Could I be entitled to benefits?

[Joe Blow]

I am under 25, my girlfriend is a full time student with the bog standard loans.

 

I am self employed and earn less than £800 a month. Our rent is £220 a week. Council tax is £138 a month (which I pay as we got a reduction due to my partner being a student)

 

Obviously we have gas/elec on top of this etc as well as food.

 

 

 

So can anyone offer advice on what I could do regarding to benefits to help survive a bit better?

Edited July 28, 2009 by Joe Blow
Info not needed

[Joa]

At a first glance I would say apply for Working Tax Credit and possibly for Incapacity Benefit or even Disability Living Allowance. You can also try for Housing Benefit. Your partner's income of Student Loan would be taken into consideration when calculating HB.

You must read up before applying for disability/sickness benefits- please have a look t the sticky post with useful links. Other benefits are number-crunching, but disability/sickness benefits need more personal, subjective info.

[davjoh]

At the moment, you have no entitlement to Working Tax Credits because of your age.

 

If you feel your disability has a significant affect on you, take a look at the criteria for Disability Living Allowance and make an application. If you are considering this I would join 'Benefits and Work' (Google it) for help with the application.

 

If DLA was awarded, you could then claim Working Tax Credits. Based on your income, this would likely be for around £60 a week.

 

I would strongly advise you do not claim Incapacity Benefit, it will do nothing but worsen your depression!

 

Davjoh

[Joa]

 

I would strongly advise you do not claim Incapacity Benefit, it will do nothing but worsen your depression!

 

Davjoh

 

How true, but with help of experienced adviser, can be bearable.

Wouldn't wish to put off anyone from claiming IB but this is definitely one of the jobs that you may need help with.

[GlasweJen]

I thought disabled people over 16 who worked 16 hours or more could claim a type of tax credit?

[Joa]

But OP is not in receipt of disability bens.

[GlasweJen]

Sorry, as i understood it you just had to have one of the disabilities on the list that came with the WTC form to be eligable, it didn't occur to me until now that reciept of a disability benefit would be the proof of having the disability that you would send away with the form.