I have just received the ESA letter and am worried, really worried. It appears that if you have any savings you will not get anything. I have saved, not spent much and now it appears that because of that I will get nothing. So what is the point of saving and trying you best. I should have spent it all and run up huge credit card debts and then I would be able to claim ESA. I know a lot of people claim it for having a bad back etc. But to have a neuroligical problem that has many, many other problems associated with it and not able to receive ESA because you have been a model citizen and saved money, you get penalised, whats the point in it all? If I was on my own, I know what I would do.
Oh love, I know. It is all so unfair. You are penalized for taking care of your money.
The one good thing is that you know you have behaved in a sensible way and can take something good from that.
your last sentence has worried me. I hope you`re not thinking of doing something to hurt yourself.
if I`ve got that wrong, then I am sorry for any offence I may have caused.
People here come from all walks of life, the well off, the not so well off, but we all have something in common…we are ill and need each other to off load.
luv Pollx
another good point is that you dont have to go through that horrible stuff of trying to prove you are worth getting the benefit. I take comfort in that as I also saved my pennies.
Hi Anon, I’m not sure ofyour circumstances but I believe the following to be true (I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong)…
If you have the correct amount of NI payments you can claim contribution based ESA for a year, regardless of family income and savings. Then you can claim income related ESA depending on family savings and income (savings have to be less than 16k and ESA is reduced by so much for every £250 between 6k and 16k. I think the income of a partner is not very much for this to to be rejected).
However, if you are in the support group, family income and savings are disregarded, I believe, so it may be worth applying for and trying to get into the support group.
Yes, it is unfair as it makes those with working partners unable to contribute and increases financial stress but that’s the way it is I’m afraid…
Hope this helps…
Mags xx
The last time I spoke at a member of the DWP,my circumstances of claiming no means tested benefits means that I could win the lottery,yet keep all benefits.His words not mine.
Wb
Hi Anon, Below is the rule for Income related ESA (that is people who qualify and have not got another income in the household so, unlike Contribution related ESA, there is not the 12 month rule. In other words, if you have been on IB and live alone, you will be applying for Income related ESA (does that make any sense… these things are so complicated!)
Pat x
In order to qualify for Income Related ESA, your savings and assets must not exceed £16,000.
In addition, for every £250 in excess of £6000, there will be a £1 deduction from any benefit payable.
Example
You have £10,000 in savings and/or assets. The excess is £4000 (£10,000 - £6000). The deduction is £16 (£4000 / £250).
PS, I highly recommend that you join the website Benefits and Work (just over £19 for annual membership… and worth every penny) and follow their step by step guide to filling in the form.
It’s the best advice you can get and easy to follow,
Pat x
Thanks for all your replies. The savings I have came from an inheritance from my mum and dad. They worked all there lives without ever claiming any benefits as did there parents. I worked for 25 years without claiming a penny. Now I have MS, it’s not my fault I didn’t ask for it. I am now unable to work, yet I will not be able to get anything from my country. Instead I will have to use the money that has been handed down from my parents, their parents and their parents through hard work. Now because I have MS I will have to use that to survive and not be able to leave my son anything because I have MS. Thank you Britain, what a wonderful place to live, they stuff the people that have lived and worked here. At these times I wish I was a foreigner, maybe they would have helped me then. Depressed is not a strong enough word to describes how I feel at the moment
Remember that DLA is not linked to income. If you are not already claiming, put in a claim. Join Benefits and Work to guide you through the form.
I know you’re angry and have good reason to be angry… but please don’t blame foreigners. Despite what the tabloids and cheap TV programmes say, the vast majority of them are working for a cr*ppy below minimum wage and living in terrible housing. None of this is their fault.
I know how ripped off you must feel. The whole system stinks.
Because you’re anon I can’t PM you so I’m going anon to say this. Do you not need to buy yourself a property or something? Perhaps you need to buy a bungalow because of your disabilities? And maybe a specially adapted car. Do you understand what I’m saying here???
The whole issue of means tested benefits does my head in.
Just this week the winter fuel payments went out to EVERY pensioner. So if you were a multi millionaire you would still get between £100 and £300 towards your fuel payments.
Child benefit is paid to EVERY parent – regardless of need. Many well off parents put the money into savings accounts for their children and are able to hand over thousands on their 18th birthday. Now I ask you is it right that the children of the well off are handed a birthday present of many thousands of pounds when people who are too sick to work get nothing?
Means test everything, increase the “amount you need to live on” and give everybody a fair crack at the whip.
Jane
I have come to the conclusion that I should spend all my savings now and not wait until I’m in a worse state because I won’t be able to spend it if I need to claim benefits. Spend spend spend as the pools winner said…
And hope I’ll get into a descent placed to live when I can’t look after myself.
I don’t think I can actually do that. I’ve always tried to save and been scared of spending it. Save it for a rainy day I’ve always been told. Which is here. Probably.
I hate MS. Apart from everythign else, it can totally rob us of the ability to look forward to anything good in the future.
The whole sistem stinks. Why should you be penalised just because you saved your money and not wasted it. Hell if I had been a alcoholic of a drug addict and drunk all my money or snorted all my money up my nose I would have no problem with the ESA but because I tried to be carefull and was struck down with MS, which is not a self made illness, I get penalised. Justice ??? I don’t think so !!!