LilMissHissyFit
Disturbed in a pink bra
Request posted in feedback just to back Mrs M an all that 
Benefit Advice
- Thread starter Mrs Magpie
- Start date
Psychonaut
Well-Known Member
Mrs Magpie said:
DLA often takes a few attempts and if you dont present your case in exactly the right way, youve already lost. Often people dont realise the level of disability you have is completely irrelevant, its whether you would benefit having someone to help with personal care or getting out and about, and for how many hours a week. For instance a heart problem might make it dangerous/difficult to carry heavy shopping about - if so, you would have to write something like;
'sometimes when i buy or carry heavy shopping home i feel pains in my heart. I worry that i may have a cardiac arrest and become exteremly anxious and start to panic. I worry what will happen to my baby if i collapse. It can take many hours to complete the journey as i keep having to take breaks until i feel recovered. having someone to help for 2 hours twice a week would help me'
.... but i agree it sounds like it might be a long shot in this case.
Its well worth trying to register disabled, just to get the freedom pass. Im not sure if DLA is necessary, an income support premium might do the trick.
so who knows. also heard of people who've been turned downpast caring
The Cathars were right
Various things......
Has she received/applied for the Sure Start Maternity Grant? Worth £300 and she'll automatically qualify if on IS and the parent of a new-born. Only thing is there is an absolute three month time limit for applying for this, that runs from the date of birth. At twelve weeks, she's on the borderline or thereabouts, so this one needs to get sorted now......
There is a reduction in the amount of IS paid to claimants under the age of 18 - which would explain the £44 p/w IS (actual rate is £44.50). However, if you are 18 or over and are a single parent the proper rate is £56.20 - so this is definitely wrong. Has she informed IS about the birth yet? They'll need to see proof of parenthood - and whilst they prefer this to be in the form of your receiving Child Benefit, they should accept a copy of the birth certificate plus proof that she's applied for CB.
Additions for having a child are no longer paid by IS. As mentioned previously, she'll be entitled to Child Tax Credit - though again, they'll want to see proof of parenthood.
I doubt that a DLA application is a runner from what Mrs M has said - at least at this stage. There may be other possibilities/avenues though.
Mrs M - I've PMed you.
Has she received/applied for the Sure Start Maternity Grant? Worth £300 and she'll automatically qualify if on IS and the parent of a new-born. Only thing is there is an absolute three month time limit for applying for this, that runs from the date of birth. At twelve weeks, she's on the borderline or thereabouts, so this one needs to get sorted now......
There is a reduction in the amount of IS paid to claimants under the age of 18 - which would explain the £44 p/w IS (actual rate is £44.50). However, if you are 18 or over and are a single parent the proper rate is £56.20 - so this is definitely wrong. Has she informed IS about the birth yet? They'll need to see proof of parenthood - and whilst they prefer this to be in the form of your receiving Child Benefit, they should accept a copy of the birth certificate plus proof that she's applied for CB.
Additions for having a child are no longer paid by IS. As mentioned previously, she'll be entitled to Child Tax Credit - though again, they'll want to see proof of parenthood.
I doubt that a DLA application is a runner from what Mrs M has said - at least at this stage. There may be other possibilities/avenues though.
Mrs M - I've PMed you.
Mrs Magpie
On a bit of break...
Thank you so much....
ViolentPanda
Hardly getting over it.
Ms T said:
There's also "Centre 70" in Knight's Hill for benefits advice.
Mrs Magpie
On a bit of break...
Ooh thanks, I've had a very useful PM about an advice centre where I can get her an appointment...thank you all...we've gone from £44 + as yet unprocessed child benefit from when I first posted to what she's actually entitled to...
Mrs Magpie said:Ooh thanks, I've had a very useful PM about an advice centre where I can get her an appointment...thank you all...we've gone from £44 + as yet unprocessed child benefit from when I first posted to what she's actually entitled to...
In under four hours that ain't bad going
Yet another reminder of how worthwhile this site is. I'm fast becoming a big fan of Urban.
Mrs Magpie
On a bit of break...
I think that's what first attracted me to Urban, comstock...it started off with a visit after a chance remark by the landlady of the Albert and then a little while later a really important local campaign just emerged from the combined skills of people on the Brixton board and I just thought what an incredible local resource Urban was.
....it's evolved even further since then into something much bigger (now with added stain removal and knitting advice!) and sometimes the mods worry that we can't manage to keep it running smoothly and without mishap....
....it's evolved even further since then into something much bigger (now with added stain removal and knitting advice!) and sometimes the mods worry that we can't manage to keep it running smoothly and without mishap....
Paulie Tandoori
shut it you egg!
Just to highlight that there's also an organisation called One Parent Families who run various helplines and services for people in situations such as you describe - their website is here one parent families
Donna Ferentes
jubliado
Do Gingerbread still exist?
LilMissHissyFit
Disturbed in a pink bra
Yep they do
sheothebudworths
Up the bum - no babies!!!
The dss no longer issue milk tokens (it's done via the nhs now iirc), but her entitlement to child benefit and IS should, I think, mean she's automatically issued them (eventually).
It might be worth her while chasing that up though and if she's been receiving the wrong amount of benefits (and it's not been her error iyswim), she should write to the dss (or whoever is at fault) to compensate her, with a cheque for the amount she has lost so far.
I believe CTC can be back-dated too.
It might be worth her while chasing that up though and if she's been receiving the wrong amount of benefits (and it's not been her error iyswim), she should write to the dss (or whoever is at fault) to compensate her, with a cheque for the amount she has lost so far.
I believe CTC can be back-dated too.
sheothebudworths
Up the bum - no babies!!!
To summarise she should receive.....
Income support £56 odd a week
Child Benefit £17
Child tax credit £44-ish
milk tokens/free vitamins
Oh and the Sure start grant is actually for £500 (which, as past caring has already said, she should apply for ASAP to be within the three month deadline - although again, I'd fight that all the way if she has been advised incorrectly and does happen to be just past the 3 months
).
She should also get an extra £250 Child Trust Fund payment, on top of the standard £250 that every new parent gets.
The poor thing must be struggling like fuck on what she's getting now
- not at all what you need when you're adjusting to life with a new baby and especially not in her already difficult circumstances. 
she should receive.....Income support £56 odd a week
Child Benefit £17
Child tax credit £44-ish
milk tokens/free vitamins
Oh and the Sure start grant is actually for £500 (which, as past caring has already said, she should apply for ASAP to be within the three month deadline - although again, I'd fight that all the way if she has been advised incorrectly and does happen to be just past the 3 months
).She should also get an extra £250 Child Trust Fund payment, on top of the standard £250 that every new parent gets.
The poor thing must be struggling like fuck on what she's getting now
- not at all what you need when you're adjusting to life with a new baby and especially not in her already difficult circumstances.
sheothebudworths
Up the bum - no babies!!!
Oh and I think she must have been entitled to IS at the time she gave birth to be entitled to the sure start maternity grant.
I think she would be able to get help from sure start plus, I'm not entirely sure, but I know they can help with sorting out things like benefits/housing/parenting classes for teenage parents.
there is one based in lambeth, but so far haven't been able to find up to date info online, I'll try and get back to you.
there is one based in lambeth, but so far haven't been able to find up to date info online, I'll try and get back to you.
elvislives said:
I don't know about the other benefits, but it is always better to apply for HB throught the local authority. jobcentre plus can lose the paperwork.
also for each form handed in, make sure that a receipt (a stamped and dated photocopy of the front page) is given. insist for it.
