Also will the fact that I'm self employed affect the claim? I make less than a few quid a week and have no set hours, I never do more than a couple of hours per week. How can I prove this though?

How long does an application for income support usually take? I'm just worried about not having enough money.. we already receive housing benefit by the way.

Thanks, yes I've received an ESA3 form, and thank you I'll check that site! What I'm worried about is a gap in payments, in between applications - I can't afford not to receive my regular payments, I'm only just able to make ends meet!

Hi all, I'm not new to the forum, I've just had so much trouble logging in and resetting my password etc that I found it easier to just create a new account. To cut a long story short, I'm disabled, and so is our 4 year old son. I was on incapacity benefit since 2007 then switched over to contribution based ESA last year. Our son receives the higher rate of both mobility and care component of DLA. My husband claims carers allowance for him. I received a letter today telling me that my ESA has stopped as it's been 365 days and that now I have to claim income based ESA if I still want to receive it. Last year I became self employed (making cards, working less than a couple of hours a week and making mere pennies, no profit).. DWP are aware of this. I'm wondering if we would be better off claiming income support in my husband's name on the basis that he receives carer's allowance. I currently receive £110 a week ESA untill next week but I'm worried we might be worse off if I stopped my claim for ESA and applied for IS instead. Also, housing benefit has been suspended because the ESA is due to stop. So that's another weight on my mind. I have an illness that means I don't know how I'm going to feel from one minute to the next, so I can't hold down a job, and my self employment is really just a hobby that I felt I had to declare incase I got in trouble for selling my cards. Pleas help! T-I-A