ESA/Benefit advice please.

kazb

Registered User
Aug 1, 2015
71
0
Hi All, going to get finished from my nursing job on ill health due to my Alzheimer's,i am 53.
Can you help me please.
I have worked all my life,so which ESA do i try to claim for as once i get finished i wont have any money.
Do i have to include any of my husbands details etc on the form if i am claiming for myself ??.
He is actually at his wits end with my disease and has distanced himself from me, so might be separating.
I think if he had to give his details he would just leave,as he is a private person and neither of us have ever claimed anything.
Like i really need all this added pain and stress:eek:
 

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
25,018
0
South coast
I have found claiming for ESA to be minefield as there are different groups depending on whether you are in the working group (they think you should be able to work with support) or the support group (they think you will not be able to wok at all) and whether you are in the contributions group (because you have paid NI). I think your husband would only be included if you are looking at extra support due to low income.

Like I said - its a minefield. I would recommend that you contact CAB, or AgeUK or similar who are usually knowledgeable about these things and can also help you fill in the form. I found CAB to be extremely helpful
 

Slugsta

Registered User
Aug 25, 2015
2,758
0
South coast of England
As you have been working (and paying NI I assume) for the past few years, you should be entitled to Contributory ESA. This does not take into account your assets or household income - at least for the first 365 days.
 

AlsoConfused

Registered User
Sep 17, 2010
1,952
0
kazb Is there any chance you could negotiate early retirement on health grounds with your employer please? This is a question you should ask CAB and the Royal College of Nursing.

You'll need to have to hand for CAB and the Royal College of Nursing:-

-any documentation you have concerning your terms and conditions of employment
- your employer's written information about the decision to end your employment due to your ill health
- the details of the length of your employment, etc

If you can get early retirement and a pension on health grounds that might well be psychologically easier and better financially for both you and your husband than trying to claim the benefits to which you're entitled from DWP.

I'm so sorry about the dreadful situation you find yourself in.
 

kazb

Registered User
Aug 1, 2015
71
0
crying

I actually cannot claim my pension from work as only been there for 4 years and i needed to have been there for 5 yrs to claim the pension.
Myself and husband have spoken when he got home from work as cannot cope with the tension and he said hes sorry, but will be moving back to his mums, if i claim benefits that they want his details. He doesnt have anything to hide as i have access to his Bank etc, hes just so quite and just doesnt believe he should have to give his details, when i have always worked since leaving school, got this awaful disease and now have to tell DWP all my buisness and he said worse still his as well.
not sure where i stand now, as he only earns 800 a month and i was the high earner. So we become destitute or we divorce.....
I am crying writting this as he has left and gone to his parents and said will only come back if i promise i wont give his details to anyone.:(
 

Slugsta

Registered User
Aug 25, 2015
2,758
0
South coast of England
Kaz, as I said, you should be able to claim Contributory ESA for at least the first 365 days. After that it would depend on which group of ESA you were allocated to. There is an assumption by DWP that partners will take care of each other if necessary. If hubby were to leave you, for whatever reason, he would probably have to pay you maintenance - so he might as well stay and get the benefit of your company!
 

kazb

Registered User
Aug 1, 2015
71
0
LOL, he said my company is nil now as cannot have a conversation with him anymore,or cook etc. He said he has lost his wife already. So sad, but thank you for all your kind help.I have actually told him to stay at his mums as its less stressfull to be honest.
We dont have any children so he wont have to pay me anything.xx
Thankyou for all your kind replies, i do appreciate it.
 

Sue J

Registered User
Dec 9, 2009
8,032
0
LOL, he said my company is nil now as cannot have a conversation with him anymore,or cook etc. He said he has lost his wife already. So sad, but thank you for all your kind help.I have actually told him to stay at his mums as its less stressfull to be honest.
We dont have any children so he wont have to pay me anything.xx
Thankyou for all your kind replies, i do appreciate it.

Dear kazb, it is less stressful being alone when you lose your ability to function as you once did. It is an enormous thing to cope with and deal with in yourself without dealing with other's reactions difficulties too. If I did not live alone don't know what might have happened by now!

Re. ESA, you should be able to apply in your own right for contribution based ESA as you have always worked and paid your own contributions. They may ask about your rent/mortgage outgoings if you apply for additional benefits but not sure why/if your husband would have to disclose his info. e.g. rent/mortgage is £400 for which you pay £200 each. The amount of ESA you get is based on your contributions but you should apply for the support group where you are not expected to get work.

If you can get a CAB advisor do.
Best wishes
Sue
 
Last edited:

AlsoConfused

Registered User
Sep 17, 2010
1,952
0
It's so sad you're having to cope with your own illness, financial worries and your husband's lack of support all at the same time.

Do you have any sensible, level-headed friends and family members who'd be good to talk to, to try to distract you from all the bad stuff for a bit? You've so much to cope with, it's not fair.
 

kazb

Registered User
Aug 1, 2015
71
0
Thank you

Hi All you kind people.
I have not slept at all last night.
Thankyou for all your kind support and help i do appreciate it. I have made a call to a local CAB and hoping they get back to me soon with an appointment.
Not spoke with husband since yesterday,to be honest i dont have the energy.
I dont have any friends to be honest and my parents passed away a few years ago.
But i have all you kind people on here with great help and support.:)
 

AlsoConfused

Registered User
Sep 17, 2010
1,952
0
TP members will do our best to provide help and support, I'm sure. So many of us have personal experience of living through very dark times and of being helped through them; it's always good to be able to do the same for someone else.

You'll have to think about how you can "coddle" yourself a bit to get through this.

Personally I always found that getting out of the house and going for a walk twice a day helped. There are usually gardens to enjoy, babies and toddlers fascinated with the world to see and acquaintances to exchange a casual greeting with.

I also planned a series of small, affordable treats to look forward to - in my case "real" coffee as opposed to instant, a bath instead of a shower, a visit to a garden centre (inexpensive because my garden hasn't any room for new plants) and so on.

What could you do in your life to make the present and future just a little more enjoyable and positive?
 

100 miles

Registered User
Apr 16, 2015
109
0
I am sorry to read about your troubles.

Have you worked for in the public sector eg NHS in the past? You may be able to take your pension early on grounds of ill health even if you aren't presently working for them. You will need evidence that you are retiring on grounds of ill health. Well worth seeking advice from CAB . I think public sector tend to be more flexible than private sector schemes. But there is no harm in talking to any organisation where you have a pension entitlement.

I wish you luck.
 

Chuggalug

Registered User
Mar 24, 2014
8,007
0
Norfolk
Haven't read the rest on here yet, but I did this only a few months ago. ESA is Employment and Support Allowance. There are two groups and two different claims. One is the Income-related group, and the other is the Contribution-based allowance.

I just applied for ESA as advised. At the time, I didn't even realise there were two different types to claim for. I was rejected for the National Insurance-based claim, and so now get the basic income-related benefit, with yet months to wait for a final assessment.

It does take ages for the claim to be finalised. I started my claim in June and am still waiting for my assessment, all this time later. They reckon it should take no more than 13 weeks, but it inevitably does for some of us. That's the only snag I've found to making a claim. The form filling is done over the phone. Some while later, there is a health questionnaire which must be filled in and sent back. I was advised to send all forms by recorded delivery. You also end up having to send in what they call Fit Notes from your GP to keep the claim you've made active whilst you await your health assessment.

Loads of good info online if you want any links.
 
Last edited:

Staff online

Forum statistics

Threads
138,149
Messages
1,993,454
Members
89,811
Latest member
robbertm