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
Thank you all so much for your supportive replies, it really is appreciated. I have taken some deep breaths to try to calm down my stomach and my emotions. I keep telling myself whatever is going to happen won't be happening or getting sorted today so to calm down!
I KNOW that if the house was sold or my estranged husband bought me out then I wouldn't have this worry, BUT life is not that simple, especially when dealing with emotions. Plus, even if he put the house on the market today how long before it sold and money finally in my account??? It could take a year the way houses are selling at the moment so what do I live on NOW?
I have an appointment with CAB next week to fill in the DLA form that was given to me by the Disability Advisor at the Jobcentre. I have sent it to the Lymphoedema Nurse because she said she could fill in her bit of the form before I went to CAB so am waiting for that to come back. I will explain my predicament then and see what they suggest.
Thanks for the advice everyone. As I said before, the Cancer I could deal with but it's the financial side of it that has caused me the most stress.
people who dont have to deal with cancer dont realise the burden of the financial side,i am lucky that my daughter gave up her job to run my salon, otherwise it wouldv`e gone under, now she runs it i have no wages comming in, cos in this financial climate it is just managing to pay her and the staff, luckily my husband works, there are so many people who worked all their lives only to end up being treated badly i wish i had a solution, have you gone to c.a.b.or rang mac helpline, good luck on the 28th i hope they can sort something for you liz x.
I hate to say but I was an adviser in the job centre before I was ill (but one of the good ones, and I tried to help everyone).
If you have worked and got a full contribution record you should be able to get contributory JSA.
The tax years they will use now is 4/07 and 4/08.
You have been turned down for means tested benefit. As others say appeal yours is a complex case.
Just wondered why you did not apply for Employment Support Allowance if you can still get a sick note. They give you loads of help getting back to work and there lots of incentives and you don't need to sign on. You should be able to get disabled persons tax credit when you go back for a year and there is an Advisers Discretion fund up to £300 for work clothes ,tools or equipment even a bike, which you don't have to pay back.
I applied for DLA in July 08 and was turned down twice after appeal.
I agreed to attend a tribunal and was then awarded from July 08 eventualy in March 09.
You can get DLA even if you are working.
I know how frustrating it can be, you just need to find someone helpfull who can give you the best advice.
It makes you sick doesn't it? You look at all the lazy gits who've never worked or paid any contributions and seem to be able to afford to spend every day in the pub.
Glad you are going to the CAB and Jo seems to have given you some good advice. What about your MP? What about writing to the Daily Mail to expose this outrage?
It seems to me you should be getting housing benefit and God knows what else. If push comes to shove, you could turn up at the benefits office with a sleeping bag and tell them you can't afford to heat the house or eat. Ask for a share of their lunchtime butties.
Hello Phe, Funnily enough I've been thinking about you lately and meaning to p.m. you. This blog came as a big suprise and I'm so sorry you're having all this finacial pressure. You have had good advise from fellow 'clubbers' so it only remains for me to wish you well (as always). Tell us how you have got on and good luck, Wishing you to be well, Linda xx
