Always Skint! Too many benefit forms!

[Kayelle]

Think this is it
https://www.facebook.com/kate.lord.5
I'm wierd with my privacy too!

 

[Sammyxo]

added you!

 

[sarahmc89]

I love this post I am in the same position as you Sammy, lost my job just a few weeks before we found out I was pregnant and my boyfriend is just about to start his final year at University. Government is doing nothing to help and we can't claim JSA cos of my boyfriend's summer placement. Going to be homeless as of the 7th of September, the council say we are making ourselves homeless because we had a choice to renew the lease but can't. When I went to the job centre to see about benefits etc, they were all on first name basis with the junkies and asking about each others partners etc letting them skip the queue to be seen and get their money early. Makes me so sick. Been up to A&E so many times because of pains due to stress, hope everything is okay when I go for my next scan a week on Friday. Hope your twins are doing well and everything is working out okay for you both

Cheered me up a lot just reading that people do actually reply on these forums (tried a few to find ANYONE to talk to).

 

[tinks77]

Trust me they are seeing them quicker to get them off the premises, you wouldn't believe some of the trouble that goes on in job centres
We are told to never wear our name badges off site as there has been incidents of staff walking through town on lunch breaks and getting punched in the face because they have not been given their money or something

 

[Kayelle]

Hi Sarah , sorry you have been through similar things it'll all work out! X

 

[Kayelle]

Also good luck with your scan! How far along are you? X

 

[Terri1884]

R u also aware u can get the maternity sure start grant? U will get £1000 towards things for ur babies! X

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk 2

 

[sarahmc89]

I thought it was only £500, I've looked everything up but it's too early to apply for all of those things. I'm only 18 weeks along just now, so just need to find something to tide us over. That's horrible about people getting punched in the face!

 

[Kayelle]

Yeah I wouldn't want to work somewhere working with them!

Are you going to find out the sex Sarah?
Think it is 500, but would Sammy get 500 per twin?

 

[sarahmc89]

Oh she might actually yeah.

Yeah we are hopefully going to find out, if he/she lets us see knowing our luck they'd have their legs crossed or something haha!

 

[Kayelle]

Ooo exciting ! Brian had his legs wide open lol, showing us lol. At a 32week growth scan the doctor said 'wow he's got a good set of balls on him!' Lmao

 

[Sammyxo]

I thought it was only £500, I've looked everything up but it's too early to apply for all of those things. I'm only 18 weeks along just now, so just need to find something to tide us over. That's horrible about people getting punched in the face!

Yep £500 per child so I would be entitled to £1000, although they were trying to change it so I'd still only be entitled to £500. I'll be having my bubs in November but as my official due date is 30th December I still wouldn't get payment until after that. I've heard from someone else on here that you can apply for the grant any time it just will not be processed until 11 weeks before EDD or something. I haven't done mine yet, I felt like I needed a break from forms, I've filled so many in this pregnancy and am still waiting to hear back from so many don't feel like chasing up any more right now.

Sigh.

 

[sarahmc89]

It does get exhausting doesn't it and everyone wants you to send away original forms of ID with each one... how the heck are you meant to do that! we're still waiting to hear back about back dated housing benefits where we stay just now, and a lot of my boyfriend's family are really stepping up to help us out offering us spare rooms etc so I think we might be okay. Was really worried that I had the most stressful pregnancy out there, but I can't imagine how much harder it'd be with twins! I was really hoping for twins too my boyfriend nearly cried waiting for the doctor to confirm we only had one baby haha, think 2 would be a bit much for him!

I hope our one is behaving when we get the scan, ive been told to drink a can of fizzy juice or eat a chocolate bar or something before the scan so that he/she is really active

 

[Sammyxo]

I know bloody original documents for everything! I'm like you, waiting to hear back about backdated housing benefit, at the moment i'm scraping together whatever money I have (none!) to try and pay my rent! Constantly in debt. Going to call up tomo and try and chase up the forms for the housing benefit as my mum said that they'll probably take as long as they want unless you chase it up. Although I was told it can take at least 8 weeks anyway, and I sent it off probably 6 weeks ago? Hmm.

I hate money and forms!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you tell I'm a tad hormonal today? lol

 

[sarahmc89]

You should definitely call up and inquire about the progress of your application. We did that today and found out that the department has no record of receiving our documents. Which means that all of our originals are lost either in their mail room or elsewhere. So angry. Their solution was that they will call us back after checking the mail room later this week! Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) my mild mannered boyfriend was the one on the phone, otherwise I would have told them it's simply not good enough and they should have a look for it today. Mean's that I cant apply for anything else or any other jobs (if I get word about an interview etc this week, I'm buggered), since I have no form of ID. Just seems like it's always one thing after another after another Not to mention the countdown until we have to move out of this flat is getting closer to the end and we still have no other place to live.

 

[Sammyxo]

was this for housing benefit sarah? it really wouldn't surprise me if that's the case then. we sent an SAE with our application and demanded our documents be sent back asap and they were back with us 2 days later but still not heard anything more.

got an email about applying for the housing list and they told me i need to send off my matb1 form which my midwife hasn't given me yet so more delays with that

 

[sarahmc89]

Yeah, just got confirmation back from the council offices that they have searched their mail room and they have nothing. So now i need to try chasing it up with royal mail. But, it was only sent first class, which was expensive enough as it is, so i doubt we'll get anywhere since it's not recorded or tracked. Need to fork out for replacement p60's now, if we can even do that, because we need to prove we have no other income (stupidly sent them both our p60's with the benefit form for proof of income and national insurance).

Need to try getting that form from the midwife too Gonna say to them about it on Monday see if I can request it now even though I'm still a few days off 20 weeks.

Why is it everything's a mess on top of a mess

 

[Sammyxo]

Yeah, just got confirmation back from the council offices that they have searched their mail room and they have nothing. So now i need to try chasing it up with royal mail. But, it was only sent first class, which was expensive enough as it is, so i doubt we'll get anywhere since it's not recorded or tracked. Need to fork out for replacement p60's now, if we can even do that, because we need to prove we have no other income (stupidly sent them both our p60's with the benefit form for proof of income and national insurance).

Need to try getting that form from the midwife too Gonna say to them about it on Monday see if I can request it now even though I'm still a few days off 20 weeks.

Why is it everything's a mess on top of a mess

Ahhh Sarah I know exactly how you feel

I bet they are in the mail room somewhere but they just can't find them, or they're on someones desk waiting to be opened. Would try calling back again and just say Royal Mail confirmed they reached their destination, you never know they may randomly find them. Also would chase up with Royal Mail but if it was them that has lost the letters as they weren't tracked etc I doubt they'll help in any way or even bother to look We decided to send ours via recorded delivery as even though we couldn't afford to we just knew they'd lose our documents- and we sent off driving licence etc. which they actually sent back 2 days later.

I've been calling up everyone today about the claims I made, firstly my claim for ESA has not even been processed yet- i've been signed off work in my 2nd month now. They told me I'd get a call today by 5pm or by 1pm tomorrow to explain why- not had one today, doubt i'll hear back tomo so will have to call again. My OH called up about his Jobseekers, they told him his form hasn't even been processed, he has been signing on for months, but apparently now he needs to be on a joint claim with me for ESA (he was told at the job centre he didn't need to be) so that's delayed.

Called about our housing benefit form, they said they've had it for 8 weeks but they aren't even going to look at it because we currently aren't shown to be on any kind of benefit (thanks to the job centre!) so to them it looks like we can pay our rent and don't need help. So again I have another month of not having any money, not being able to pay my rent and having absolutely no help. I also need to send off proof once I do get on ESA so that they can 'start processing' my housing benefit- so another 8+ weeks?

Have to call the crisis loan people tomorrow and I can only claim for food again as I rent privately they won't help me with rent. We've had a final demand from our electric/gas company but again crisis loan won't cover bills like that. I am screwed and it's all thanks to the job centre not processing my forms.

Been in hospital yesterday as really ill and all I am doing is chasing up friggin forms, want to cry.

 

[Sammyxo]

wow actually got a call back about ESA, they said they "haven't touched" my form but that they require my doctors notes to be sent to them so have to do that today. More delays! But at least it sounds like it may get processed at some point soon!

 

[sarahmc89]

Took them a while to get back to you though. That's good Hope that they manage to get something sorted for you Any luck with saving up for the private scan?