I have just come off the phone from speaking to Jobseeker's information and feel sick...
I am trying to get back to some sort of normality and desperatley need to get back into work. I can't go back to what I was doing before diagnosis because of the lymphoedema in my right foot/lower leg. I WAS standing for 7 hours a day but not able to now. My SSP ran out the middle of February and I have been living on my credit card/overdraft while applying for Jobseeker's Allowance. I applied 27th Feb, have been to two interviews and signed on three times but not received a penny yet. As money is now dire I rang today to find out why I haven't received anything and was told that a decision has been made and as I have an 'interest' in a house in another county I have been turned down!!! I can't bekieve it.... The house is the marital home that I left nearly three years ago. My estranged husband still lives there and is reluctant to sell. He's not being selfish but has suffered with depression over the years and the house is his security blanket and I'm not going to force him out. We have a friendly relationship for the sake of our daughters and he has helped out financially when he can but not on a regular basis as he is not in a well-paid job and when I left he took over all the mortgage etc.
I could understand if the house was sold and I had money in my account BUT I haven't. I can't understand how in this day and age in a 'civilised' country that people can be left in such an awful situation. Even if the house was up for sale there's no guarantee that it would sell quickly, if at all in this economic climate so what am I expected to live on until then??? I know a lady who was made reduntant, had her own home AND had £60,000 redundancy payout and STILL was able to claim JA. Where's the logic in that?
I'm sorry to go on but this has come as a terrible shock and I feel sick. I just don't know where to turn next.
Some good news in all this though, I have an interview on the 28th for Cancer Information and Support Assistant at the new Cancer Centre opening next month so fingers crossed.
Take care
pheonix xxx
FormerMember
I totally understand where you are coming from it seems that there is no help for people who are genuinely trying to find work etc but the ones who have never worked a day in their life seem to get everything handed to them on a plate!
I think you should go to your local advice shop they are really helpful there&will be able to fight your corner.
Appeal that decision and make it plain that your ex lives in the property and tell them you probably mislead them with the information you gave. Tell them its your husband's home and he has no intention of selling it and you cannot force him as it's his familys home. I think you have a strong case here , so ring them and ask for their appeals procedure. It's outrageous! Ask them about supplementary benefits as well as JA
Sorry to hear the trouble you are having. We live in Wales and have Cancer Care Cymru to turn to for adivce and info. Do you have anything like this in your area [I am presuming you live in England or Scotland]. Try giving them ours a ring to ask them if there is an English Cancer Care. 02920 546670 or look at their website www.cancercarecymru.org. The lady that Peter has been dealing with regarding blue badge and DLA fills in the forms for us. Having said that......he has not received anything back as yet! Good luck with your quest.
hi pheonix ,i had the same problem it took them four months to sort out mine even though at the time i had three depentant chidren[long story] at christmas i asked for a crisis loan & thought they may give me a couple of hundred to get through that period & the new year .huh the first offer was £9 the second was £33.53 the woman said which one would you like i thought she was joking because there was no way i would get any money from them untill the new year she wasnt joking & i had to take the £33.53 .to be paid back at £6 a week. my money still hadnt been sorted then i got a letter from social fund saying i hadnt paid any money back so they were taking me to court,so had to ring them & explain the situation. i agree you need to appeal the descion tell them every thing . i would also mention that you have been fighting cancer because in the end it was that ,that got mine sorted i ended up speaking to a nice lady who put herself out to get it all sorted .do you get DLA? if not look in to it because you could be entilted with the lymphodema if you get turned down try again & get the advice centre to fill in the forms for you or your oncologist i was turned down twice but my oncologist filled it in along with benifits advice & i got it plus back pay so its worth a try .i got anoyed because i have always worked & seen people around me not do anything but always seemed better off than me when i tried to get anything it took months .keep trying & good luck love n hugs theresa xx
By "interest" I am thinking that your name is on the deed? If so, you own half the house whether you live there or not?? Take your name off? Big implications, however. Just my thoughts. But DO appeal first and ask them what course they think you should take. It will give you an idea of what grounds they refused you and what you need to do to qualify, don't you think? Good luck. Let us know how you make out.
