More ESA questions

icantsurf

Hi, I applied for ESA last Friday under Fibromyalgia. They said I qualified, but that I would need a doctor's letter to claim longer than a week.

Unfortunately I lost my notes from the phone call.

They said I also could also claim for some other benefits, but I can't remember what they were. I didn't want to overload myself with information so I said I didn't want to start. Are these normal benefits they offer people who apply for ESA, and what are they called?

I am going to see my doctor tomorrow. Where do I send the letter? And should he ask anything about wording etc. are there any tips?

I don't know if I will pass the medical, but the intro payments should keep me going until then. If I fail will I won't have to pay back the payments, right?

It seems like the medical will trip me up. As someone stated in another thread, if you can get to the medical you could also do basic unskilled work. But I need to rest and heal properly, else I would just burn myself out over and over...

Thanks

[Deleted User]

Get your Gp to issue a sick note,preferably for a month,then phone the office you spoke to last week and ask for the address to send it.Other benefits could include housing benefit and or council tax benefit and should be claimed now on the basis of low income.
The medical could take as long as 13 weeks to arrange,they will send you a form,ESA50 first to complete(you may or may not need a medical depending on this form),they will continue to pay ESA until they decide you are fit for work,if/when they do you will not have to repay any ESA.If you are declared fit for work you will be tranfered to JSA until you find suitable work.
Any further questions please just ask.

NASA_2

The other benefits they gave were probably from the generic script. The likes of DLA, AA, certain Incapacity Benefits (Although obviously not Incapacity Benefit itself).

If its the script I am thinking of it will have come towards the end of the call around about the time they read you out a couple of texts which had to be agreed to.

Get the medical line for as long as possible. Very roughly, every two weeks on a sickline represent a payment, get one for 8 weeks and you should get three payments at least off the back of it before another is required.

dookar

woodbine wrote: »

then phone the office you spoke to last week and ask for the address to send it.

Don't do that, please.

When you made your claim, you should have been given the number of both your local job centre and BDC, call the BDC and they will tell you what address to send the med cert to.