Sorry I started a new thread and should have just added to this one. So in order to not get too confused will just post on this one from now on about the inheritance. It is now over 2 months since I sent in a re-claim for ESA and I am still waiting for the DM to make a decision. My HB was reinstated but now is suspended pending a visit from a HB officer! Anyone who does not have a will should make one because if your beneficiary/beneficiaries is on means tested benefits, it can all become a nightmare. I cannot believe the way it's made me feel. I have the things I needed and yet it all feels so very wrong. I look at my little car that I bought and wonder will I have to sell that to survive now? I need to pay rent that is my main priority. My rent is £360 approx 4 weekly and I am approx £200 in credit, but that will soon change and in the meantime it is my security that is threatened. I was told it would be the beginning 30/01/14 that I should get a decision, but my belief in their 'systems' is zero!

Thanks Mr.P. I received a phone call from my local job centre + at approx 11 am to tell me yet again there is not decision made yet I calmly explained the circumstances. He then replied' You will hear the 1 st week in the New Year. I said 'fine, thank you' and that was that again. I will wait now to see if I do receive a decision the. If not I will be calling on my MP to help them along once more. Last year when he was involved he had a senior officer on the phone to me within the hour and she spent some time going through what would possibly be deprivation and what would possibly be not, not committing anything in writing and contributing only a little more understanding of what would happen if they considered at the end that I had not spent the money correctly! I doubt this will take 6 months. All the evidence to make the decision is there, they simply have not asked for it all. They have also asked for things out of sequence. If I could go into a office somewhere with all my paperwork and my workings out and receipts and spread them on a large table and the decision maker could see and ask questions face-to-face, it would be so much simpler than this phoning and then them writing, then you sending, then them writing for more info. Then phone calls and them answering and on and on. Without a doubt they should now be paying me ESA, if there is to be any deductions due to deprivation that would be a small part of it and I would appeal if they said I had deprivation. Thanks so much for your answer it means much on Christmas Eve that someone answered intelligently and helped instead of trying to 'put me down' by the terminology I used. Have a Happy Christmas. I will come back and write up what is happening through to the resolution because it may help someone else in the future. Take care x

You need to grow up mate. The terminology I used is what is used and accepted by most, but if you wish to give it its correct title and expand further on why that title was translated into being known as the 'bedroom tax by the majority of people'. I am sure someone may be interested. Not me, however, because I have much more serious issues to deal with!

I re-claimed ESA (IR) in October after going below the £16k after receiving an inheritance October 2012. Due to the DWP debt recovery dept taking months to confirm my dad did not owe them any money and the inheritance in effect being frozen I did not come off ESA straight away. I was told not to by the debt dept. All very confusing to me with my mental health causing lack of concentration and therefore affecting my understanding of 'complex' issues at times. I re-claimed mid October and I have still not got a decision. I have sent all the information they have requested so far, bank statements mainly, and still I am being told 'it is still with the decision maker'. I have even broke down in tears on the phone without realising that I was talking to some kind of 'call handling centre'. It must be more interesting for them than working in double glazing, fitted kitchen call handling! I have rang several times over the last week and yesterday I said 'I mean no disrespect to you, but can I please speak to someone who is trained in the rules and regulations of the DWP' only to be told, yet again ' we will get someone to call you back either by 5pm today or between 9 am - 1 pm tomorrow'. I have had many 'call-backs' now to be told 'It is still with the decision maker'! What do I do? Things appear to be going from bad to worse. I had re-applied for HB and been sent my award letter and checked my HA were receiving payments and all was well only to get a very abrupt young man ring me from the HB dept last week and inform me ' We have suspended your HB due to not having enough information' I had taken in all the information they had asked for and been given the award. It appears, although I may be confused here. that the HB are querying some information received from the DWP! I have now received a letter from HB informing me that a housing officer will be calling to see me at home and requires evidence of my current assets and if I had made any major purchases between 1st May and 30th June 2013 ( I did not) but have made several major purchases for which I have receipts that no-one has asked for yet! So the main questions I have are - 1. How long does it take for a decision maker to make a decision? 2. What happens if a decision is not made before I run out of funds? 3. Why is a housing officer visiting me 'at home' when I have always taken any information into them before? 4. Is there any way I can speed up both the HB dept and the DWP dealing with this? I am scared and I knew this was not going to be easy. I had to fill in a work capability form 2 weeks ago and my CPN helped greatly with this. It feels like I am drowning now in paperwork much of which I do not understand. I have bank statements everywhere due to being asked for different dates and having to send originals to both the DWP and take in to HB. I am paying almost £7 each time I am posting to the DWP. I dare not think what all the phone calls to different numbers I have had to make to get all the information requested must be. I have a letter for a £348 overpayment from the DWP which they sent almost by return of post when I re-claimed. I have not set up my water DD or my fuel DD and have cancelled what DD's I can for fear of not lasting with my money. Before I got the inheritance everything was sorted and in place and running smoothly and I felt secure. Now everything is falling into chaos and I am falling to pieces mentally. I never wanted the inheritance, but I could not do anything about it. I knew this was going to threaten my security. After living on the streets several years ago at the age of 49 through mental health issues and with a physical disability and being abused on the streets. I had to fight with all I had left to regain my security and safety through some of the most horrible experiences. It is my top priority the need to feel 'secure' and the nightmares that wake me at night are all around not having a home and sufficient funds to live.I am taking ever increasing sleep meds to get a few hours sleep. I am so very tired and my ability to fight is all but gone now. I am terrified that I this will trigger another psychotic episode. I cannot explain this to the DWP because they really do not care, do they? I have posed before and have been helped here on this forum so much. All major purchases I made are detailed in past posts. I had tried to get clarity on just what was allowed, but no clarity from the DWP. I was in contact with my MP and I have all correspondence from him and his attempts to gain clarity from the DWP and also his belief of what was reasonable to spend. I have followed all advice to the letter. Sorry if this is not clear and if you want to ask for more info please do. I am trying not to get emotional about all of this, but I am failing. Thank you

Thank you both so much for you replies. I was feeling terrified until I got your replies. I was form getting the money very worried and others were saying 'I'd be real happy if I had that money' but, no because 1. I had lost my very much loved dad who could make me giggle with his one-liners like no-one else and who I loved talking to more than anyone else in the whole world and 2. Because of some of my past experiences with Mental health issues (Bipolar) I had, had in the past 'spending sprees' and bought all manner of things I did not even need. So was so afraid the grief would trigger an episode. Thankfully that did not happen and apart from what I gave my sons I think I did not too bad. I am still waiting to hear from the DWP although it is only approx 16 days since I sent form. My CPN is here on Wednesday and if she feels it is appropriate I will ask her to ring and see if we can find out what is happening. My worry is the £3,000 I have left is not going to last long and I am still having to pay full rent and council tax a out of it + my benefits. I do get DLA but will not be able to manage on just that. I have put in for HB and Ctax but have not heard from them either and I can not pay my rent it is due again at the end of Nov. Thank so much for taking the time to reply it really does mean so much. Thank you x

I understand now thank you. I do not mind them saying I have £9K because I do have in effect although £6K went to my sons. No, I did not owe my sons any money and both needed money at that time and I could not, not help I am their mum and could do no other. It was just my youngest had bad debt problems and so I gave him more and I do expect to have to 'pay' for that. If I have this right if the DWP say I have had £5K not accounted for and so say I still have it I would lose £20 per week benefits. I do not mind so long as my rent is paid and I have enough to cover utilities and a little food. I was on £362.00 per fortnight on Support group ESA. So they would need to take quite a large amount for me not to be able to pay my way. I did not want this money at all because due to my mental problems I fear change and with the money everything changed. I have also through my M Illness been homeless in the past so to me the terror of being responsible for paying rent etc was a real terror in case I had an episode and something went wrong. I wanted the DWP to just take all the inheritance and leave things the way they had been. I could not give it all to charity. I, of course, could not give it all to my sons so I have had to deal with it and I have done my best, although it is a mess. I was and remain angry that it will all come down to the decision of a individual decision maker and the way they apply the 'rules'. I have read such disparities in what items and the costs of items that have been allowed that it is so confusing that it must cause anyone stress not just me with a M Illness. I read of one woman who spent £11,000 on a car out of £35K and that was OK and of another woman who was expected to show receipts for her daughters lunch expenses at College. I sent the ESA application on 17th Oct and all I have had back is notification that I owe them £300+ for a overpayment in May. So I am still waiting to hear if I can receive ESA I was also in the support group and I am unsure if I will automatically go back into the support group or not. It was for 12 months and I do not know if this time is up. My CPN is looking in my folder to find out what date support group was given from. Must ring her tomorrow, will be one less worry maybe! I know I sound quite wimpy about it all but guess that is due to the experiences I have had in the past with my illness and I worry what may trigger an episode. I really cannot go back there again. I cannot take it all over again so for my peace of mind I need the DWP to make a decision as soon as and let me know. I hope it is not too much longer. I really appreciate your replies. I feel so alone with all this. My CPN tries her best but has no experience of inheritance on benefits or DOC she just keeps telling me not to worry, what will be, will be and of course I know that. I just deal better if I have some idea what it may be that I have to deal with. Thank you

I thought I was allowed to keep £6,000 so that is what I gave my sons. My youngest son then asked for more and that is what I was worried about do I also need to be worried about the £6,000 that I was told I could have without it effecting my benefits? I am so confused now. I know there is probably a few thousand I do not have receipts for but if I am also penalised for giving my sons the £6,000 I was allowed to keep in savings I guess I am in deep trouble! How much will they stop out of my benefits? anyone got any idea please. Thank you

Bump!

Just to add the clothes I bought were due to my weight going from 11 to over 16 stone a combination of meds (although I find this hard to believe but have been told it affects the metabolism) I do 'comfort' eat sometimes, so that is my fault, and not being able to exercise due to disability. I do go to aqua aerobics when I can. I have bought charity shop where I can but needed to buy a few key items like Coat, Dress, underwear that I could not get there. I also bought some second-hand wood furniture to the tune of approx £100 which I needed but the prices new where in the region of £300 each item and for 2 items that was too much. I needed them for storage. I did not change the very old and cheap drawers in my bedroom or the blinds or anything like that. I did purchase a new TV the one I had was one of my sons old ones and I had to keep getting up to switch it on and off at the mains because it kept freezing the picture. I spent £300 on the TV but it does have built in Freeview. My TV is important because I am often housebound when I have flare-ups. I think I have remembered everything now but will add if I remember more. If you want to ask me any questions please do. I guess I am panicking now the need to reapply for benefits is here. I have feared it for so long and now I am in it. Take care x

I have with the help of my CPN put in a claim for ESA and HB again. I posted on the 17/10 and on the 25/10 received a letter to say I owed the DWP £380 this included a penalty for not telling them in time before they had paid my last benefit payment. I am still waiting to see what happens regarding my claim. I spent £7,000 on my car (inc breakdown cover and 3 years servicing and my cooker £500 before they said I should not spend any money until they had investigated if my dad had been overpaid benefits, he had not. I then transferred the money into an account in my name. I set up DD's for rent and council tax and transferred my fortnightly benefits into my current account. I paid to have my Bungalow professionally decorated £1,170. I then purchased New floor coverings for my 2 bed Bungalow £1,400 and approx £200 on washable rugs due to incontinence issues. I purchased a high sofa and chair and footstool appropriate to my disability £780. I purchased a new washing machine £300. I also purchased a new microwave with easier buttons for my disability. I spent approx £1,000 on travel to and from my dads funeral and B&B. I also spent a further £500 approx taking my dads ashes to the place of his birth (300 miles away) so I stayed overnight with one of my sons. I purchased curtains for 5 rooms because the ones I had where all from car boots and not very appropriate so £250 approx. I purchased disability related products inc mattress topper and back massager, splints etc approx £500, There are a few other things but no more major purchases. I have receipts for everything. The only worry I have is that my youngest son who I gave the £3,000 to help towards his debts initially, has put immense pressure on me throughout the last months for more and more money for his debts. I imagine here and there I have probably now given him another £3,000 and while I did not want to I felt so bad saying no and reasoned that I will just pay the consequences of doing this. Sadly, when I did say 'no more now' he fell out with me and that has hurt me very much. I saw a side to my son I never wanted to see and it all started when the inheritance came. I am now down to my last £3k because I added in the 6K I gave my sons initially so adding a further 3k I gave my youngest son I was scared to claim when I went below 16K and just let it go. My CPN realised what was happening and encouraged me to reclaim from the date I should have and stated the reason for the late claim was a combination of my mental health issues and confusion with some of the payments that maybe should have been made from the executor estate, Such as dads rent of £1,800 and the clearing and cleaning of dads old home which I had paid out. It is all a mess and I am still so afraid I have over spent and I do not mind if I have to pay back for what I gave my youngest son, he did get in a state about it all and I could not refuse. Although I did have to when I knew he was managing and yet still wanted more. Money is not nice really is it? it can cause much heartache? and it makes people become not nice people. My CPN as advised me to just take it a day at a time and let the DWP ask me for what documents they need in the way of bank statements, receipts etc. So that is what I am doing. I have a box with all bank statements for the last 12 months and all bank papers to do with dad. I have all probate papers etc and I have kept all the letters from my MP who gave some 'pointers' to what I could buy without it being seen as DOC. This is the MP who spent over a £1,000 approx on one set of bedding out of expenses for his second home. I spent £114 on three sets. So i followed his advice on what could be purchased with the inheritance but I did not follow his costings...lol. Worlds apart. I bought medium price items in order to attempt to 'future proof' them I will not be able to replace the large items ever again, unless I win the lottery! I thought I would write this so that those of you who have the expertise could look through and see if you can see any major problems. I do realise there may be, with my son's extra £3K, maybe £4k not accounted for due to me spending on Engagement for one son and B/days and Christmas for both. I also bought myself some £80 wide fitting boots and some clothes for which I kept receipts but sure they will say I should have bought these out of benefits money I was paying myself. I have never owned a pair of £80 boots before but due to swelling of feet through disability I was having to go out in my slippers and getting very wet! Thanks for reading any feedback welcome. Take care x

Desperate Daniella. Thank you for your kind words. I am sure most mum's would try to do or do whatever it takes to make sure their children are safe. My son had lived there for quite awhile and yet a few new tenants moved in and the place became hell. Drug dealing throughout the night, banging on doors. My son could not sleep. The final straw was the armed response unit breaking a flat door down and dragging some of the dealers out and taking away a number of guns. At that point I would have given my son ALL the inheritance to get him out if needed. My other son's had debt that he worried about so 3K went some to helping reduce that. I had read on another forum that I was 'allowed' to do whatever I wish with 6K and it was not counted, due to me being allowed 6K in saving before deductions from benefits. It was in reply to someone else - so I may have read that wrong. I posted the letter and my hand was shaking and when I got home I cried once more. I do not like change, I fear change, If things just 'plod along' and all stays the same I feel secure. When things change that I have no control over and I cannot understand the in and outs of, I panic. My anxiety levels go through the roof and no amount of trying to be rational works. I know I will have to 'pay' my benefits out of my inheritance now and will just stay with the same dates I usually get paid, so it does not feel so big a change. I need also to inform the HB people and CTB and will need to pay my rent direct to my HA and CTB to the council. My little car has given me back some much needed freedom, although there are still days I cannot get out. I can now go to some social groups that I could not get to regularly, so that is good. Yet, I would give the car and the inheritance all back to have my dad here still and even if I could not have my dad back I would still give it all back. I really cannot deal with change at all and find this whole process a total mess. I will keep the thread updated. Thank you TQ x

Hi DD, No, no request in writing. Just the one guy on the phone said to say what I had spent. So will keep information minimal at this stage too complicated all at once). I have not set out with any intent to not declare any monies I have and I have from when the inheritance was going through probate spoke at length with both the DWP and my MP to try to receive information on what and what I could not spend on. That all seems pretty pointless now. My MP was shocked at the lack of guidelines re- what could be DOC. I have got all correspondence from MP, with items he suggests I should buy. The only two I have bought are the car and the cooker. I feel very flat now that I may not get the other household goods I needs. My dad worked 50 years to save that money - he should have give it all to charity. Regarding my sons and me giving them 3K each I thought there would be no problem at all with this, in that I would be allowed to keep 6K without having to account for that. It was my way of helping them out and giving them as token of their grandfathers money. My youngest son was in debt and upset and to be honest there is no price I would not pay if I had to, to help my sons. The eldest, a very good lad, was living in a shared house full of 'smack rats' and there was much trouble (including an armed police raid) I just wanted him safe. So the £3K got him out of there and in to a lovely rented 'safe' little 1 bed flat. I thought I could give that 6K with no attachments - if not I will have to pay it back, but it was worth it to help my sons. I hardly slept at all last night and was worrying about everything. I tried to do everything right and it still did not work out. If they had not said they were investigating if my dad had an overspend this would all be over by now. I have read of some DM's being quite lenient on what people have purchased with inheritance and others being totally shocking. I find it hard that it is ultimately one person who decides on the basis of some very obscure and wishy washy guidlines. I am just waffling now - sorry. I thought I would have enough to buy my little car, cooker, sofa, high chair and floor-coverings and get my bungalow decorated now I do not see how that can be. Yet, others buy cars, have holidays, buy new kitchens, buy furniture etc. When I am under 16K and I get back on benefits will I be allowed to buy things with the money I will have left then? is that how it works? If I only lose $40 per week benefits I will still have 9K + in the bank. My head really hurts with all this! Thank you so much for your help I will write to them the bare minimum and let them ask me for the information they need I am just nipping to the shop and will do the letter soon as I come back and post it today. I will also cc my MP and my CPN , because if I try to explain afterwards I get very confused. I have wrote the letter and I am going out in about 1 hours so will post it then - then the fun begins. I am so very grateful for your help. I do not feel so alone and lost. Thank you x TQ

So many thanks to you all. You are helping so much. I was so alone and truly afraid. I gave my sons the £3K each because I was told that I was allowed to have 6K that I had no need to account for - no receipts needed etc. My youngest son was in bad debt and my eldest son needed to move home, bad area. I thought the answer was to give them the 6K between them. Both of them are sorted now and even if I have to pay in some way for that I am more than willing to do so. I would/could not stand by and let my sons worry and suffer, when I had the ability to change that. So I am lost how that stand now because everything I read says you are allowed 6K with no loss of benefits. I have taken the cheapest transport and stayed in the cheapest hotels/ B&B'S when I had to travel to sort dads home out and for the funeral. I even agreed on a average cost funeral and had I have done all this mess was coming I would have had a 'lone piper' playing Flower of Scotland and not just a CD in the chapel. I even compromised on my car. I could have done with an higher one so I did not have to bend so much but I felt I had paid enough. I asked the DWP so many times 'is it OK to buy this? is it ok to buy that? and of course they will not commit and all you get is 'it should be you will find out when you' re-claim' - by which time the money is gone! I have read so many 'case studies' and the decisions regarding if they have been DOC or not have been wide and it all appears to come down to the individual DM's. So despite trying my hardest to hold it all together and not overspend it may be that I get a DM who decides that I have! Thank you

Thank you all for your help. I do appreciate it. scotgal, I realise I should not have accessed the fund, but when I did that it was with the understanding that I would be coming off benefits within the week. The letter arrived form the DWP investigation team and I was told not to use the money so did not inform them. If the letter ad come first I would not have used any of the funds. I am severely disabled and did need a car and was looking into getting a mobility one when my dad died. My son said it was more economical to buy one outright and so I did. If they do say I have an overpayment that I think will be OK I have 20K approx left so they could take it out of that (if they back date it) or will they do it forward? I am not really sure. I knew somehow I would get in a mess and this appears mainly due to me needing a car. I cannot get out without a car any longer and I could not have waited this long for one. They had me waiting well over 3 months. Taxis cost a fortune and I live rural. I was wrong to take the money out of the executor account for that, but at that point I was just paying off my dads debts - rent - gas/electric + funeral. Because the money was not in my personal account for day to day living and I knew there would be some excess I did so. Once I got the letter off the DWP investigation debt team I was terrified in case my dad had been claiming what he was not entitled to and so there many not be any money left. Why do they not explain this process to people in my situation. The stress caused is immense. It would perhaps be better now if they just add up my benefits since I had the inheritance and ask for that sum off what I have left and then take it from there - although I doubt they will, that appears to simple for them. I understand the reason for the declaration of monies above a certain amount on benefits and I agree with the principal, but I am sure my dad would not have knowingly put me through all this for anything. If he had just left the inheritance to my two sons, who both work, none of this nightmare would have happened. I am so worried still and really wish I could have said 'here you take 30K and let me have just 10K' - its such a messing about and so confusing. I was heartbroken when my dad died, although in myself I was feeling mentally quite well. Since then and with all this I have gone back on another anti-d, seen my psychiatrist more often and now take sleeping pills and still I awake at 3/4 am in the morning full of worry. True my furniture is falling to pieces, but now so is my mind also - its just not worth it! Desperate Daniella, I would appreciate that very much if you can help. I do not know how to start the letter or how to explain the mess it is now in. I thought DWP was DWP and all would know what was happening in other depts so that my name would be flagged up and I would not have to keep repeating over and over. It was the guy yesterday who said I had to write in and say from when I wanted my benefits to stop. Thank you

Thank you Nystagmite, I had read that is the way it is done, but will admit it is still confusing. Does this mean I have to just use the 16K at £40 per week until all the 16K gone? Desperate Daniella, Thank you so very much for you reply. It makes thing somewhat clearer for me. The funeral was claimed out of the estate at source and 1k added on probate for any other debts - the other debts came out at 1.898K. I did not claim any related expenses and paid myself out of my benefits for travel to and from my dads home to organise house clearance and hotel cost while there and to dad's funeral and hotel cost while there and also to take dads ashes to Scotland and related costs there. Which put me in a mess financially. A friend told me I should be allowed to take those expenses from the estate and I have done this when needed to, to stop my own account going overdrawn- all covered by receipts. Due to my mental state I knew this was never going to be easy and was so shocked when I tried to read the 'rules and regs' around it all. My CPN while supportive knew nothing about it at all and I had no-one else to turn to. DWP would give no written answers on what I could justifiably spend any of the money on. They just said 'that should be OK' over the phone. I contacted my MP and he arranged for one of their managers to call me, but yet again they will not commit themselves. My MP wrote me several letters and in one he broke down what he felt they could not call DOC - second-hand car, white goods, household goods. Other than car and cooker nothing else bought due to the 'freeze'. All my home is furnished with poor quality second-hand goods e.e £40 sofa and chair bought 5 years ago (need higher one, due to physical disability), £60- 5 yr old washing machine, £30 TV (big type) all floor-covering left by last tenant so not good. My MP says in the letter this is an opportunity to bring my home up to standard and my MP's secretary rang me and talked about the types of things I needed to buy that would aid me due to my disability and other general needs that would be 'allowed'. I wonder though now if I will still be able to do this or will the DWP say I have to use the money only to live on from now on a day to day basis. I had prior to living here, lived with a friend after being homeless for 1 year due to my mental illness my biggest fear in life is to be homeless again. I felt settled and knew what was what with my benefits and felt secure. this inheritance has changed everything for me and made me full of doubt and scared, So I am probably over-reacting to it all, but that is part of my illness, the rest is just me afraid of doing something wrong. I did not want this money and would have given it all away if only I could it is bringing me nothing but distress and worry. I have even had to go on another anti-d due to it all. I just want a calm uncomplicated life and it seems the policy around this inheriting on benefits is a minefield. With no clarity. Every penny is accounted for and every receipt kept. It is just that it is 'out of time' due to the way the DWP debt dept 'froze' the money before the inheritance left the executors account. I dare not officially come off benefits in case the debt was greater than what I was claiming. One of the DWP advisor's said to just wait until the investigation was concluded. Yet, when I rang to come off benefits last week that advisor said 'you should have told us' and to now write in and send evidence of what I have spent. I though I only had to do that when re-claiming? Sorry to go n - its so hard to get any info out of the DWP and when I first got the inheritance and went to CAB they guy there told me not to declare it at all - so I did not go back! Thank you xx