Disabled person really needs help

[Robert Smiles]

Please can someone give me some advice. I am severely disabled and use a wheelchair.
I’ve been with my able-bodied partner for 18 years. I live in my own bungalow(that I’m buying with DSS help). My partner is a nurse on over £19,000 a year. I get Income support and higher rate DLA, on Direct payments and get SDA.
All this means that we can not live together in a normal relationship because I would loose everything apart from DLA. I’m nearly 40, at Uni having to pay just out of my benefits as grants would mean loosing my housing benefits. Due to my disability I find it almost impossible to physically keep up with the work load, having to stay up till 4am 3-4 times a week. I’m getting so emotional at the moment cos I’m knackered. The degree is in computer animation and the idea is to get a job at the end, but I don’t know if I can hold a job down because everything takes me about 7 times longer than your average animator.
All this is because all I want is to live a normal life with my partner but I just can not do it and its really getting me down because I fel that I’m fighting a loosing battle and we’re going to end up going our separate ways and all because I can’t get an income.
Please help if you can……..

[reddee]

You are correct in that yes your income support and SDA would stop if your partner moves in with you.

I feel you and your partner need to talk things through and work out what is best for you both and if you are able to live on your partners income and your DLA, many people do manage to live very happily on much less.

As for your uni work, I would say talk to your tutor and your uni will have student services and also may be a disability adviser who should be able to help and advice on the trouble you are having keeping up with the work.

Being stressed and worried about things can make dealing with matter so much harder, deal with one thing at a time... ie, sort out uni and the work load first that will make life easier for you then talk things over with your partner.
You could ring the benefit help line they should be able to give you more advice on your money matters......
0800 882 200

[belvederebabe]

Hi there... I really feel for people like you, now because of the reforms you lose help if you try to do the right thing.. If you lived with your partner, OK you would lose your income support but at least under the old system you would still have been entitled to SDA for as long as you were unable to work,...Now under the welfare reforms when they come in you will be transfered to contributory ESA which you could end up losing after one year... I ask myself how many families and partners will find they HAVE NO CHOICE to live alone.....

Of course you will still be able to get DLA

[Duncan]

You can still, under current legislation, get Severe Disablement Allowance if a working partner moves in.

You may be able to get a reduction in Council Tax if a working partner moves in;

You may be entitled to a reduced council tax bill if any of the following apply to your home:

* extra bathroom or kitchen to meet the needs of the disabled person
* a room specifically used or adapted for the disabled person
* the disabled person uses a wheelchair inside the home.

Contact your local Council for more details.

[treborc]

What you need Robert is to go down and speak to a benefits adviser, or even have a review of your home, my living room is my bedroom it's classed as my main room in which I sleep eat and live it's our old living room so I get a reduction.

But the best thing is to pop down to the CAB and have a chat with them, or have a word with Shelter about assessments for your home, to get a reduction on council tax it all adds up.

[bettymac]

can anyone help me i get disability living allowance, severe disblement, income support. i had heart and lung transplant 13 years ago i have 1 kid. i would like to now what happens if my working patner moves in or i move in with him.

[treborc]

It depends on what your partner is earning or what benefits he/she is getting, DLA is not means tested so you'd keep that, but any means tested benefit maybe at risk also any housing or council tax rebates, it just depends on your total income. The best bet is to ask for benefits advice from say the CAB.

[Duncan]

can anyone help me i get disability living allowance, severe disblement, income support. i had heart and lung transplant 13 years ago i have 1 kid. i would like to now what happens if my working patner moves in or i move in with him.

You lose Income Support if your parner is working but you keep your SDA and DLA. You also need to tell Child Tax Credit and Housing Benefit if he moves in.

[bettymac]

You lose Income Support if your parner is working but you keep your SDA and DLA. You also need to tell Child Tax Credit and Housing Benefit if he moves in.

some people say i can keep my SDA some say cant i dont get it!

[treborc]

You will keep it.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Disabledpeople/DG_10018894

But your partner moving in, or you moving in with them , will affect your means tested benefits, it could also affect Child tax credits rent allowance and council tax.

If your decide to live together you must report it.