I have got myself into a right pickle and am not sure how to resolve it. I have a BLME Premier Account that matures next July and I am not able to access the money until that time unless I am dying. The money is guaranteed to be no less than the invested amount (£25k)so I was wondering if anywhere might accept this as security for a loan of £12k as I need this earlier than originally planned and had presumed could access some of the money in the account earlier than next year. I live in Housing Association property and am a carer. I presume I am not able to claim other benefits due to the BLME account classing as savings..despite my inability to access this. I am looking for work to cover this need but as I still have caring responsibilities and have not worked in a paid capacity for 10 years it is not something I can count on. https://www.blme.com/products-and-services/savings/premier-deposit-account/

I had a bed until the Friday when they (the couriers) had told me the slot for delivery of the getlaidbeds items and had already provisionally booked a man and van to clear out my room including the bed so confirmed with them after having this notification that the collection was to go ahead. It was a kingsize and being replaced by a kingsize so no room for both. It was not a defective bed but one that came in parts and some of them arrived. I had mentioned need for a high enough bed due to bad knees but not that no bed meant no sleeping at home. Today they were supposed to deliver and I was promised a call confirming... getlaidbeds were very helpful and kept contacting the couriers and promising a call from them but that did not happen until mid afternoon when they finally said that the order would now not be coming until tomorrow morning! To say I was unhappy is an understatement. I had been mentioning need for a call and assurances due to need for hotel over the weekend so would hope that at least tonight may be something that could be claimed from someone.. .it is also more expensive during the week.

I ordered a wooden bed frame and was promised it would be delivered today so got my old one taken away before this one was due to arrive. Only two of the 3 boxes arrived with the courier and there is therefore no way to build the bed until the last part gets here. I live in a bungalow and have osteoarthritis so am not able to sleep on a mattress only, nor is my sofa a suitable alternative. I am therefore having to stay in a budget hotel for the weekend as I have no friends or family in the area. The couriers say they have never had the item and the company (Getlaidbeds) say it is not their fault so all they will do is refund the delivery charge. As my having no bed is a consequence of the situation and Getlaidbeds are, I believe, responsible for the actions of the courier, surely I am entitled to some compensation for the costs of a reasonable place to sleep?

What is the main document called, from which the first link is taken? Just so as I can quote it all for DWP to find it themselves. DMG51 ..does it have another name? Thanks

Thank you everyone. My head is spinning just finding the needle in the information haystack even though I have been told where it is!

The DWP are not disputing that the loan goes to the college, apparently.

Update...Student Finance say to contact the appropriate office for Benefits and cannot confirm anything. This is worrying me. How can a loan be seen as income when it is to be paid back and only funding a course not helping with living expenese?

The college have given out the leaflet that states that it goes straight to college and DWP are not denying that it goes to College only that just because that is the case it does not exclude it from being counted as income, apparently. My problem is that it not my problem but a friend who is exhausted with having to deal with such matters and is not prepared to take on DWP as he has been told this on more than one occasion. I will probably ring Student Finance myself and see what they can do to help.

I totally agree Nystagmite and I also have found that bit about it being fees that go to College, but the other information is not black and white and DWP have told my friend will be counted as income (verbally via phone) so he is going to try and pay instalments himself unless I can let him have information he can believe. It certainly should not be counted as income *(logically) if being used entirely to pay fees for a course that will be likely to increase his employment chances. He is on Income-Based ESA at the moment and course is only 5 hours a week.

Thanks both but I need to find where it actually says that as my friend was told by DWP counts as income even if only paying fees so he needs proof in actual chapter and verse. It is only a part time Level 3 course and the hours are fine with DWP just keep saying the loan would be classed as income apparently .

I have heard mixed details about this matter. The Student Finance information seems to indicate that as the loan is only for fees, and paid to the college, it is not counted as income but my friend has been told otherwise. Can anyone point me to specific information showing definitive answer please.

The statement is online and has "copy, for information only" on anything that would be printed out so they will have to have his card details and ring or give him the money. I need to know what to tell him to show his parents as confirmation that they can pay the lump sum without effecting his benefits and also a way to indicate that regular payments from them would be seen as income and effect the benefits.

There is no PPI issue. Does anyone know the place in Rules that allows this payment? I think his parents are going to need proof.

Reclaiming what?

A friend has a credit card balance of around £3000 and his parents have offered to clear this for him but are worried that such a large payment to him will have implications on his benefit. The card account is managed online and no paper statement is available so they may have to pay a cheque into his account. He is on Income Based ESA and has no savings.

Hi I was moving to smaller accommodation because I had previously lived with a disabled person and I no longer justified the large place. It was in both our interests to move me smaller. I was not allowed to view before signing and although I knew that I would not see it or know about it until I was required to decide on the spot, I did not expect the signing to be a Friday and liability to be from the Monday, they had previously told me I would get a week free but they changed their mind for some reason at the last minute. The way their allocations...choice based lettings....work is the same for anyone with regard to viewing and signing. The only difference I had was that they told me where they would send me but I had no real warning...though because it was Christmas I had been told there was probably a place in that area coming free early in the new year...the area is many miles from where I lived. I think the pre-inspection report would not be an issue as the reasons I could not move immediately are firstly the practicality of moving in over a weekend when you did not know the address to get quotes etc. secondly..the fact that it was sub zero inside and out and they had capped the gas meter for safety. I would like to see anyone achieve a move in two days when even the address was not fully known until the Friday afternoon!...I think organising everything in the two weeks I managed was pretty darn good. It seems silly to have such an issue over a small amount of rent and I am sure the cost of going to tribunal is greater but for me, I have no money and am in debt due to the move....I just thought that there was some common sense that might prevail. They had always told me that I would qualify for dual rent and just needed to get the forms done asap (in fact I wasted the Monday getting the form done and waiting for hours to hand it in at the Council office) and did not explain that I had to physically move in and sleep there rather than just move some of my things. It is harsh that they would rather I slept on a concrete floor in minus temperatures to get rent that I had no way of avoiding. Oh well. I will probably let the Tribunal take place, after all I have nothing to lose....and have more time to save up.

Just quick background....I was lucky enough to be allowed to move from a large three bedroom adapted flat to a small one bedroom bungalow with the same landlord/council....but I was only going to be shown one property and given the choice then and there (would only be able to refuse with "good reason")... so I did not know what it looked like inside of if it were suitable until the day and time I was required to sign up. I had been waiting for them to find the property they wanted to offer for over six months but had no idea where it would have been situated or if it were to be a flat/maisonette or bungalow nor where in the County it was to be. They showed me the property on a Friday and told me I was responsible for the rent from the following Monday but that I also was giving four weeks notice on my larger flat from then so would have to make a joint claim for Housing Benefits, therefore I filled in the "moving house" claim and gave it in personally....leaving the "moving date" blank. I started to move small things into the property immediately but did not physically move the overnight/larger stuff for a couple of weeks...there was no heating, there were sub zero temperatures and snow and the gas meter had been capped off and was not restored until two weeks later.... and my rent on the existing property included communal heating whether I was there or not. I also had to find the funds for the cost of moving and get a van organised etc I have been told dual rent can only be paid from when I "moved into" the new property and this is determined by when I first slept there overnight.... Therefore although I was having HB paid for the other flat I am in arrears for the new one, despite this being the same landlord and not being reasonable/practical to expect a complete move in two days! I did dispute the decision and they have also reviewed and stuck to the same "you had not moved in and we cannot pay until you did" response....seems I am to go to a tribunal now Is it worth me fighting or should I try and find a way to pay the arrears and just quit fighting? Does anyone have any experience with HB rules? Can anyone direct me to case law etc ...it just seems unreasonable for me to be in arrears when I could not physically have avoided the rent to both properties wherever I slept and surely no one could move in two days (being a weekend) when they have not seen the property before the Friday could they? Sorry for the long post....hope I have been clear enough. Any questions are welcome.

I would just send in another sick note until they get round to sending you what you asked for. Does seem ridiculous when you are asking for a copy of a document that they should have had at the time of the Tribunal though. It is not a first stage reconsideration of decision....are they aware of that? Things can get muddled, especially these days.

I think the problem I am going to encounter is the distance....is not just the local hospital. My main worry is/was total loss of income for me etc but the hospital have said that they will bear the 28 days in mind and only take the treatment beyond if needed but cannot be done in six months time.....ridiiculous that this is how it needs to be....but the stress of stopping and starting his DLA etc will not help anyone.

Inpecunious....WRVS no longer exist....RVS I think they are renamed to....and they are not so apparent around where I live or at the more local hospitals. They also only deal with "older" people and my hubby and I are not quite there yet...we are both 48! Nevertheless I have emailed their "hub" - covers several counties - to see if they have any ideas and they have said they will look into things and see if they can get any ideas. They made a point of emailing me back to say this.

The costs for visiting in hospital used to be covered by the Community Care Grant which is why I brought it up here. It may be that I am needed as part of the process and in which case I hope someone can help me be there to help him :/ I will check with NHS issues forum just in case there is anything they know....and of course I will ask the hospital also...Like my mother said...if you don't ask you don't get. And Antone is that four weeks or 28 days in a period of 6 months that you are talking about for possible IS with Carer Premium? I think at the moment it will be tight but possible that he spends 28 days (is that 24 hour periods or nights?) at the hospital.

Thanks Antone. I thought the DLA was 28 days and that this may be negated by his weekends if he gets released home? Am I right that I will get no help to got to the hospital nor will any of my contribution to what is being undertaken there be counted? The problem with ESA will be the change of GPs office because I moved home.. Am I right in thinking that I would get paid Carers Allowance for the first 14 days? What do I need to be doing to prove giving 35 hours care? I will be assisting at weekends (i.e Friday evening/night to Sunday evening) if he comes home for breaks, but also assisting with things he needs whilst in hospital...more cognitive and supportive of the process as much as practical needs...does this count? And with ESA... would possible "rapid" reclaim mean a delay in receiving payment?...just at a time when I need it most ....and that this will be assessment rate? Will I have to notify DWP of his ins and outs every flipping week?....for us both individually ? !!!!! As I am made more ill by the ESA and WRAG issues than "just" being a carer....i really do not want to stay on that benefit any longer than I have to...I would doubtless fail the WCA and have to appeal again....Will I have no option but to state am available for work if ESA not an option according to my GP? Even if I know it is only for a period of a matter of weeks? When is inpatient assessment has finished am I right to think I would have to reapply for full Carers Allowance then, whether I give up ESA or JSA claim?....more forms and delay? I do get HB and Income Support top up at the moment but I assume the latter will stop...?

I know from personal experience that you can take a chance and hope that there is a change in prescription within the 24 months as that will qualify you for the NHS help. The only problem is that is there is no change you end up paying for the test etc I had a recommendation from my GP to go and have a check so I had to have this done and fortunately I had a change in prescription. I would have thought that as the glasses have actually broken there should be some dispensation but these days.....

I am trying to keep this brief. I receive Carers Allowance. We live apart because of his health issues and are considered estranged/separated as I perform a carers role not that of a wife. My husband gets DLA (full care and mobility) and ESA (Support Group) He is going in to a hospital about 80 miles away for specialist neuropsychiatry assessment. He may be allowed home at weekends but we do not know if this is definite, nor how we could get him there and back as we do not have access to a car.... My input may be required whilst he is in hospital as he has significant memory loss and confusion that may need clafiyin, especially as some of his issues started over 20 years ago and he has little or no recall of those times. He also finds it hard in strange places so my support will be needed...meaning significant travel or accommodation costs. He needs my help with finances and I have both LPA and this help is needed wherever he is situated. Am I right that I will have to claim Jobseekers (or ESA as I do have several medical conditions of my own that would make full time work an issue and was on ESA until the end of Jan this year, only stopping when I moved GP and decided to resume claim for carers allowance...rapid reclaim?), that or risk no rent paid and nothing to support me, especially now no Community Care grant to help travel to hospital... ....this is despite being heavily involved in his "care" whilst at hospital? Is there any other option to avoid having no income for several weeks?...and even if I claim, will I have a time delay between set up and payment and when converts back will it not? And he will lose part of his benefit income also will he not? He is not going to be there for longer than six weeks, that is the maximium they have people in for the assessment. If he gets home at weekends then I may fulfill a caring function for some of this...including an on-call function for him. It is very complicated, it should not be but the benefits system does not seem to allow for "life"...Am I overexaggerating or are my fears justified. Previously, because of things being so complicated, I would have waited for a few weeks to let the DWP know what has happened rather than what might....now there is the threat of a fine for that too Sorry if garbled but am stressed and really worried. Information and experiences will be appreciated. It is so sad that getting the treatment he needs, but getting the help he needs from others...etc...will be so complicated. It is "only" for four to six weeks....with weekends maybe....

My experience is that it it is best not to trust them to get information but to get it yourself, if you can. At least then you know it has been done. It may be common sense to expect them to do this but......