Longterm unemployed and I love it

[FraidyCat]

Originally Posted by Change

I paid £250 outright for it and I pay less than a tenner per month on a sim only deal.

£250 is pretty extravagant in my book, i have never paid more than £150 for a phone.

[sophie123]

I don't care about having the latest phone either I have iPhone 4,5 and 6 all of my sons old contract ones but they do me as long as I can phone and text and if one breaks I can use one of the other ones.

[gregarious_introvert]

My benefits (ESA + PIP) equate to around £300 per week, with my rent already covered by housing benefit and relieve on council tax meaning I pay around £80 per year, so I would need to earn not far short of £30k pa gross to enjoy the same standard of living (my rent, if I were paying it myself, would be £86pw). My energy direct debit is £17pm with £140 warm home payment each winter (this year, I got most of that refunded to me as the DD already covers the bills); water is around £10pm and my mobile contract is £8.30pm over two years, with which I'm supplied a Samsung J3 - although I also have landline and broadband for £18.95pm.

I'm not much of a drinker although I've recently started smoking again (mostly at £2-4 per packet bought on my travels - I'm currently on Thai cigs at £1.50) but am planning to stop when back home (last time I tried, my partner didn't stop and I ended up stealing hers!). If I eat out, it's usually a pub special offer or meerkat meals. My only other expenses are my car (bought for £390, tax £16pm, insurance £180pa), meetup subscription (£140pa approx), travel insurance (£61pa for a worldwide Premium Plus policy) and hire car excess insurance (£58pa worldwide). I don't have any TV subscription as I barely get time to watch and I'm happy with Freeview, I buy clothes at Primark and my weekly food shop is usually less than £10, unless I'm cooking a special meal for my partner - so all in all, I don't think my existence is too miserable at all.

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[Copernicium]

Originally Posted by gregarious_introvert

My benefits (ESA + PIP) equate to around £300 per week, with my rent already covered by housing benefit and relieve on council tax meaning I pay around £80 per year, so I would need to earn not far short of £30k pa gross to enjoy the same standard of living (my rent, if I were paying it myself, would be £86pw).

You are aware that the average national income is less than £30K I suppose.

I could quibble with your calculations but the fact that you think you get more on benefits than the average person in the UK earns might get a mixed reaction.

[Indigo_]

^ I must say, I did raise my eyebrows at that. I work 37.5 hours per week and earn no where near £300 per week.

[gregarious_introvert]

^ & ^^ I don't actually set the amount of benefit which I'm awarded, that's set by the Government. I was merely demonstrating that living on benefits doesn't have to equate to a miserable life - at least, not if one qualifies for higher-rate PIP and isn't on Universal Credit.

The calculation of £30k pa is based on the fact that I would be taxed on that income, plus there are other expenses I don't have, such as travelling to work etc. Of course, PIP isn't means tested so I would still receive that if I were working. The actual amount of ESA I receive is just above £190pw and that, along with my housing benefit, is what I would forfeit by returning to the workplace.

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[FraidyCat]

Originally Posted by gregarious_introvert

not if one qualifies for higher-rate PIP and isn't on Universal Credit.

Is everyone going to move onto Universal Credit at some point?
How would that effect how much you get?

[Mr. Nobody]

Originally Posted by Indigo_

^ I must say, I did raise my eyebrows at that. I work 37.5 hours per week and earn no where near £300 per week.

Me too, ..I earn less than that working full-time in quite a responsible stressful job, plus, I need to pay mortgage and all bills from that,...

£300 a week sounds a bit excessive tbh considering you're not physically disabled nor have children or spouse as dependants.

The world is messed up man
I guess I'm glad people are doing okay on benefits, but it somehow makes me wonder why I'm struggling on in full-time work just managing to get by but being stressed at work all the time and basically being an outcast simply by being 'on the spectrum '
Guess I'm fecked no matter what.

[Dougella]

To put things in to context a bit it's important to remember that the benefits cap is now set at £20,000 a year per household (this doesn't include PIP as it's not means tested). Living in social housing keeps costs down considerably, as I said earlier housing benefit is set lower than market rents so it's not at all unusual for people like me to need to pay £100 a month from their other benefits to cover the shortfall. We also pay some council tax although a lot of it is covered. If you're able to keep your utility bills very low that helps a lot but that involves searching for the best deals and if you're on a prepay meter it costs more usually.

I don't think it's wrong that you G_I are paid what you are, I want people with serious conditions to be looked after. Unfortunately on Universal Credit people are getting quite a bit less so that's going to cause some people more hardship when everyone is moved over.

[Dougella]

Originally Posted by Melangell

I wish I had claimed PIP years ago, when I was diagnosed with asd it was mentioned, but at the time I didn't want to be reliant on benefits and I didn't want to tell family about my diagnosis or that I was dependent on the state.
I genuinely struggle to work, along with asd and social anxiety I have arthritis in my spine, which is getting worse. Most days at the moment I am struggling to stand up straight or walk, just normal movement is extremely painful. I barely earn enough to call myself employed, I earn a pitiful amount... Not helped by choosing to work on supply, so I get no paid holidays/sick pay or even paid meal breaks.
I think the time has come where I am genuinely too broken to work, but judging by what I have read about the current changes to the benefit system, it seems like it would be impossible to claim anything these days.

So yeh, wish I had claimed years ago

If you go to somewhere like Citizens Advice or possibly the National Autistic society they should be able to give you advice on how to claim and go through everything with you. Like you say you have genuine reasons to claim so it's definitely worth a try! Also it's not means tested, it can be paid to you whether you're working or not and it doesn't matter how much your husband earns etc.

[Dougella]

^ Aw I know, that's why a lot of people need help from charity organizations etc to claim. I've not claimed PIP but I assume that the initial phonecall is just to take some basic information and send you out the forms you need to fill in.

[sophie123]

Originally Posted by Melangell

I don't know Dougella, I know my issues are genuine, I just don't know if I am up to fighting my corner. I have had a look at claiming PIP and I know that due to my asd/social anxiety I could possibly claim due to problems with social contact and communication...
But then the initial claim needs to be done by phone, which instantly puts me off! Seems that you need to be a bit hard faced to get stuff you're entitled to.

It doesn't need to be done by phone you can request a claim form in the post but honestly the phone call is nothing when I finally worked myself up to do it it was easy but then I lost my bottle and didn't fill in the form lol.They didn't even ask me about my condition they just asked official stuff like your doctors address and if you have been out of the country and take your bank details.

[sophie123]

Just going for the f2f when I had my esa f2f the so called nurse lied through her teeth and tried to close my claim but the decision maker overturned it so just the stress of it really but as you have ASD you have a more severe problem than me and my nephew got pip for ASD without even needing a f2f first time he applied so you have a better chance of getting it than I do.

[Dougella]

^^ That's a good point about the face to face assessments, it's important to have someone supportive with you, either a family member, a friend or an advocate or support worker, so that you have support firstly but also so that someone else is there to witness what happens. But like you say PIP doesn't always require a face to face assessment, sometimes evidence from doctors etc is enough.

[edbander]

cripes. I will read the whole thread...probably.

re opening post. not totally sure about that... life has not been better when I've been out of work.

[far north]

Originally Posted by gregarious_introvert

My benefits (ESA + PIP) equate to around £300 per week, with my rent already covered by housing benefit and relieve on council tax meaning I pay around £80 per year, so I would need to earn not far short of £30k pa gross to enjoy the same standard of living (my rent, if I were paying it myself, would be £86pw). My energy direct debit is £17pm with £140 warm home payment each winter (this year, I got most of that refunded to me as the DD already covers the bills); water is around £10pm and my mobile contract is £8.30pm over two years, with which I'm supplied a Samsung J3 - although I also have landline and broadband for £18.95pm.

I'm not much of a drinker although I've recently started smoking again (mostly at £2-4 per packet bought on my travels - I'm currently on Thai cigs at £1.50) but am planning to stop when back home (last time I tried, my partner didn't stop and I ended up stealing hers!). If I eat out, it's usually a pub special offer or meerkat meals. My only other expenses are my car (bought for £390, tax £16pm, insurance £180pa), meetup subscription (£140pa approx), travel insurance (£61pa for a worldwide Premium Plus policy) and hire car excess insurance (£58pa worldwide). I don't have any TV subscription as I barely get time to watch and I'm happy with Freeview, I buy clothes at Primark and my weekly food shop is usually less than £10, unless I'm cooking a special meal for my partner - so all in all, I don't think my existence is too miserable at all.

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Really? Ive never heard of any (single person without children) getting £300 per week (or anything like that).

I always thought that ESA was limited to around £100-£125 per week and DLA/PIP was anything from £25-80 on top of that? And I also thought that Full Rent Rebates were limited to folk getting less than £165 per week?

If you dont mind me asking how is the £300 per week broken down? i.e. how much is ESA and how much is PIP? And are you including the Rent Rebate as part of the £300 or would that be in addition to the £300?

Sorry for all the questions Gregarious, but Ive just never heard of payments as "high" as youve mentioned, and am slightly puzzled at the amounts. Are you sure your calculations are completely accurate?

[Indigo_]

Originally Posted by Melangell

Yep, working full time I earn just under £240 per week,,
Though I rarely manage those hours,and having no holiday/sick pay means if I don't work I don't earn anything at all.
I have chosen that kind of work, because my health issues mean I can't hold down a permanent job, but I know there's lots of young people struggling on these kinds of rubbishy contracts because it's all they can find

I earn £225 per week currently, £900 per month. Our rent is £550 pcm and our bills (not including rent) are easily over £800 pm.

[Dougella]

^ £800 a month for bills, wow.

[gregarious_introvert]

^ Yes, my calculations are accurate. I receive £382.90 ESA fortnightly, which equates to £191.45pw. I don't remember the exact figures, but it's about £125pw for being in the "support group" of ESA, the remainder is the "severe disability" supplement for being on higher rate PIP (in one of two elements). The PIP is higher rate daily living allowance (the part which applies most to those with mental issues) and low rate mobility - totalling £433 paid four-weekly. Again, I don't have the exact breakdown, but I know the mobility element is less than £25pw, which means the daily living element is around £84pw.

My rent is £86pw, which may sound cheap to Londoners but is actually more than an equivalent property rented privately; the cap here for a single person is £75pw (and when I rented privately, I had to top up my rent), but the cap doesn't apply to those in social housing, unless they have more than one bedroom.

I was only awarded the higher rate daily element in December 2017 - before that, my PIP was around £23pw (the minimum award possible) and ESA £122ish (as I didn't qualify for the severe disability payment). Incidentally, new PIP claimants in Universal Credit areas wouldn't qualify for that, as it has been removed from UC - but those who are already on higher rate PIP and get moved to UC would receive it for an interim period, although it would not be subject to annual increases.

As has been said already, PIP can be claimed whether one is working or not, is not means-tested or taxable; if anyone has a diagnosis of ASC (or ASD), it is highly likely that they would qualify for PIP, although at what rate it's impossible to say. I can tell you that all the diagnosed autistic people I know in my local area receive higher rate in both elements - except myself, that is! Having said that, my next assessment is due in June next year and there are no guarantees that I'll receive anything after that, especially as the social worker who supported my last application has been moved to another job. I can't get a GP as none locally will take someone already diagnosed with ASC.

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[sophie123]

Esa pip and SDP can amount to £300 a week you need to meet extra criteria to get SDP on top though and the benefit cap doesn't apply to people in esa support group either.

[sillypenguin]

I'm working part time just now but really want to work full time after my studies end (around May time). However despite this, my brain still wants to sabotage every opportunity I get of achieving this. I was at an interview very recently and the job and company sound good. But, all i kept thinking about is how mentally exhausted I'd be working full time and also if include travel time, that's 40-50 hours out of the house every week which my lack of sleep cant deal with. I know this is probably normal for most folk but it's like I have to put down EVERYTHING even though i don't even have the job offer (yet)...

Honestly it's a company i actually WANT to work for, i never get chances to work in places I want to work just places i have to work. Why can't my stupid brain just be feckin happy and stop screaming negativity at me

[gregarious_introvert]

My post above needs more ^ as it was in response to far north's questions, however I can't edit on Tapatalk and others posted while I was responding. Sorry

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[edbander]

as far as I know, basic ESA (used to be incapacity benefit) is £70/week, if you're in the support group, it goes to about £125/week

[Dougella]

^^ Your overall income makes a lot more sense now from your explanation, it's higher rate PIP and the Severe Disability Premium that make the difference.


^ Yes those are about the rates that most people get on ESA.

[gregarious_introvert]

^^ The disability premium on ESA only applies when someone receives higher rate PIP in either the daily living or mobility element (or both); when my PIP was reassessed (without a face-to-face interview), I wasn't aware that existed and wasn't expecting to receive it until the amount paid to my bank increased.

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[sophie123]

Originally Posted by gregarious_introvert

^^ The disability premium on ESA only applies when someone receives higher rate PIP in either the daily living or mobility element (or both); when my PIP was reassessed (without a face-to-face interview), I wasn't aware that existed and wasn't expecting to receive it until the amount paid to my bank increased.

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There is extra criteria to meet though people don't just get it when they get esa and higher pip.

[gregarious_introvert]

^ Sorry, I wasn't aware of the extra criteria, that isn't how it was explained to me by the DWP.

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[sophie123]

Originally Posted by gregarious_introvert

^ Sorry, I wasn't aware of the extra criteria, that isn't how it was explained to me by the DWP.

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You get it if you live alone and nobody claims carer's for you or if you live with another adult who also claims pip you can get it as long as no-one claims carer's for you,I'm not sure if that person needs to be your partner or just another family member I'm sure someone else on here will know.

[far north]

Originally Posted by gregarious_introvert

^ Yes, my calculations are accurate. I receive £382.90 ESA fortnightly, which equates to £191.45pw. I don't remember the exact figures, but it's about £125pw for being in the "support group" of ESA, the remainder is the "severe disability" supplement for being on higher rate PIP (in one of two elements). The PIP is higher rate daily living allowance (the part which applies most to those with mental issues) and low rate mobility - totalling £433 paid four-weekly. Again, I don't have the exact breakdown, but I know the mobility element is less than £25pw, which means the daily living element is around £84pw.

My rent is £86pw, which may sound cheap to Londoners but is actually more than an equivalent property rented privately; the cap here for a single person is £75pw (and when I rented privately, I had to top up my rent), but the cap doesn't apply to those in social housing, unless they have more than one bedroom.

I was only awarded the higher rate daily element in December 2017 - before that, my PIP was around £23pw (the minimum award possible) and ESA £122ish (as I didn't qualify for the severe disability payment). Incidentally, new PIP claimants in Universal Credit areas wouldn't qualify for that, as it has been removed from UC - but those who are already on higher rate PIP and get moved to UC would receive it for an interim period, although it would not be subject to annual increases.

As has been said already, PIP can be claimed whether one is working or not, is not means-tested or taxable; if anyone has a diagnosis of ASC (or ASD), it is highly likely that they would qualify for PIP, although at what rate it's impossible to say. I can tell you that all the diagnosed autistic people I know in my local area receive higher rate in both elements - except myself, that is! Having said that, my next assessment is due in June next year and there are no guarantees that I'll receive anything after that, especially as the social worker who supported my last application has been moved to another job. I can't get a GP as none locally will take someone already diagnosed with ASC.

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Ok, clearly youre Health Issues are quite severe Gregarious, and thats why youve qualified for this sum of Social Security. Obviously its a fiendishly complex (and often unfair and nasty) system to navigate, so well done for managing to claim all that youre legally entitled to

[far north]

Originally Posted by sophie123

Just going for the f2f when I had my esa f2f the so called nurse lied through her teeth and tried to close my claim but the decision maker overturned it so just the stress of it really but as you have ASD you have a more severe problem than me and my nephew got pip for ASD without even needing a f2f first time he applied so you have a better chance of getting it than I do.

I dont know how this sort of thing is allowed frankly (the lying I mean) and it seems to be quite widespread

I actually know someone who works as an advisor at a Disability Help Charity and has seen first hand an instance of these "assessors" blatantly lying during one of these assessments.

She reported what happened but nothing at all was done apparently!!!

The DWP seem to be pretty much a law onto themselves nowadays