I wish i was a imigrant, gay, lesbian, junkie, alchoholic single parent!

[underwaterimage]

I had to have an emergency operation six weeks ago which im still recovering from. Cant work due to this and have been housebound. A shock to the system as i have been in full time employment since leaving school seventeen years ago and in part time employment since i was thirteen untill leaving school.

 

Im a self employed sole trader (structural engineer & photographer) and am not earning a jot while ill.

So i swallowed my pride and upon my many district nurse's advice made an application for incapacity benefit. With a mortgage and the usual bills to pay i am slowly going under so its a case of pride before the fall.

 

Got a letter from the bod's today saying im not entitled to anything as ive not payed enough NIC!!! Total cobblers as my accounts for the last five show i have made all my contributions on time and up to date.

 

So it now looks like im in for the crappiest festive season and birthday ever. Especially as the taxman wants his pound of flesh at the end of January. Normally this would be in the bank except ive had to use it to pay bills.

 

To get by, it looks like im may have to sell all the nice shiny new fishing tackle that the insurance company replaced (only 60% of the value) after some wan%^r stole it. which incidentally the police done nothing about.

 

To say im pi$$ed off is an understatement.

[Guest long-trotter]

Sorry to here about your situation mate. I am no expert on these things but, try this forum below for some advice. Channel your energy into getting what is rightfully yours.

I used to attend DHSS medicals with ex-Officers in a supportive roll, I used the site below to gen up on things, don't be afraid to ask a question, Jim the forum head guy is an ex welfare rights adviser. Give it a go you have nothing to loose.

Best of luck mate

 

 

Finally I'am sorry to here you did not get the service you expected from your Local Police force, You do have the right to complain to Your local Police Authority, as a serving Officer I would encourage you to do so, if you feel you did not get a satisfactory response.

 

http://www.youreable.com/forums/index.jspa?categoryID=1

Edited November 18, 2006 by long-trotter

[Brian Carragher]

I was in exactly the same position as you are now some two years ago. I had to have emergency surgery on my back after a fall and my other half had to do the neccessary with the sick forms and DSS forms.

 

I was self employed and my claim was treated as though I was on the fiddle, the DSS staff would'nt process the sickness claim until I'd attended an office based interview and there I was in hospital with a smashed up spine. It was only after tears and an offer to visit me in hospital that they said they'd postpone any interview till later

 

The DSS said exactly the same, I'd not paid enough stamps and therefore did'nt qualify for sickness benefit but were'nt accessing the NI database or had'nt confired either in writing or by phone any of the details with them. It was left to me after getting out of hospital after a fortnight to contact the NI contributions office (Newcastle) and the staff there were most helpful and told me which forms and form nunbers the DSS should have used to get the information and when I rang the DSS to tell them what I'd been told and to confirm my stamps were up to date, they were most irate that I'd got this information and wanted to know how.

 

In short the DSS is'nt very good at assesing self employed for sickness benefit and my experience confirms my belief that they go out of their way to dissuade you from your claim. Ring your local NI office, if its Newcastle , ask for the form numbers or the computer codes that the DSS staff need to speed your claim along and then ring the DSS back.

 

Good luck and don't back down

[ayjay]

Got a letter from the bod's today saying im not entitled to anything as ive not payed enough NIC!!! Total cobblers as my accounts for the last five show i have made all my contributions on time and up to date.

 

You may well have paid all that is required as self-employed (as I have since 1971) but it really doesn't cover you for very much, (a bit like third party insurance on a car).

 

Being self-employed has it's own benefits but also drawbacks, you are expected to make allowances for situatuons such as you find yourself in now, sorry if that doesn't help much and I do sympathise, but that's just the way it is.

 

[Brian Carragher]

Even self employed people are entitled to sickness benefit, the only qualifier is to have paid enough stamps over the previous year to qualify

[Guest Ferret1959]

I get full everything and didn't have much problems in claiming.

 

I know my comment may not help but is it worth contacting CAB.(do they still exist?)

 

My MacMillian nurse, social worker and friends all helped me with my claim.

 

 

But I suppose using the word cancer in your claims gets a better reaction.

[Slack lines]

Send an appeal in ASAP, also the site Long Trotter has put up looks helpful

[graemeb]

As someone who worked for the DSS for nearly 20 years before escaping into the real world, I would suggest that you show the Incap staff proof of your NI conts. It is amazing how many people pay their contributions but they fail to be credited to their account at Newcastle, this includes people in PAYE employment as well.

 

Your quite happy thinking you've paid your NI, but it fails to get credited to your account. I always suggest people do the same as I do and contact your local DSS office every couple of years and ask for the form to get a pension forecast, this way you can check your NI contributions are up to date.

 

A quick question for Ferret1959, do you get DLA? Just asking as it is really underclaimed and it use to hack me off that no-one ever told people about when they claimed other benefits.

[Guest Ferret1959]

I get DLA plus high rate motability allowance.

Incapacity benefit.

I also get income support I think.

Tis only a very small amount but it opens the door for other benefits such as rent, and poll tax.

 

Oh and free glasses.

[Zigs]

i had the same treatment a few years back. i'd pulled my chest muscles & couldnt plaster. the dss came round, went through my self employed books for the past 5 years, practically accused me of running a team of blokes while i was on the sick & then sent me a letter saying i wasnt entitled to sick benefit as a self employed person i should budget for periods of sickness when pricing - yeah right! so i've got to charge more to cover it, so then i don't get the contracts