ESA - Spending Review

Indie_Kid

Chorlie wrote: »

What will happen when the new medical rules come in for DLA, if they use the ESA medical assessment for the Support Group, then god knows what will happen....apart from a lot of poor, marginalized & house bound disabled people.

The criteria for both benefits are different. Well, there's some criteria (ie, the walking / HRM for people with severe walking difficulties) that's the same; but not much.

50Twuncle

Here's the full version of the spending review

http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/sr2010_completereport.pdf
There is a date on page 12 - showing £0 savings in year 2011/2012 which implies that this is not going ahead until year 2012/13 at the earliest - so we have 2 years to ALL find jobs !!

50Twuncle

TOBRUK wrote: »

I know that I have said on here that people on DLA are exempt - I heard Osborne say this in his speech. I didn't hear him say anything about it only being applied to those in support groups.

Reductions in spending on welfare will affect different groups in different ways. Where possible, mitigating actions have been taken to protect the most vulnerable, consistent with meeting the policy aims of encouraging work and reducing the deficit. For example, time limiting of the Employment and Support Allowance does not apply to the most severely disabled or those claiming it on an income related basis, and the cap limiting the total amount of benefits that can be paid to a household does not apply to people in receipt of Disability Living Allowance.

Tibbs,The_Freebie_Hunter

From April 2012, contribution-based ESA claimants will be given a year to find work and then go on to income-based ESA. Anyone with savings in excess of £16000 or their partner earns more than £90 a week will no longer be eligible for the benefit.

Source: CAB.

HTH.

Chorlie

Tibbs,The_Freebie_Hunter wrote: »

From April 2012, contribution-based ESA claimants will be given a year to find work and then go on to income-based ESA. Anyone with savings in excess of £16000 or their partner earns more than £90 a week will no longer be eligible for the benefit.

Source: CAB.

HTH.

That's me screwed....:(

Chorlie

sh1305 wrote: »

The criteria for both benefits are different. Well, there's some criteria (ie, the walking / HRM for people with severe walking difficulties) that's the same; but not much.

How is it the same, I'm in a wheelchair (can't walk) and I get HRM (MRC), but reading the ESA Support criteria on walking than I wouldn't get it because I can push a manual wheelchair.

Chorlie

21Twinkle wrote: »

Contribution-based Jobseeker's Allowance
Contribution-based Jobseeker's Allowance, JSA(C) entitlement is based on Class 1 National Insurance contributions in the two complete tax years preceding the calendar year of claim. This allowance is paid regardless of assets.[5]
Certain other benefits including Statutory sick pay, Statutory paternity pay, Statutory maternity pay, Statutory adoption pay, Employment and Support Allowance, Bereavement benefit, Carer's allowance and JSA(C) itself also count towards Class 1 contributions and are called "Credited Class 1 contributions".
Self-employed people do not pay Class 1 contributions, and thus may not claim JSA(C).
JSA(C) may be claimed for only 26 weeks before having to move onto JSA(IB), if eligible (see below).

Therefore when we're kicked off ESA (C) in April 2013 (we have 1 year from April 2012, see other post above) we would of had 3 years NI Credits, but since these are "Credit Class 1 contribution" and not true Class 1 we wouldn't be able to apply for another contribution based benefit... ie JSA(C)...

Chorlie

Tibbs,The_Freebie_Hunter wrote: »

From April 2012, contribution-based ESA claimants will be given a year to find work and then go on to income-based ESA. Anyone with savings in excess of £16000 or their partner earns more than £90 a week will no longer be eligible for the benefit.

Source: CAB.

HTH.

Well at least I know I've got 2.5 years, so I'll have to workout in detail my full incomings at the moment and again before my ESA, workout my outgoings, than look at starting to cut now and start saving what I cut.

That way come April 2013 it might not be such a big hit and I can use what I've saved to cover the short fall. Once my savings have gone I can claim Income Based ESA and all the extra benefits that comes with that which I don't get now.

Its having a bit of savings that's put me in this position...:cool:

lavidaloca

21Twinkle wrote: »

I am writing to my MP to ask these questions

Well I'd write to mine but he now happens to be the shadow PM! I also think that whichever party had got into power these cuts would have happened.

I may as well throw in the towel now, stop work and go totally onto benefits.

My OH has worked for the last 44 years in a hard physical job. He's been put in the working group on contributions ESA. With his conditions, he'll never be able to work again. Does he want to? Oh yes, he'd love to be able to go back to work and would even work beyond pension age because he loved his job but in the real world he has no chance.

He didn't even have a medical. When he went for one as asked, the staff took one look at him and said, with his conditions, they didn't even know why he had been called and sent him home.

When he stopped work we lost 2/3rds of our income. I have managed to re-adjust everything but there are no frills or luxurys. Now we are going to lose another 1/3rd of our new one. I give up.

I can see why this scrapping of contribution based ESA has been done. Like with child benefit, someone whose partner is on a really good salary which can easily support a non working partner are then getting extra but the majority on this benefit don't have that luxury. I dread to think of the life people who aren't in a good relationship will have now having to become totally reliant financially on their OH.

Surely this is illegal and a case for discrimination against a vunerable set of people?

Finally, if you've read this far that is, it beggars belief that DC should have applied for DLA given his financial situation. Yes legally he's entitled to it but morally? :mad:

bagqueen

I agree with what you say lavidaloca. I have worked from 17 up till last year when my muscle wasting condition forced me to finish work. Since then OH has been made redundant but has since started new job on self employed basis. We would dearly love for me not to NEED to claim but we will need the benefit more than ever now. The only good thing for us is that we have a couple of years and hopefully our financial situation will be different then, i may even be able to end my claim!
I also know i have a medical next September- with my condition deteriorating as it is i may well get put into support group-but i would not consider that to be a bonus, but i do feel it is inevitable if i am on contribution based for long enough.
As for DC claiming he was entitled- we don't want more means testing, but, people should have a conscience. I am not talking about the majority but the seriously wealthy minority!!!!!!!!!!