it's understandable that checks need to be made to see t...

I used to work for a charity that employed someone to sort out benefits queries because the application forms are so complicated, especially those for incapacity benefit. I do understand that checks have to be made (and the Government is now trying to backtrack and get all the \"lesser incapacitated\" into employment because of it apparently being too easy to claim a few years ago.)

It's just sometimes hard to understand the length of time it does take for a claim to go through.

I am self employed, on a low income, and recently had surgery on both my feet, which meant I couldn't work at all for 6 weeks. I was advised by the jobcentre to claim incapacity benefit in order to get my rent paid, so I did, over the phone, which seemed fine. I sent in the required sick notes. I waited 4 weeks, then another week, then rang them. Apparently, the hospital hadn't stamped my sick note, so I couldn't claim for the 1st 2 weeks. I couldn't claim for the other 4 because I had not made enough Nat Ins contributions. They told me I could claim Income Support, though. But then, the next day I got a letter saying I HAD got incapacity benefit after all! Keep on at them, as most people are entitled to something, no matter how small an amount. As for me, I can't wait to get back to work, and hope I never need to be off again! :roll:

Hi there M

I applied for incapacity benefit in September after my occupational sick pay had ceased but as I hadn't paid enough national insurance contributions they said I wasn't eligible and yet in December I had to fill another application for it, I have recently received the care component of DLA but as it is its my mobility that is more of an issue not the care as I am on crutches to get around, I have appealed however to their decision but still confused to why I am unable to claim any rate of IB? as I have worked most of my adult life.

Kind regards

SES

As far as I can make out, you can only claim Income Support if there is a possibility you will be able to attend interviews etc and return to work in the near future. It is not linked to Nat Ins contributions. Incapacity Benefit, with it's separate elements, is designed for those who will not be working, and is split into care/mobility, is based on your Nat Ins contributions. There is an element of IB that CAN be paid without sufficient contributions, which complicates it even more.

I just kept ringing them, and eventually I was awarded £61 per week, and I have been self-employed on a low income for the last 3 years and not paid any Nat Ins at all during that period. Before that, I had worked all my life and paid NI accordingly, but they don't take that into account.

Just be careful if you apply by phone - I got a trainee who got a lot of the answers wrong, the forms were sent back to me because they hadn't got half the information they needed, which delayed it even more.

They say they aim to have claims turned around within 4 weeks, so if it goes over that, hassle them. A lot!

I hope you sort it out, good luck with it. :D

Hi there

I was told to fill in a form before Christmas and I had to send a med4 along with it even though I haven't received money, just apparently the are paying my stamp? I dont know why they would ask for additional details? I know the med 4 means I dont have to send sick notes in and that is it, my Gp was going to sign it for 6 months but I said can he do it for three as I may not have a job to go back to if he did sign me off for 6.

I feel however I am not getting better :zzz: as I was told by my occupational doctor/physio they suspect fibromyalgia as I have pain all over, unabling me to walk comfortable as I am in constant pain since dec06. I feel I am banging my head against the wall too, the meds don't seem to work and I have suspected arthritis in the hip by physio and confirmed degenerative discs by MRI scan. I have dry eyes syndrome too confirmed by an Optician.:wah:

Can I still be eligible for IB I wonder? we will see :?: My husband works at weekends while the girls are at home, so we receive tax credits? :thepost:

Regards

SES

Be careful if you are claiming Tax Creds also, and you pay rent (maybe get some Housing Ben?) because any IB you get is classed as taxable income, and they actually take it OFF your rent benefit (& council tax ben), you don't get more, but less. I would keep on with the IB claim, it sounds like they are giving you the runaround. You should be entitled to either the carer's element, or go onto a claim for a higher element, like severe disablement, but, again, this depends on individual circumstances, like do you have a job to return to and how poorly you are. You won't get IS because of your other half working (unless under 16 hrs, but then you wouldn't get WTC anyway) so I would suggest you ring them and ask some more questions. I hope you sort it out! :?

hi all

i have a friend who went through the same thing unable to claim ib through lack of credits, the ib office told him that he had to send the sick notes in as to credit toward his nat ins, but if he paid x amount he would be able to claim 6 weeks after, so thats what he had to do, and claiming council tax benefit, they dont take into account his dla .

i went onto half pay in sept(stopped now) and could claim ib but they taxed me alot on it as they put the two incomes together. i even had a letter from the tax office (even before i had recieved a payment from ib) saying that i owed them £243 tax so i rang them and they expalined that because i was claiming ib and having half pay that amount was what i had to pay by apr. but after a lenghly discussion they had only assumed that i would be on benefit until aptil GRRRRRRRRRR i was so mad so they said phone them when i go back to work so they can sort my tax code out , so thats another thing to sort out if you are recieving pay from work and ib. its like maze trying to sort finances out and when your poorly thats the last thing you want. gail

Hi there all

I was told by my employer that I have until march which is a year I have been off sick, when I first went off sick they said they were going to move the dept downstairs and of course they haven't , there are five flights of stairs!!!! Doctor said if I went back I would get severely worse. So hoping the interest rate for my mortgage and utility bills won't increase are the only hope I can wish for?

I phoned the IB today and explained I had been awarded the care component of DLA and so I asked whether I had to send my sick note in, but as I had sent a Med4 I am covered until march 14 and thats all she said????? I phoned tax credits too, informing them of the dla payment and they said no change will be made with the amount receiving........ the only thing that annoys me is we are the genuine people that are off work due to disability and ill health and there is other individuals that have never worked and are fit as a fiddle and don't even care to get a job!!!!!! The IB didn't suggest they were looking at my claim again so I suppose I think that is the end of it?

thanks for all your replys xx

Kind Regards

SES

There's a guy on our street who sits in his front garden drinking all day and night - he's claiming benefits and is in a council house, so he doesn't have to pay anything other than his utilities. He is treated like a local celebrity, he spends most of the day shouting at passers by and obviously thinks he is well-liked.

I (and many others) find this so unacceptable and annoying that someone like that doesn't have to work for his money, forget all the guff about alcoholism being an illness! He's had his chances just like everyone else, and as far as I can see, chooses to live his life like that. He wastes resources like police and ambulances, as many times he calls them out simply because he falls over and cannot get up!

Don't get me wrong, I DO sympathise with alcoholics up to a point, but he is abusing the system. The local shop even DELIVERS his booze so he doesn't go in there with his extremely bad body odour!

Anyway, I know first hand about the problems claiming IB etc, and just wanted to say there are many,many genuine claimants out there, and good luck and best wishes to you all. :D

HI there All

Just to say that I have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and arthritis, it has been such a long course to get this diagnosis, so relieved as the Consultant was very sympathetic and re-assuring, finally someone listening to me, now I can confirm it's not all in my head :roll:

What I am wondering is I read some thread from another website(from1997 I think), but this was relating to the old system of benefits, once an individual is awarded high rate DLA they are entitled to incapacity allowance????? (it was called something else?) and this applied to people that hadn't paid enough contributions, I am just wondering if this still applies?

Kind Regards

SES

:?:

Only just realised this thread had gone on a bit from when I last posted, so sorry for that! In reply to your question, even though it may be too late, read the leaflets available on this website about benefits, they're very good. I used to work giving benefits advice, and it has changed even since then (3 years ago) but many of the claim criteria are the same, even if the names of the benefits have changed.

Do you have a CVS (Council for Voluntary Service) near you? They usually have a money or benefits advice worker who can help you through the minefield of incapacity benefits forms, and as they are totally impartial, they know exactly what to put on the forms to make sure you get what you're entitiled to. Look on Yell.com or just Google CVS for your area. It's a free service.

Hope this helps someone!

Sorry, forgot to say, I have a friend who was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia about 4 years ago, and she has had to take a big bank loan out to pay for an electric wheelchair, as she could only get a regular-issue wheelie on the NHS. It cost her over £5,000, more than my car. She is really struggling to pay for this on incapacity benefits, as she is obviously not eligible for Motability (when you get assistance with a car etc) as she is too bad to drive, and doesn't have a family member who can claim it on her behalf. Incidentally, the doctors wouldn't listen to her at first, she had to pay for a private consultation to get a diagnosis, and she was told she had been having symptoms for at least 10 years, so she really suffered. Her gp told her to stop bothering him, as it was \"her age\" - she was then 49!

:roll:

HI there,

Thanks for your replies, I am still waiting for the decision on my appeal? I have my medical report sent with this too so I am hoping they will understand my disabilities, or perhaps they may contact my consultant? he stated the fibromyalgia and chronic hip and knee neuropathic pain..... I put the appeal in february and then they sent me a brown envelope which I replied and forwarded more information as, they gave me a copy of my original submission, but I clearly added more as I have got worse since my original application!! they said it can take 20 weeks for a reply?

Kind Regards

SES

:roll:

Just to say if you know you are genuine about claiming in cap benifit dont give up thats what they hope you will do . They stopped my benifit 8 weeks after my op i tried to tell this Dr i would be sigened off work for at least 4 more weeks but she decided i was fit for work at her say so not my consultants i was a care office in the community careing for elderly people mostly this included a lot of lifting i had just had a discectomy and was not to do any lifting. anyway cut a long story short she stopped my benifits i put in an appeal it took 8months but i won it and i never got back to work due to complications but i have just recieved another form to fill in so hear i go again i was turned down for DLA I AM NOW IN A WHEELCHAIR BUT THEY SAID BECAUSE I CAN FIND MY WAY AROUND WHEN I GO OUTSIDE IM NOT DISABLED.These people have no idea the stress you are under because of your disability they make you feel worthless but once again i shall appeal wish me luck.

HI there Patpaul18

I know what you mean, I am in pain all day just dong the simple things cause me pain, like combing my hair on a very bad day!!!! I am 35 and rely on crutches, the DLA say as I have read that if you have aids you are not physically unable to walk, the point it it causes pain when I walk and to this I am appealing as I believe I do have a \"right\" for this benefit as I am unable to do a lot of things I would like to do, and so I will fight until I get whats rightfully mine!!!!! It does annoy me when I see people at the bottom of my street on full DLA and both her and her husband happily lifted heavy shrubs and doing the gardening.....makes me sick, but some people are more hard faced eh? anyway I am not going to give up as I have worked since I was 17 and due to ill health I have had to leave a job I loved and due to my disabilities the battle goes on in every way !!!!!

HI, there is a lot of people who know how to work the system the genuine ones are too honest!! but like you i will fight for whats mine i too had to give up a job i loved alot of them was disabled i never thought that i would be joining them my Dr from the pain management advised me to get someone to help me in my home they dont say this if they think your capable to do things for yourself which is what i would rather do but through no fault of mine i now need help and it is hard enough to accept without having to fight for everything. I am alot older then you so i hope there will be a better outcome for you and you keep your spirit up and dont let them win good luck Pat