No money, no formula, no food.....no help!

[darkcyde]

Hi - please can someone give me some advice?

 

I been diagnosed as suffering from multiple complaints, including Fibromyalgia, Chronic Pain, Chronic Fatigue, Irritable Bowel, etc, etc. The medications they have me on do nothing for the constant daily pain, and give me a boat load of side effects like nausea, dizziness, and because of this I fall over, I can't drive, I can't pick up anything heavier than a kettle, etc. You get the point. Needless to say I can't work like this without being a danger to myself. I see a Rheumatology Specialist, a Physiotherapist, an Occupational Therapist, a Hydrotherapist and a shrink.....some days I can't even get out of bed - those days I do I just want to go back to bed.

 

I had been off work sick since Oct 2011, and my work made me redundant in March 2012 - I tried to fight it but because it was a small company I didn't have a leg to stand on.

 

My wife and I have 6 month old twin boys - she is on maternity leave and in receipt of Statutory Maternity Pay only, and we receive Housing Benefit (for 2/3s of our rent (apparently our 3 bedroom house is deemed larger than we require for a 4 person household)), and Council Tax relief.

 

I've been applying for ESA and DLA, both of which have been denied - ESA was first denied as I applied for Contribution based ESA but didn't have enough contributions due to a gap between jobs, so was advised to apply for income based - this has also been turned down as we have too much income!! My wife receives about £130 a week in Statutory Maternity Pay, and that's it!

 

What can we do?? The Housing Benefit and Maternity Pay only just covers the rent, our savings are gone which have been used up during this period with me bringing nothing in, so right now we have absolutely nothing.....oh, hang on, no we have £8.56 in our account and that's probably too much in savings so we're going to have to repay them something!

 

If my wife cuts her maternity leave short and goes back to work, she's a low earner so what she earns will be deducted from our Housing Benefit and Council Tax benefit so we would be no better off.....in actual fact, worse off as we would then need to be paying for petrol on a daily basis for her to get to and from work.

 

Everything is bleak, I'm desperate, I'm suicidal - my family would be better off without me because as a single mother she would get help left, right and centre. But with me dragging them down, we have no hope!

 

Advice anyone? (Oh, and my local CAB have a six week waiting list for appointments)

[antarctica]

Hi

 

I do not have the knowledge for complex advice, but what I would say is immediately call and get a crisis loan so that you can buy food.

 

0800 032 7952

 

Someone will be along shortly to offer more help.

 

Most of all, your family would not be better off without you, you are important to them.

 

Take care

 

A

[antarctica]

I wonder if you could apply for income support?

 

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/On_a_low_income/DG_10018708

[darkcyde]

Thank you - I have looked at that, but they need an agreement on how your going to repay it - that's like robbing Peter to pay Paul. They'll give me a bit of cash, but take repayments out of our Housing Benefit, or SMP.

[darkcyde]

According to the DWP, ESA has replaced Income Support, but I can't get ESA - round robin

[antarctica]

I thought ESA had replaced incapacity benefit and not income support?

[darkcyde]

I ahve no idea, to be honest.....I'm totally confused by the whole thing!

 

We are about to take our screaming hungry twins down to the JobCenter with all the paperwork and throw it all at them and wait until someone gives us a solution.

[MIKEY DABODEE]

Hi Darkcycle,

First things first you are not entitled to Income Support you have no condition of entitlement.

You have been turned down for ESA conts and not entitled to ESA IB because of your wifes SMP.

I totally agree with you its just not fair.

 

But are you getting Child Tax credits for the Children and Child benefit,

on the figures you have given you should get full entitlement

I would guess over £100 per week CTC.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/TaxCredits/index.htm

Please apply if you are not....

[jadeybags]

Having spent the weekend in bed with some nasty virus that had me aching from head to foot & almost passing out when I got up, I couldn't even imagine looking after twin babies if my wife went back to work. Raising babies is harder than going out to work. So that wont work will it.

But there is no way that the government expect a couple with babies to live on nothing, not even with the way they are treating people at the moment.

Hopefully you're not claiming something you should be and someone will come along with that answer.

[sillygirl1]

Check you are entitled to things on

 

http://www.entitledto.com

 

This is a completely free site and does not take money from any you may later be awarded, put in all the details in each section and print out the results, get them over to your local council and DWP office asap.

[Nystagmite]

You may be entitled to a bit of council tax benefit? If it's just you, the wife and twins, then you're only entitled to the 2 bedroom rate. You may get discretionary housing payments. You can apply for this through the council.

[jadeybags]

I thought every child was entitled to their own room, even if same sex, in regards to housing benefit? When did that change? I know it used to be a shared bedroom for same sex children in regards to council homes.

[darkcyde]

Hi everyone and thanks for your replies!

 

We went down to the JobCentre to enquire about my ESA application and barely made it through the front door. The horrible woman on the Welcome Desk chose to discuss our case in public in front of everyone in the queue behind me. She basically said its correct (without checking on the computer) and that's what we are expected to live on. She made it clear (with the two bouncers behind her) that that was all she was going to do.

 

However, a nice lady in queue stopped us on our way out and said if we go down to the HMRC offices they will give us some emergency money given the situation. They are closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays - can I get a job there please?

 

So, we went to the One Stop Shop - we have applied for discretionary payments in regard to our housing benefit (we receive £507 a month towards our £775 rent as we have a 3 bedroom house but only 4 members of the family - two 6 month old boys who we are told can share, even into teens - only need separate bedrooms if different gender after 10 years old) - they have not yet processed the application into their system, and they couldn't say how long it would take to process. I asked about Food Vouchers - they don't supply them, but a place in Wadebridge does (45 minutes drive - 1.5 hour round trip) but they would probably only give to people in immediate area (same council tho).

 

They suggested going to the POLICE!!!! She said explain to them your desperate situation and see what they can do! I couldn't believe my ears!!

 

Citizens Advice is only open on Wednesdays for drop-ins, and then it would only be an introductory apppointment to see how best deal with the case, and then 4 to 6 weeks for an actual appointment to discuss in detail.

 

So, for dinner tonight we have a fish sauce I found in the cupboard with rice as we've just spent our last £8.50 on nappies, and the boys have food I have cooked for them in advance but no formula....even food vouchers won't cover nappies or formula apparently.

 

I'm sitting here typing this laughing.....not sure why.....I think I have lost it completely!

 

Tried getting hold of my Counseller for an emergency appointment, but she's on leave until a week wednesday.

 

We should get improved Child Tax Credits over the paltry £11.40 a week we get at the moment, but we have to wait for our re-application pack or whatever it is which will be sent to us sometime in the next quarter!

 

?????????????????????????????????????????????

[jackieandwayne]

Bloody awful. Off to Shelter for advice and support. They'll sort out HB for you and of course they are well clued up on everything housing wise, and that doesn;t just mean the roof over your head, they;ll show you where to get real help with everything else.So long as you don;t mind the embarrasment why not ring up your local paper, speak to the editor, tell them what is going on and get an article done. You won;t be the only one in this appalling situation, so you will help others as well. And it will cause an incredible stink.The police? Well, if you took your twins into a police station and said you could not feed them and they were clearly starving I suppose at a push an officer can remove them to a place of safety. On the other hand you could do this, and insist that the Job Centre sent you there, another stink will be caused, especially if you won;t go away! If I were anywhere near you (I am on the South Coast) I'd go and do a weeks shop for you and the kids. I hope you get this sorted out, and soon.

[rebel11]

Hi Dark

 

Which area do you live in?

 

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/stuart.blackstock/funding/trust-funds-table.htm

 

There are probably other ones, which are not listed.

[MIKEY DABODEE]

why are you only getting £11 child tax credits for two children?

Have you phoned up HMRC and see if they can sort this out, I know it will not be today

also what about working tax credits

 

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/TaxCredits/index.htm

 

What is a one stop shop and why would they advise you to go to the police?

I know you would have to pay it back a crisis loan but you could have some money today....

 

Also is your wifes SMP due to run out if the babies are six months?

You should get a claim in for ESA IB again, please dont leave yourself without any money

[LaughingGirl]

why are you only getting £11 child tax credits for two children?

Have you phoned up HMRC and see if they can sort this out, I know it will not be today

also what about working tax credits

 

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/TaxCredits/index.htm

 

What is a one stop shop and why would they advise you to go to the police?

I know you would have to pay it back a crisis loan but you could have some money today....

 

Also is your wifes SMP due to run out if the babies are six months?

You should get a claim in for ESA IB again, please dont leave yourself without any money

 

We have them here too...it's usually a council building where you can go to sort out multiple benefits issues without having to traipse around the city centre.

[assisted blonde]

Just a suggestion if you buy some terry nappies it will save a fortune in disposables.

[ErikaPNP]

You don't need to wait for a review pack for tax credit for them to make an adjustment to your current award. As Mikey says, you should be receiving a lot more than £11 per week, based on the information you have given. They disregard the first £100 per week of SMP and you are not earning so you should be gettting a lot more than that. They are open up to 8pm on weekdays - give them a ring and explain that your wife is on SMP and ask for a recalculation of your award. You will need her estimated income details for the tax year. You should also be getting child benefit. If not, do apply for this.

 

You mention Wadebridge is too far, are you in Cornwall? If so, there are a variety of foodbanks right across Cornwall. Click here and scroll down to find one

 

The very last option, which a lot of people don't like to consider but who may be able to help, are Social Work. Some Social Work departments do have funds allocated for families with young children in immediate crisis, where no other option is available to them.

[Gbarbm]

Is your wife in a union where she works? Sometimes they have a benevolent fund which can give you money for emergency situations that you don't need to pay back

[DIZZYHENRY]

I wonder if there are any charities that help because you have twins ? Really sorry to hear your troubles. Can you get some help with your water bills/utilities - as you are both off work - might be worth asking your utility companies if they can reduce your costs that way.

[DIZZYHENRY]

Also (my eldest is 20 now so it is a long time ago) my health centre did offer cheaper baby formula if you were in receipt of benefits - might be worth talking to your health visitor?? Good luck.

[Nystagmite]

I thought every child was entitled to their own room, even if same sex, in regards to housing benefit? When did that change? I know it used to be a shared bedroom for same sex children in regards to council homes.

 

It's now 2 children of a different gender share up until 10 and 2 children of the same sex share up until 16.

[Gbarbm]

I wonder if there are any charities that help because you have twins ? Really sorry to hear your troubles. Can you get some help with your water bills/utilities - as you are both off work - might be worth asking your utility companies if they can reduce your costs that way.

 

Good point; google TAMBA (twins and multiple births association) to see if they can offer any advice/assistance.

[Kitten1]

My god! This is appalling! Where do you live? I'd happily order you some food etc from Tesco or Asda and get it delivered to your house!

 

It's disgusting that you are left in this situation!