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Claiming for everything I can get.

S

Steve Duke

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
After a long and (in my eyes) successful life in which 50 years of Type 1 diabetes has not been in any way disabling, the time has come to cash in all those years of tax and National Insurance. Because my work has been for relief and development agencies overseas; because I have spent profligately whatever I had; and because I now work in my own tiny little gardening business at £5K p.a. - I have no property or capital of my own, no dependents, no partner, no assets and only the state pension to look forward to. So... on top of my wee little pension, can I get any other help? Maybe claim disability allowances, care costs, any other local authority help? I do know that when it comes to local authority housing I officially count as 'vulnerable' which moves me up the list. I am in a Housing Association flat at the mo.
 
Steve Duke said:
After a long and (in my eyes) successful life in which 50 years of Type 1 diabetes has not been in any way disabling, the time has come to cash in all those years of tax and National Insurance. Because my work has been for relief and development agencies overseas; because I have spent profligately whatever I had; and because I now work in my own tiny little gardening business at £5K p.a. - I have no property or capital of my own, no dependents, no partner, no assets and only the state pension to look forward to. So... on top of my wee little pension, can I get any other help? Maybe claim disability allowances, care costs, any other local authority help? I do know that when it comes to local authority housing I officially count as 'vulnerable' which moves me up the list. I am in a Housing Association flat at the mo.
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You consider yourself disabled?
Maybe your housing association has a benefits adviser you can go to.
 
Hi Steve, the Citizens Advice would be a good place to ask about benefits and such, give them a call. Good luck.
 
You can try, but I doubt that you would get anything especially after the last few years.
I have been through the system and paid all my tax and national insurance and I can't get nowt!
My pension is too high (£5).

But go on and try!
 
Yes, you have to jump through hoops to get a chance of disability benefits. Then if you succeed in getting through the hoops, you are deemed to be not disabled enough.
 
I have to confess I get Disability Living Allowance (DLA). I started claiming when I began having problems with the diabetes and have continued through the last 6 difficult years. It's not much but it sure helps. By the way it's now called PIP in some areas (it's being rolled out in stages) and is not means tested.
 
SandyDee said:
I have to confess I get Disability Living Allowance (DLA). I started claiming when I began having problems with the diabetes and have continued through the last 6 difficult years. It's not much but it sure helps. By the way it's now called PIP in some areas (it's being rolled out in stages) and is not means tested.
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PIP is much more difficult to get than DLA though. you are not given the benefit because of a medical condition. You have to meet set criteria of limitations either physical or mental health. It is a minefield for applicants. As OP says he runs a gardening business that could be used as evidence he does not meet conditions for benefit.
I really think that OP needs specific advice from a benefits advisor.
 
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