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Help/Advice and qualifying for benefits

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  • January 4, 2013 at 4:57 pm #74699
    Help/Advice and qualifying for benefits

    Hello Everyone!

    I’m new here, so not sure if this has already been mentioned in another post somewhere. Sorry if it has! Just really looking for a bit of advice :-)

    I am 27 years old and have Limb Girdle MD and have been completely wheelchair bound for 15 years or so. I work full time at the moment, but due to health reasons (not got the stamina anymore and get very tired working 8 hr days) I am looking to reduce my working hours to 16 hours a week. I currently get DLA and tax credits.

    I’m not sure actually how much my wage will be every month once I start working my new hours, but I know that it will be a lot less than what I currently receive. I also realise that my tax credits will be affected. I’m quite concerned about how I am going to manage financially, I think I am going to be a lot worse off. Can anyone give me any advice if they have been in a similar situation or know of any extra help/benefits etc that I may qualify for? I pay my rent, council tax and all my bills myself, so thats my main concern.

    Would be great if anyone could help and stop me worrying :-)

    Thanks
    snugglebun

    Anonymous
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    January 4, 2013 at 8:22 pm #87725
    Re: Help/Advice and qualifying for benefits

    hi snuggle. on your tax credits award letter, it should say that you have to inform them of any change in circumstances. that does mean if your wages go up or down. this means that if your wages increase, your tax credits are reduced. if however your wages are reduced then your tax credits should increase. as for your rent and council tax. you can always claim housing benifit and council tax benifit. if your already claiming these, then inform them of a change in circumstances and your benifits should increase.
    last of all. stop panicing. :)

    stefan

    littlestef
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    January 4, 2013 at 10:10 pm #87726
    Re: Help/Advice and qualifying for benefits

    Once you know roughly what your earning you can then star a claim for housing & council tax benefit my oulook is you don’t ask you don’t get..

    As for tax credits there’s a nifty little calculator on the Gov.uk site, I’ve put the link below for you

    Tax credits calculator

    If you are still worried you can always contact your local CAB who will be able to offer benefits advice

    Vicki
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    January 5, 2013 at 7:25 pm #87722
    Re: Help/Advice and qualifying for benefits

    Thanks Vicki and Littlestef :-)

    Really appreciate your help. I don’t get housing benefit or council tax benefit so I’ve looked into that online, so hopefully that is something I qualify for. Also tried the tax credits calculator based on roughly what I think my earnings will be…so fingers crossed with that too.

    Thanks again and nice speaking to you both :-)

    Anonymous
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    January 5, 2013 at 11:20 pm #87723
    Re: Help/Advice and qualifying for benefits

    hey snuggle. your welcome. :D . thats what everbody is on here for. im sure at sometime, sombody will post and only you have the answers. :)

    stefan

    littlestef
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    January 7, 2013 at 3:25 pm #87724
    Re: Help/Advice and qualifying for benefits

    @snugglebun123 wrote:

    Thanks Vicki and Littlestef :-)

    Really appreciate your help. I don’t get housing benefit or council tax benefit so I’ve looked into that online, so hopefully that is something I qualify for. Also tried the tax credits calculator based on roughly what I think my earnings will be…so fingers crossed with that too.

    Thanks again and nice speaking to you both :-)

    Unless they have changed the online calculator thingy for tax credits … took me ages to work out the figure it was giving me as my entitlement was for the remainder of the tax year and not for the whole of the tax year. But this was a coule of years ago when I was trying to assist a family member in this sort of thing.

    I'm always the animal, my body's the cage

    I blog about nothingness www.amgroves.com

    AM
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