Can I Claim Housing Benefit as a disabled student?
June 28th, 2010 by admin
I really need some help and advice quick regarding benefit entitlement.
Background info:
Since June 08 I have suffered with pains in my right dominant hand and it has got worse over time. The pains started by doing a repetitive job in my employment at The Great Western Hospital. It was ignored by my employer and I was made to continue with the painful task through lack of staff so no job rotation. My GP then signed me of from work because they kept putting on that job. The pains were so bad by then everything I did at work or home causes me severe pain.
I was dismissed from work because of this in July 09 and the specialist I have been seeing has told me not to use my arm. I see him again in Nov 09 for pain management as current medication does nothing to relieve pain (30mg codeine twice 4 times a day). I was taken off diclofenic 50mg for ab-do pains.
I have started a full time university course as I was studying as part of my job but loosing my job i lost my place on the course and without a direction in life my depression gets worse (i self harm when very depressed) that’s why i took up another course-i will get disabled student allowance to help me with note taker and extra time in exams.
I have suffered from depression for 14yrs and this has made it worse again. I was hoping to come of my anti-depressants this year but instead my medication has been increased!
I am claiming ESA and have just passed the assessment phase. Can I claim Housing benefit? I am currently waiting on DLA review after first application was rejected can I claim HB whilst waiting for this?
I can not work at the moment but after pain management I hope to be in at least P/T work by June 2010.
I am confused on wot to do-I cant work so Im on ESA but does this mean im not allowed to study?
If i cant get housing benefit I will become homeless within a month this is making me extremely anxious.
Please please can someone help me.
I have tried to go to CAB but all the people in there makes me nervous & anxious & I run away!
Thank you
As far as i know I can claim ESA because I have been signed of work for more than 28 wks. Im very confused because of the income support/ESA swap. I feel I cant work, Im not allowed benefits & im not allowed education! What is then the point of my life!
I will cry long into the night.
Thank you for your reply.
As far as i know I can claim ESA because I have been signed of work for more than 28 wks. Im very confused because of the income support/ESA swap. I feel I cant work, Im not allowed benefits & im not allowed education! What is then the point of my life!
Thank you for your reply.
As far as i know I can claim ESA because I have been signed of work for more than 28 wks. Im very confused because of the income support/ESA swap. I feel I cant work, Im not allowed benefits & im not allowed education! What is then the point of my life!
I will cry long into the night.
Thank you for your reply.
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Yes you can claim Housing Benefit if you are on ESA, regardless of the outcome of your DLA review. Although if you are a full time student at university then you shouldn’t really be receiving ESA…..
The people in the CAB are in the same boat as you, in the sh*t and trying to do something about it, they are not out to get you. Phone them up and tell them how you feel, maybe they can sort you out. You really should see them and get this sorted, otherwise you will be on the streets and you do not want that, it is a nightmare and a lot nastier than the people at the CAB. Go there now.
ok first of all hun, you have to learn to live with disability and rather than see the negative side of things and what you have lost, discover the things you can do.
You are entitled to claim the ESA as long as you have told them your circumstances, dont give up on dla as they do reject a lot these days, i had to re claim mine and i have severe disability, just make sure your doctors write the letters etc.
You can claim housing benefit and also council tax benefit regardless.
I was also like you at first, I spent two years in tears over what i lost, i was very athletic and lost my job due to my disability and although companies say they wont discriminate you will find many do.
I was brought up to work and found it hard to go on benefits especially when i wanted to work, so i had to do something about that and i started my own small business, its pays the bills and im dependent on what i do.. someweeks i dont feel good and i just do a bit, and some weeks i earn less than what i get on benefits but at end of day, im happy, im at ease with my disability and i look forward to things i can do.
In fact in a way if i hadnt of become disabeled i would still be travelling into manchester working 72 hours a week in a dead end job.. that i hated so much.. so out of negative can come positivie things.
Sorry but you have me totally confused You cannot work but you can study at uni?
What can you do at uni that you cannot do at work?
The above website might give you some idea of your rights to Housing and Council Tax benefit as the whole area can be confusing and complicated.
I’m so sorry to hear of your plight. You sound like you have a lot to cope with at the moment. Living with chronic pain is difficult because it can cloud your judgement and make general day to day living like making decisions difficult too. (I live with chronic pain due to rheumatoid arthritis & osteoporosis.)
Your place of study should be able to help you with all this and would perhaps benefit you if you have someone who could act on your behalf when dealing with these types of issues. My daughter was at college and there was a Student Councellor there too who helped with all different issues. You could ask your tutor in the first instance who your uni councellor is.
I sincerely hope that through YA & your uni you can find a solution to your problems. I wish you Good Luck & I’m sure that once you have these issues and worries about housing benefit dealt with you will be able to deal better with your depression. (((hugs)))