Benefits & Tax Credits

A question about : Just received 'Housing Benefit changes' letter, not sure of the implications.

Hi all,

I woke up this morning to find a letter from the Council (Birmingham City council) stating that there are some upcoming changes to Housing Benefit which will likely affect me.

A question about : Flexible new deal stages and signing off to reclaim

Can anyone please help clarify the stages for FND. As i understand it:
Stage 1 is from First Signing On to Week 13
Stage 2 is from Week 13 to Week 26
Stage 3 is from Week 26 to Week 52
Stage 4 is from Week 52 onwards with a provider lasting up to a further 52 weeks?

A question about : Ratting on benefit cheats

Hello

I want to report someone who told me they had forgotten to mention something on their application for benefit, if you catch my drift. However, if they were to draw up a list of suspects who may have dobbed them in, I am sure my name would be on it. When DWP contact people as a result of info, do they say 'we have received information' or is it more general, like 'we are conductiing a review of your claim'. Does anyone work in this field and know?

Thanks

A question about : DLA guaranteed until 2014?!

Hi there
Now I will admit I know nothing about DLA, but something cropped up in a conversation with my sister in law that just made me think surely that can't be right?! so I wanted to ask the advice of you lovely people to make sure nothing suspicious is going on and to be honest also because if this is the case it makes me want something done!

A question about : Is a single mothers benifits enough

Hi there,

Could I ask a general question.

A single mother with one three year old.

Her only income is her benifits, she is getting all of her rent paid and council tax, and is receiving all of her other benifits. she has no other income other than a sub from us now and then (that she does not need to pay back, this amounts to around Ј20 a month.

She does not have a car and does not spend money on bus fairs, or holidays or going out or anything really other than living

A question about : MSE News: Disability and carer's allowance claimaints to suffer as inflation falls

Disability and carers benefits are likely to rise by just 1.2% next April after inflation figures fell to a five-year low

Read the full story:

'Disability and carer's allowance claimaints to suffer as inflation falls'

A question about : Incapacity Benefit migration to ESA

Hi
I have been on Incapacity Benefit for around 8 years.
I was last reviewed with a medical assessment by ATOS in January 2011, and have a letter saying I will next be reviewed in 2014, which after the stress of a review was a big relief.

Now around 10 weeks later, I have just received a letter saying that my benefit is changing and I am to be assessed for ESA.
This is unbelievably stressful - as I am sure anyone who has been through the review will know!

My question is:

A question about : Free prescriptions

Hi

I've just been awarded DLA and possibly Income Support and Incapacity Benefit in the near future. Can people with DLA get free prescriptions like Income Support or is IS the only one to have this?

I'm not happy with the DLA award as I don't have the mobility help but I strongly believe I should have got it! What numbers can I call to ask for an explantion for the decision so I can look at it?

Thanks

Kev