I have worked all my life mostly part time around my kids… changed jobs 5 months ago - then got BC. tried to get ssp not entitled (not enough NI & have not been in job long enough) Tried to get Inavlidity benefit - cant as all the time I was working & studing I did not earn enough NI. Cant get Income support OH on 19K a yr. so basically I am 250 a month down with no help, new house, higher mortage & 2 kids under 10.
It seems so unfair that before kids I worked 40hrs a week my OH works 40hrs a wk and when we need help - pooof none available…
is anyone in the same situation or has anyone got any ideas if there is any other help out there.
sorry to winge just gets me so so mad… I am sick of being dealt a bad hand all the time why cant anything just go right.
Mel
;(
Not quite in the same boat but me and Oh rented for 5 years and then took the plunge with a mortgage (double the rent and higher tzx band but we figured my OH and I work for the same company and we get 6 monthly performance related increases and as I am more than my Oh we were going to be able to manage. We moved in to our lovely new big house on March 31st and BAM found the lump in June! We decided against critical illness cover due to the fact that we were young and nothing was going to touch us - yeah right! as we moved into our house I got Sciatica and was off work for 4 weeks(my company only pay 4 weeks sick pay in a year) now I got this - used up all my sick days but my employer gave me an extra 30 days so I am trying to use them as well as a few holidays left to use after chemop when i feel sick but after that we will be stufffed so I pray I get through this pretty well.
I am so sorry about your situation, its the last thing you need and its so unfair when you look at our society and who gets what and dont have to work at all for it!!! it makes me sick!
Hi Mel
I know its not much help but you can get a macmillan grant if you get a bill which is causing problems. Talk to your nurse specialist via the chemo unit. There is a real imbalance when it comes to benefits…there seems to be no allownace for the fact that you budget for two incomes then are reduced to one through no fault of your own!
That really is sh*tty for you! I don’t have any advice for you but wanted to extend my sympathies that you are feeling so rubbish and that you are being dealt this bad luck right now at the time when you are vulnerable.
My company has just been taken over by a larger one, so I’m awaiting my fate with regard to this. I am working most of the time although my company have been great and set me up at home. But this new news is a blow, it’s no time for redundancy and looking for a new job!
I don’t have any advice either with regards to this, as not worked for few years as been a stay at home mummy - yeah lazy old me I know!!! I hope you can manage to get something sorted, can you not ask at the Citizens Advice, not sure if can help, but may point you in the right direction.
Actually though, you should try calling the Macmillan Benefits Support number which is 0808 801 0304 - opening hours Mon/Tues/Thurs/Fri 10am til 5pm and Weds is 12pm to 5pm… They will tell you what you should be entitled for. We did call and were helpful, although not entitled to many things just DLA and maybe a Macmillan Grant (which not applying for as not that needy and other people need it more than we do). Let me know how you get on.
Hope you also get things sorted out Cecelia with your job. Not what you need right now when facing all this.
I hope you both get good results and news you want.
Hi, i am in the same boat, not so bad as my kids are older, but both in full time education, due to hubby’s wage, we can get nothing, not even the minimum £10 a week for our son who is half way through his A levels, we are just above the cut off point, but they don’t take into account mortgage or everyday bills, really do think this country has it so wrong at times! Ceegra, what sort of teddies do you make?
hi ali,
i make the traditional mohair bears sweetheart, i had to stop for a while due to arthritis, and i made them to raise funds for our hospice which was greatly recieved i used to have a website but had to close it due to costs
i like making mini bears, they are lovely the largest one i made was a polar bear at 21 "
but i,m happier and my hands are with 8" or mini’s
wish i could magic some funding to you gals its just not fair, i,m disabled and i get incapacity but the system stinks for folk like you gals
did you have peace of mind plans with any loans etc as they can be wiped off if your diagnosed with cancer
Hi Cee, luckily we had no loans, so no probs there, we manage ok, but it was a lot easier when i was working too. i have a collection of steiff bears not many, but i do love them, also i have a few Clemens Bears, just a big kid at heart when it comes to bears
Hi
Thanks for listening to me having a moan. I am trying to see if I can get disabled living allowance - but I cant see it as I am not disabled…
We found a life policy that we have been paying for the last 10yrs and did not realise that it also covers critical illness so we are just investigating if I can make a claim - I am praying so as life is going to be really hard on one wage.
thanks
again
mel
x
Did you try the Macmillan Helpline number? If you need it again let me know. I am going to apply for the DLA too and i am not disabled. On the form I said No to it all, but gonna get a DS1500 from my onc. Lets hope we get it.
Hi Dawn
Spoke to Macmllian people they are going to send some papers for me to look over with my nurse!
Fingers crossed hey.
Just feel like a bit of a fraud! I feel fine, Im walking around fine. Ok people keep telling me that I have just got wk 1 over. but sometimes its the way people look at you - as if they expect you to be pale, or in a wheel chair! I may end up like that but not at the mo! Hope Im not alone on this…
I know what you mean. Everyone keeps saying how well I look, even have the cheek to say the best I have looked in a few months … charming. I feel a fraud too applying, but have worked all my life paying taxes and NI and think I should claim something back. Rather not be this, but there you go. If you pm me an email address, can scan the “Money worries? How we can Help” leaflet from Macmillan to let you see what says, only 4 pages.
hi mel, you should get half your critical illness money back from your policy, all insurances you can claim that way.
as for dla, if you require help through your illness you might get some proportion on the care side, the mobility side is if you cannot walk and that helps with mobility
i only know this cos i am disabled and need the help
but if you require any help you should get some allowance even if its not the higher rate
so apply for it, and as your going through chemo it might be that you need help because your tired and feeling sick
and need assis to help you through all this
Not sure how to pm on here, are you a member of the bccpals website? Can do on there? We are doing our critical illness too, and I think it pays out the full sum assured, depending on the policy, we are just finding out to make sure pays full amount.
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