ESA Income Based...changed to contribution based?

reddev

Hi all, Got a bit of a problem that I need advice for.

Been on Income based ESA since April 2009 due to a Kidney disorder. Medical was not after 13 weeks as it should have been, it was EIGHT MONTHS LATER in December 2009. Got a letter in January this year telling me that my claim was disallowed, so I duly lodged an appeal, STILL WAITING for tribunal appointment, yes NINE MONTHS after lodging the appeal.

Anyways, thats not my main concern, heres the problem. I have been on the assessment rate of ESA now since April 2009 as my sole source of income. Starting to struggle for money, so I decided to apply for a budgeting loan, since I had just finished paying a previous one off.

I've now been told that I can't have a budgeting loan, as I am on contributions based ESA, not Income based. I know for a fact that i was on Income based, because A: thats what I applied for, B: thats what it says on my ESA application and C: I have had a previous Budgeting loan during this claim, which ive just finished paying off. So I WAS on income based, question is, am I still on it, and if not why not, since my financial circumstances have not changed.

So....can they change you from income based to contribution based, without notifying you? I'm in a bit of trouble now as I can't even get a budgeting loan, which I was depending on.

Is it because my ESA is currently under appeal? maybe benefit while under appeal is automatically contribution based or something.

Any advice here would be welcome, I don't know what to do next.

Thanks in advance.

lurkerlurk

I would guess that the original award of a budgeting loan was in error.

If you are entitled to ESA(C) at the same rate as ESA(IR) it is taken as being ESA(C) only in payment rather than 'both'. There was some confusion around this some time ago even among staff.