Employment Support Allowence

apinner1970

Just to let you know my experience when trying to claim E.S.A.This benefit is to support people who are only able to work 16 hour or less a week due to illness.I applied for this benefit on the 6th of April 2009, I am still waiting for a response. I have called daily , the amount of misinformation I have been given and promised returned phone calls I loose count. I now admit defeat and have handed in my notice at work. For the last 4 weeks i have lived off £148.00 a fortnight(my wages). I have had to continue paying a reduced amount of
rent and council tax , because housing benefit , have no proof of me claiming benefits , I cannot claim housing benefit.
My work gave me an outlet, I have long term mental illness and was unemployed for a long time, it gave me structure and a sense of belonging.
The stress of having no financial support whilst working has resulted in my mental health deteriorating quite rapidly.
Claiming this New benefit is not easy be prepared to fight for your right to work, I thought what the government wanted everyone to work , I really question this, as its not made at all easy.

NASA_2

Why did you quit work because of ESA? That doesnt make much sense to me.

Did you apply under permitted work rules or something? If so then that does take time for a decision to be made.

My experience of working in ESA is that there are a lot more people who have waited a lot longer than you have been and have had less to live on in the meantime.

apinner1970

I have sent a permitted works form, 2 medical certificates a letter from my doctor. I receive no other benefits at all. I was finding living off £148.00 (my fortnightly wages) difficult as i had £60.00 of that to pay out each fortnight , leaving me £.88.00 to live off. for 2 weeks. I also have to usual outgoings, such as gas, electric and T.V license all on payment cards and keys Southwest water are also insisting I make small payments.t is .I also have outstanding debts(which I know is nobodies fault but my own). I also have to buy a £12.00 weekly bus pass to get to work. I could probably manage my money better, but i don't know how. I am just not coping with the situation at all.
Also do you think it is acceptable for people to live on such small amounts of money, not knowing when or if there claim would be issued/accepted?
I will start claiming Income support due to being incapacitated as i have done before. I am going to my work placement group to sort out what to do next.

NASA_2

First off,to claim Income Support your previous Incapacity Benefit claim will have to link to the one you make now, but if your claim to ESA was able to be taken then I doubt that will be the case. The computer system is meant to detect if you qualify for the linking period.

I think, to an extent, that people make their own beds and they have to lie in them. I have sympathy that it seems to be taking so long for the claim to be processed but there are huge case loads being dealt with by each processor. In England I think each processor is dealing with something like 30 cases at any one time.. We are in the middle of a recession at the minute.

As for the call-backs, my thoughts on the subject are that its better to let processors process, if they are talking to someone on the phone then it is time they arent able to get people paid.

Finally, if you were struggling because you only had your wages coming in, arent you going to struggle even more if you have nothing coming in for a period of time?

apinner1970

I know what you are saying is true, I have probably made the situation worse by leaving my job. I was signed off sick till 2011 by a medical examiner , but chose to go back to work , so as you say "I did make my bed and I do have to lie in it ". I should not have returned to work in the first place. All this is my own doing. So i will just have to deal with whatever happens next.
I am lucky to have supportive family who will help me when i am financial or mental crisis and also a very helpful Community Support Worker and G.P who i will be contacting today.
Thank you for replying to me thread, any information, is good information at this moment in time.

Oldernotwiser

apinner1970 wrote: »

because housing benefit , have no proof of me claiming benefits , I cannot claim housing benefit.
.

It's probably too late now but you don't have to be claiming any other benefits to get housing benefit as it's means tested on your income.

apinner1970

I assumed this already, but after receiving a letter fro housing Benefit telling me, on the information I had given I was not entitled to H.B I went straight to my council offices only to be told the letter I was sent was completely wrong and made no sense at all. I have been told that another letter will follow with the correct information concerning my H.B entitlement.
Its all very stressful and I am sure millions of people go through similar problems everyday.

apinner1970

I have just been told i have made a claim to the wrong benefits team.After 5 weeks waiting to hear about my claim I have just been told I should have claimed income support.Why could i have not been told this at least 4 weeks ago?
I have had apologies from E.S.A and I accept they are over worked, but I still have to say it has been a very stressful time. I suppose E.S.A (the new benefit) is still in its very early stages and we all have to learn (both the claimants and staff) how it works.
Thanks for all response to my messages.

NASA_2

apinner1970 wrote: »

I have just been told i have made a claim to the wrong benefits team.After 5 weeks waiting to hear about my claim I have just been told I should have claimed income support.Why could i have not been told this at least 4 weeks ago?
I have had apologies from E.S.A and I accept they are over worked, but I still have to say it has been a very stressful time. I suppose E.S.A (the new benefit) is still in its very early stages and we all have to learn (both the claimants and staff) how it works.
Thanks for all response to my messages.

Have you already claimed Incapacity Benefit again or have you still to do this?

The computer system obviously failed (quel surprise) to pick up the linking period to IB.

apinner1970

I was told that incapacity benefit where not informed of my going back to work last year. I.B called me and told me that is why my ESA was declined.So I now have been ask to send my last 3 pay slips to Income Support and all my information from ESA has been sent to I.S.
Confused? I am trying to keep up with it all.
They mentioned something about a 104 week connection from when I started work and when i leave.
When i went to pathways (get back to work scheme) i was told if i left work due to illness i would go back on benefits, the confusion i think was with me reducing my hours.
This probably makes little sense ,but this is the information I can remember,I was probably told a lot more.

NASA_2

No, that makes sense, if IB werent aware (Or were aware but used wrong reason to close claim) that you returned to work within a month of leaving benefit then the ESA system would not have picked up on the 104 week linking.

It would appear to be IB's fault rather than ESA but that is if little comfort I am sure.