Anyone else worried about the ESA time limit changes?

sweetersong

Didn't realise my thread was still running!

I admit I have been quite lucky in that my condition has improved since having my little girl (3 days after I started this in the end, she came early)

Not majorly so, but enough so that I can start working from home on a project that I was going to do last year where you take telephone calls from home for the companies customers (catelogue stuff). My training course starts in just under a month, so when I start taking calls I will report back in case any of you are well enough to do it

It will hopefully work for me, as although there is a 20hr mimimum a week hour limit, you can do that how and when you want between 7am and 11pm

Anubis_2

I have gone through the motions of worrying about ESA. I have several health conditions, 14 to be accurate, 7 of them falling into the severe/deteriorating/life threatening. I do think it is time wasting to worry because while we spend time worrying about this, we are not dealing or enjoying life in the here and now. We should deal with the situation as and when it arises. I have no idea when I will be moved, as I am on IS and Severe Disability Allowance which was awarded 18 years ago as I was classed as being over 80 percent disabled.

What will be will be and we just have to appeal and fight the system where necessary. I would LOVE to work - I used to hold down three jobs at the same time - it has taken many years for me to come to terms that I am of no use to anyone - I used to be so agile and always on the go I get very depressed over the fact that I know I am not able to work. If they put me in the WRA group I will appeal and take it from there and I will just keep going.

My only concern is if I score 0 points and I am made to go on JSA because there is no way I am able to work, and no one would employ me given my medical history. I spend 90 percent of my life in bed due to pain, fatigue, exhaustion and weakness. I could perhaps manage an hour a week at best but doing what I have no idea.

I do think that the time limit for people who have worked is terrible - they should at least allow contribution based ESA for the same number of years that the person has worked and paid NI. That would be fairer.

I would willingly have both legs amputated tomorrow if I was promised this would rid me of weakness, pain and exhaustion - as it is these things that is the main factor why I am unable to work. If I had both legs removed - I would even go as far as two legs and an arm removed to be rid of the pain I feel so that I could work, I would have it done tomorrow. At least then, while still disabled, I would not be feeling any pain and would be able to lead a better quality of life than I do now and do some work.

I hate rotting in bed, because that is all my life it about, and I have never been a lazy person, so it is very hard for me to adapt and still struggle with it to this day even though I have been severely disabled for 18 years. I can't even take the top off a bottle and it is sooo blooming frustrating!

But I have decided not to worry, to take things as they come, and take each day as it comes (with my pain I take each minute as it comes) because if you do worry it will happen, if you don't worry it will happen, so worrying has caused no change. Instead we should put the energy we use "worrying" into something positive and try and bring change and fight the system if necessary.

Limana68

My hubby has a neurological condition which will get worse with time, has probs with balance , speech, mobility. He gets High rate DLA -both parts, and is on ESA contribution based-Work related group.
Before this condition started he worked full time as a home carer, so paid all his contributions etc.
I work near enough full time to help pay mortgage bills etc, as we moved to a bigger house as we also have my elderly mum living with us who also has health prbs
Luckily my brother helps as a carer while I am at work, however he may be getting a job soon, so I may have to cut my hours to help care for my mum.
When I heard that my hubby will have his ESA taken from him I must admit I am quite worried about finances etc. I actually thought at the time Hubby should be in the support group, but he was placed in the work group, but we havent heard anything at all from them.
Anyway just another persons perspective on all these changes!

pinklady21

Limana
You can appeal to ask for the decision to put him into the WRAG is changed to the Support group. You usually have a month to appeal from the date of the decision, so you might be out of time now.

However, you could possibly say that your hubby's circs have changed and ask them to look at it again?

Might be worth checking it out with CAB or similar.

Anubis_2

Just a question, all those on cont esa, after the time limit runs out, and assuming their needs have not changed, would rhey be moved on income based?

Cpt.Scarlet

Anubis wrote: »

Just a question, all those on cont esa, after the time limit runs out, and assuming their needs have not changed, would rhey be moved on income based?

Subject to their meeting the associated means test.

heater

1. Mind‘s ‘Adopt’ a Peer for welfare reform
The Welfare Reform Bill is put to the House of Lords for scrutiny at the end of the summer, having completed its stages in the House of Commons last month.
Mind remain deeply concerned about the general direction of welfare reform and will continue to campaign for changes to the Bill as it progresses through the House of Lords, particularly around Personal Independence Payments (which will replace Disability Living Allowance).
We're asking our campaigners to 'adopt a Peer' for the Lords stage, to help ensure that Peers are fully informed of the weaknesses in the Bill’s legislation.
During the Bill’s stages in the Commons, a number of MPs voiced their concerns about the impact on people with mental problems. Mind's briefings and case studies were quoted extensively and we were successful in securing changes to the Bill: now, people distributing the benefits must give explicit consideration to a claimant’s mental health when deciding whether or not to issue sanctions.
With your support, we can make sure when the House of Lords look at welfare reform, mental health is a priority.
If you can spare half an hour this summer to write to, phone, or meet with a Peer, please email [EMAIL="action@mind.org.uk"]action@mind.org.uk[/EMAIL] with your name and address, and we will contact you with further information.
2. Your experience could be crucial in getting support for Mind’s welfare campaign
Mind have been working hard to make sure that media coverage of people who claim benefits for their mental health problems is fair. Our media volunteers have played a huge part in helping us to do this, by sharing their experiences and adding a personal slant to the sometimes impersonal stats.
We rely on your experiences to bring our welfare campaign to life and demonstrate the human impact of the decisions on everyday lives. If you are interested in speaking to the media about your experiences, find out more by emailing our Media Officer, Vicky [EMAIL="v.prout@mind.org.uk"]v.prout@mind.org.uk[/EMAIL] Vicki and her colleagues will support you throughout the process, and you can remain anonymous if you wish.
We are particularly keen to hear from you if you currently get
Incapacity Benefit (IB) and have been contacted by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) about a reassessment for Employment Support Allowance (ESA)
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and are worried you will lose out when DLA is succeeded by the Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
　

heater

Work Capability Assessment review: Rethink needs your views
The Government has arranged for an independent review of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) for the Employment and Support Allowance benefit (ESA). This piece of work is being undertaken now and Rethink needs to hear from you by 5th September. They will be asking the following questions about the experience and outcomes of being assessed:

1. What concerns do you have about the face-to-face WCA?
2. Is there a need to explain the face-to-face assessment differently to claimants, making it clear what it will involve and how capability to work will be measured?
3. What happens to people placed in the three groups (Support, Work related activity and Fit for work), and to people who do not complete their face-to-face assessment having made a claim for ESA?
4. What one thing would you change about the WCA to make it operate more fairly and effectively?

We'd like to hear your responses to the questions based on your own experience, to help us feed into the review. Please send any views and experiences to policy@rethink.org by 5th September 2011

melbury

I posted a link under the Benefits & Tax Credits, which says that DWP will be sending out letters from 19th September to ESA contribution based WRAG people advising of the new one year rule to be introduced in April 2012.

So it looks definite:mad:

Limana68

Does anyone know if and when the changes come into effect, if you have been on Cont ESA already for 12 mths already does your ESA stop straight away or will it be 12 mths from the change?

Thanks

Just planning...................:mad: