• Replies 2 replies
  • Subscribers 28 subscribers
  • Views 795 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Screwed over by the DWP

grahame22

The DWP has really screwed me over this year, and now I don't know what to do.

In April I had to go to one of their medical assessments, which I failed. Obviously I contested this and asked for a reconsideration, which I also failed, so then I requested a tribunal. After a long wait I finally had the tribunal 2 weeks ago and I was successful! I thought this was good news, but it wasn't.

When my ESA was stopped my girlfriend had to pick up extra shifts at work to cover the money we were missing out on. These were additional shifts on top of her standard contracted hours. DWP is now saying that even though my tribunal was successful, they still aren't going to pay me anything because my girlfriends income (the household income) is now too high. Apparently we're to 'well off' to be entitled to benefits. Truth is however we're really struggling to get by. 

I really don't know what my options are now. I have no money at all, and I can hardly ask my girlfriend for 'pocket money' so I can buy her christmas presents. This system is so cruel and heartless it's unreal

  •  DOH!!!!!! Forgot link if you can make sense of it I don't know!!! www.gov.uk/.../overview

  • Maybe it depends if you're on contribution or income based ESA. Thoi was in a similar situation when my then husband developed MS this was early 90's, and the railway doctor retired him on medical grounds, if I remember he had a 6 months full pay then 6 months 1/2 pay , then it was claim Incapacity Benefit as ESA was then. I know at some stage I tried to claim council tax benefit, but was turned down as income was too high, tho it was then just my income trying to keep a mortgage going, tho apparently the lender lent us the money, despite them thinking we might be high risk. We didn't know he had MS when taking out the mortgage.
    The house was reposessed tho that was immaterial as by this time he couldn't get upstairs to the loo/bathroom, and weeing and crapping in a commode , in the lounge next to the kitchen is not the one, if a restaurant had loos close to the food preperation areas they would be closed down. Oh yes he was also sleeping on the sofa.This was late 90's, so were rehoused in a bungalow.
    About a year befor this I was made redundant by the railway, instead of finding alternative work I became his carer (tho I did go for job interviews, but  nearly always feel I do crap at them , as I've Aspergers, tho I was only diagnosed last month) .

               I think the problem with benefits is the law states you need XXX amount to live on tho doesn't take into account individuals circumstances at the time of applying for benefits, which is rather harsh, as I'm sure  for 99% of benefit claimants it's a last resort.