Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
#1
We received a letter today telling us that our Housing Benefit IS going to be cut by 14% in April and 25% if my 23yr old son leaves home in the future. It goes on to say that we will lose our home if we can't find the additional money to cover our rent.
Our options are as follows:_
1, Move to smaller property.
2, Find a job or bring more wages into the household.
3, Ask someone else living in the property to help me pay the rent.
4, Ask someone living outside the property to help me pay the rent.
5, Take in a Lodger.
6, Stay in property but not sure how I will pay the shortfall.
7, Cut down on my spending and find the extra money to pay my rent.
8 Other, please detail.
I visited Housing Benefit today, mainly because nowhere on this form or in the information letter does it mention disabled claimants or whether this affects disabled claimants.Except for where it states disabled who need a spare room for a carer who does not live with them, subject to change?
The first thing that the officer told us was not to shoot the messenger.
This government has decided that these new measures do not warrant differentiating abled and disabled, these cuts apply to all, en-bloc.
He went on to tell us that he could pre-empt all our questions, as he had already received the same questions from over 50 disabled claimants.
He had previously (yesterday) sort clarification from his bosses as to why there is no mention of disabled, believing that they were not included in these new reforms but he was informed that this government is making no distinctions, with no exemptions for the disabled.
After going through my options with him.
IE.
1, Do they have a smaller disabled adapted premises for us to move into?
Answer - NO
2, Provide us with a carer so I can return to work?
Answer - NO
3, My son is seeking work but un-employed and already paying what he can.
4, Who should I ask to help me pay my rent?
Answer - I don't know
5, Take in a lodger.
Answer- No you are a council tenant and cannot take in lodgers.
6, My only option.
7, Done that, got the tee-shirt.
8, Other-Rent & rates increased this year along with food, fuel, utilities and our entire cost of living.
No increase in pension, frozen for 3 years, probably none or very little increase in benefits and facing losing DLA under the present attack on the disabled.
Did he have any suggestions?
Answer - NO.
He then went to see if anything had change since yesterday and he came back saying that Disabled adapted house's would not be exempt but would be allowed to apply for exemption, after deductions had been made, subject to change.
I have to commend and thank the Benefits Officer that we spoke to, he was very helpful and polite, was straight forward and honest and is coping well with a difficult situation.
I certainly do not envy him or other benefits officer's in their work for the next couple of months.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,931
#2
What an awful situation to be in, you have my sympathy but that will not help. I can only suggest Charlie (our MP) or the CAB for help.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
#3
Start a blog. Publicise it and make sure Charlie sees it.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#4
totally out of order to target the disabled in this spending cut round, not sure who i feel most sympathy for the claimant or the poor devils who have to go into work every day and take the inevitable flak.
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#5
Must be better ways
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
#6
Jan.
Thanks but I can cope and will take this on with relish.
What worries me is the elderly and vulnerable that are going to read the same leaflet, same letter and be frightened stiff at what is going to happen to them in the future.
Most of these will not seek help; they will simply suffer it, in more ways than one.
They will pay their rent, before turning on the fire for warmth or open the fridge to feed themselves, for fear of losing their homes.
The truth is, there is no homes to move them to, there are hundreds of thousands of people on waiting lists for houses, so where will these council's house tenants who can't pay their rent?
Yes I am a woolly and want to rap them in cotton wool, that's me.
However, I would just settle for them to be treated better than they are by this lot.
.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#7
garyc
can see where your coming from
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
#8
To be fair and right. I should have said this one and all previous Govs.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Guest 745- Registered: 27 Mar 2012
- Posts: 3,370
#9
When I was paying a mortgage I had loggers for 10 years until my debt was paid of
You can earn £4000 a year tax's free on loggers
I don't know why council tenants should be stopped from having a logger ,
The money comes in Andy and gives people a roof over there heads ,sounds crazy to me
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#10
best not to expect much sympathy from our honourable member who is actively championing these benefit changes in the commons.
Guest 716- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 4,010
#11
Is this the way to run a Dance Hall ?.............
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#12
perhaps we should send this thread to charlie and ask for his comments?
Guest 716- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 4,010
#13
Good idea and mention the number of Food Banks increasing in Kent.......under Cameron`s Government .....
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#14
the food banks warrant another thread of there own
so just sticking to sending this to charlie
it would be interesting of his reply
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#15
this is only the start wait until "universal credit" takes hold, there will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
#16
"
Sheryll Murray (South East Cornwall, Conservative)
It is a pleasure to speak under your chairmanship, Mr Chope. I congratulate Ian Mearns on securing this debate.
It is important to discuss the Welfare Reform Act 2012, but a lot that has already been said in this debate makes for unhappy listening. The campaigns that exist about the effects of the Government's welfare reforms on disabled people have led to an outbreak of fear-mongering and panic. It was important to have this debate to put a balanced argument on the record, so that people understand that the Government are doing all they can for disabled people and their families in a harsh economic climate.
The recent Welfare Reform Act was an attempt to help disabled people and their families. I welcome the fact that, in recognition of the additional needs that disability brings, all households with somebody who is receiving disability living allowance or constant attendance allowance will be exempt from the cap."
"Kate Green (Stretford and Urmston, Labour)
It is not absolutely correct that all households with somebody in receipt of disability living allowance will be exempt. If there is an adult non-dependent child in receipt of DLA in the household, that exemption will not apply to the main household."
"
Sheryll Murray (South East Cornwall, Conservative)
The hon. Lady is obviously going along the fear-mongering route, and perhaps the Minister will address that. The exemption will be extended to include a person in receipt of a personal independence payment, which will replace DLA for individuals of working age from April 2013..."
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id=2012-12-18a.196.1
As the famous Conservative motto goes Gary..."Don't let the buggers get you down."
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
#17
I must correct a mistake that I have made.
I have been informed that we can take in a lodger; the council changed the rules on that some time ago.
However, if I took in a lodger and took rent off him/her, then that would be classed as income and we would lose our income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit.
Then we would lose our house, so where would the lodger live?
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
#18
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,931
#19
Simple Gary, keep quiet or say the lodger is a long lost relative or is another carer to give you some time off. I knew someone whose partner moved in to 'help look after' her epileptic son, I was told he also managed to claim carers allowance.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#20
gary
i believe it was the cobbled together people that changed the rules on lodgers, check thoroughly as i believe you are allowed to collect a certain amount of rent before you lose any benefits.
