA of £390 per month in addition to UC as I am unable to work at all.
If I was LCA Id be well enough to prepare for finding work and I’d get £146 per month in addition to UC, so you are incorrect

Additional elements of Universal Credit (UC)

The amount of Universal Credit (UC) you get can include support for housing costs, children and childcare, disability or health conditions and carer support.

www.turn2us.org.uk

PIP is assessed on daily living element and mobility element, and can be awarded at standard or enhanced rate, so there are 4 variations there, plus the impairment might be fluctuating so some elements are assessed on being impaired for 50% of the time, but some aren’t. Therefore it’s near impossible for a casual observer to accurately guess.

 

[GiggleBee]

Thank you, that makes alot of sense. Her house is a council house and she says she hardly pays anything for it, so I'm assuming she gets alot for that?

Is it 16 or 18 for them leaving school? If it's 16 she hasn't got long, I might have to make sure she's really thought about this.

 

[GiggleBee]

I know someone on UC and she was absolutely hounded into work by the job centre (or similar role) the second her child was in school and they still hound her to make sure she’s still in work (which she is). I know in theory that all sounds right and proper but her work have to absolutely bend over backwards to only give her the hours she can work im school holidays as a single parent with no childcare. That’s a lot of weeks in the year the government expect people to work as normal with no childcare.

Oh I didn't realise they expect you to work full time? My friend only does term time but has never had an issue. Wonder if it will be now she's dropped her hours?

 

[Drea1984]

She is very likely to be better off.

 

[HotesTilaire]

Genuine question: how could we change the system to better identify the blaggers?

I think the system allows for a margin of blag, to be honest. People who dedicate themselves to playing the system have always found ways to get what they want.
No government wants to pay out benefits, no matter what they say it’s designed to make it difficult to access help.