I live in supported housing and I am reapplying for housing benefit and ESA.
Posted , 5 users are following.
The government have stopped my ESA and housing benefit because I have savings that went over 16 thousand pounds. I now have to pay council tax a small amount per week in the middle of September and have various other bills to pay. Why am I not allowed savings until I can wean myself into work? I don't want to be labelled mentally ill all the time especially as i am in my 40s. I was looking forward to one day owning a small house so that I don't end up in sheltered housing with another bus pass. I'm not greedy but I've been in various supported housing for years and it made things worse but I had no option. Can anyone help?
0 likes, 4 replies
denise15811 rachel42392
Posted
Hi,
This was answered the last time you posted the same question a few days ago. Unfortunately, when you have savings over £16,000 then you can't expect the tax payer to still pay your benefits. There's an amount the law says you need to live on and savings/capital is included in this. I'm not sure what help you want but there's really nothing you can do in this situation. You also need to be careful what you spend you savings on but the DWP may want to see receipts when you do eventually re-claim a means tested benefit, if they think the money has been spent too quickly.
Newburyrat rachel42392
Posted
Hi Rachel, like Denise I don't know what advice you are looking for. As I said previously I was in this situation, inherited money and lost my benefits, that's how the system works. You say you want to get back into work, that's great, so why not use your savings to help with this, work a few hours and live off your savings, until you can build up your hours? Or, as I suggested, think about shared ownership, use your savings for this, though obviously I don't know how much you have, or if this is practical. have you got anyone who could help you look at possibilities, and come up with positive suggestions? If you live in housing association property they may have job coaches.
finally, as I said before, look on the positive side, I have mental health issues, and physical disabilities, and working supporting myself is hard, but it does mean whatever I earn is mine, I'm not dependent on benefits and rules, and every extra pound I earn is real income, and can't be taken away by anyone.
wendy17594 rachel42392
Posted
Dear Rachel
I think I answered this before and there's no change now.
This country's benefit system is to provide the,basic necessities of life and us paid out of public funds ie taxes paid by workers in the main.
It's not designed to help someone like yourself to save up to buy a house, why do you think it should ?
Wendy
AlexandriaGizmo rachel42392
Posted
I'm in total agreement with the other replies, due to an accident I no longer have any savings and don't get any housing benefit either because we get £6 a week too much in pensions to get any help, so think yourself lucky that you have savings at all