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AIBU?

AIBU to cancel my benefits claim.

165 replies

Housingcraze · 14/07/2017 18:06

I have 45k in savings from several inheritances, and am out of work off ill, my partner has moved in with me to my home i own from an inheritance (no mortgage), and earns in excess of 30k a year roughly.

i applied for ESA for my national contributions to be paid, not expecting any money from it to today receiving a letter - to be paid 125.25 per week, which i was pretty shocked tbh, and feel a bit guilty in accepting the money, and even phoned informing them i have savings which im assuming i need to use firstly.

My partner disagrees and says i should openly accept the money and use it?

OP posts:
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Gooseygoosey12345 · 15/07/2017 10:21

Also, don't worry about people saying "oh how come you can claim but I can't". If you don't claim it doesn't mean they all of a sudden will be able to. No case is relevant to another! Is it unfair? Maybe. Is it your problem? No.
Those who are entitled can appeal, if you choose not to it's your own fault.

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RainbowsAndUnicorn · 15/07/2017 10:28

It wouldn't of even entered my head to claim on those figures, just because you may have worked a few years doesn't mean it's fine to take it out when you don't need it. We won't have a safety net soon because of the sense of entitlement amongst many and it being seen as the norm to take as much as possible from the state rather than take personal responsibility.

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alpacasandwich · 15/07/2017 10:29

I really dislike people who play a broken system for their own benefit.

It is no different to shoplifting through a window someone else has smashed.

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Babyroobs · 15/07/2017 10:38

All those of you saying you wouldn't claim. How far would you let your savings drop before you would? If you suddenly find yourself unable to work and yet you still have the same mortgage and bills to pay plus the additional costs that come with illness like paying for taxis because you can't walk far or drive or paying hospital parking for frequent trips to hospital .

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Babyroobs · 15/07/2017 10:40

Because I think if you don't claim contributions based Esa straight away then I'm not sure you can decide at a later point to claim it.

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alpacasandwich · 15/07/2017 10:41

Baby you are changing the rules there. Many have said they would claim just out of pure ability to claim, despite not needing it. That is what is objectionable.

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Babyroobs · 15/07/2017 10:45

How do you know at what point you are going to need it though? No one knows how long they are going to be unable to work for.

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Migraleve · 15/07/2017 10:49

And 45k is sod all these days, it really isn't a lot. You could live off that for day to day stuff but then what ??

Did you miss the part where there is a 30k household income?

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Migraleve · 15/07/2017 10:50

It absolutely beggars belief that you can have a household income of £30k, £45k in the bank and be entitled to £125 a week when other poster have an income of zero. Something is fucked up in this country.

Could not agree more with this.

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user1490465531 · 15/07/2017 10:57

Let's be honest if it wasn't going to op it would just be given to some immigrant family with six kids so why shouldn't op take it?
This country supports all the wrong people anyway so I wouldn't feel guilty.

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Babyroobs · 15/07/2017 10:59

A £30k income doesn't go far either in some parts of the country especially if like I said previously you have the additional costs of having a poorly person in the house. And why should people who have always earned independently suddenly have to become financially dependent on a partner?

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Babyroobs · 15/07/2017 11:03

User - that is exactly true. In the past few weeks in my job I have had dealings with a family who have come from Somalia with eight kids, got asylum in The Netherlands for a few years then came to the UK and were immediately able to claim hundreds a month in benefits with one parent working on a low income. I have also recently had a couple who all their life in an African country, were sponsored by their son to come and live here when they were in their seventies, then came into my clinic distraught that they couldn't claim disability benefits when they had never worked a day in the Uk or paid a penny in NI contributions. Now that is bloody entitled not someone who has worked most of their life !!

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Huffletuff · 15/07/2017 11:06

I've always worked independently and now have to be reliant on a partner on an 18k income. How is that fair?

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Babyroobs · 15/07/2017 11:08

User- I think people think it is Daily Mail fabrication when they read about these huge immigrant families getting all these benefits and I used to think that way too until I now see with my own eyes on a daily basis .

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Babyroobs · 15/07/2017 11:12

Huffletuff- Why is it that you can't get ESA? Sorry if you've already mentioned the reason. Hopefully you will win the appeal for Pip,many decisions at overturned at tribunal. if youcan be awarded PIp it opens up entitlement to other benefits. Hope things work out for you.

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user1490465531 · 15/07/2017 11:15

Babyroobs I've seen this happen myself however some people like to deny this is happening but it happens a lot people coming here never paying a penny into the system yet seem to be experts on the benifit system and what they can claim for.

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Bombardier25966 · 15/07/2017 11:22

I got a friend whose daughter, has never worked always been on support group ESA/incapacity, she around 24/25 and she has in excess of 100k savings and still gets full ESA and housing benefit. so maybe it is the case???

There's something wrong here. The daughter may be entitled to conts based ESA under the youth roles, which were abolished in 2012 so it depends when she first claimed. However housing benefit would still be means tested, you could not have an entitlement with £100K. Perhaps they're hiding the money in someone else's name?

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Bombardier25966 · 15/07/2017 11:24

User- I think people think it is Daily Mail fabrication when they read about these huge immigrant families getting all these benefits and I used to think that way too until I now see with my own eyes on a daily basis .

Such families would not pass the Habitual Residence Test if they have only just arrived. Therefore they are either claiming fraudulently (in which case you should report them) or there are facts that you are not aware of.

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Babyroobs · 15/07/2017 11:24

User- I've been totally shocked the past few weeks ( maybe I previously led a sheltered life!). I was a firm remainer in the Brexit vote but regret my vote now ( not that it mattered).
And yes like you say they always know their exact entitlement, they quibble down to the last penny, they try to squeeze every last penny out of the benefit system as well as everything it costs in health care and schooling. I had one the other day who was distraught she couldn't apply for Pip because she had only been in the Uk a year.

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TreacleMineRoad · 15/07/2017 11:26

Babyroobs Better to claim it and give to a foodbank or shelter or or any other charity helping the poorest in society.

^This.

Migraleve When the pot is running low the benefits will start getting cut.

It doesn't work like that. The benefits get cut when the government manage to convince people claimants are undeserving.
Plenty of people already do not claim what they are entitled to - benefits have still been cut. If it was just about money they'd crack down on error in the system which loses as much money as fraud - but they don't. It's ideologically driven, not an actual sensible way of working out a fair system.

This thread is so depressing. Most people can't claim with money in the bank! An awful lot of disabled people can't claim at all because the assessments are inadequate. There is now a big divide between those who can be comfortable on benefits and those who are totally destitute because they didn't reach the high bar for claiming. So you can all point the finger and imagine loads of people have thousands in the bank and are milking the system, justifying further cuts to benefits which push some more to destitution/suicide but don't affect those with money!

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Babyroobs · 15/07/2017 11:27

Bombardier- these families come from other European countries and after 3 months they are entitled to benefits. Or maybe it make a difference if they were asylum seekers and gained asylum in another EU country ?? They are definitely not claiming fraudulently. Sorry but if they were granted asylum in another Eu country then they should not be allowed to just come here after a few years there and claim benefits.

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Babyroobs · 15/07/2017 11:33

treacle - Excellent post. there is such a divide between disabled people who can get DLA/ Pip and those who can't, or as you say didn't reach the high bar. The non means tested disability benefits when awarded open up so much more ( council tax reduction, disability premiums, premiums on tax credits etc). I see a lot of people in my line of work who have to stop working because of cancer treatment. They are not poorly enough to get non means tested disability benefits and are forced to survive on £100 a week. At a time they are literally fighting for their lives they are worrying about losing their home also. You are in the worst possible position benefit wise if you get ill , have no dependent kids and no partner and have a mortgage to pay . It's thoroughly disgusting.

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lovemycatsanddog · 15/07/2017 11:39

I also know someone who has a son who is analcoholic and drug user, yes he not a well man now ,[young man 23] but gets over £200 per week, plus full rent paid, hardly ever worked, but my son has always worked, never claimed before,does not get full housing benefit, and suffers with depression now too
£45,000 might not be a huge amount these days, but it would be to someone with nothing
All wrong,

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Babyroobs · 15/07/2017 11:39

Someone living alone on basic ESA could get about £102 a week. If awarded PIp highest rates this would triple to £310 a week with severe disability premiums without even taking into account further help towards rent and council tax. Yet it is so hard to get PIp. I deal with a lot of people appealing their decisions and there seems to be no logic as to who gets awarded it and who gets turned down. It is thoroughly depressing.

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lovemycatsanddog · 15/07/2017 11:41

I meant to add, not only does ESA stop, but no warning either, just stops

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