ESA since Sept 2009 and need help please

oddbod57

Please can someone help. I'm one of the unfortunate few that has 'slipped the net' on the correct schedule for getting employment and support allowance. I have been claiming ESA since Sept 2009 and have been successfully paid the initial 13 week payment of £65.45 ever since. I waited and waited for a date to go for a medical after I'd filled in the correct form, but no date came. I mentioned it at the frequent Job Centre interviews and I was told 'they are taking longer to complete medicals but you will get a date soon.' After 6 months I rang the benefits agency myself, told them I was waiting for a medical............they stopped my payment immediately!! I was told it would be repaid once I completed another form. The stress of having no money and the length of time it took to sort made my illness seem unbearable. I got payment reinstated 4 weeks later and was told I would be on the assessment rate until the medical was completed. I failed the medical having scored 12 points, again payments stopped, I appealed, payments were reinstated, again at assessment level. I have now successfully won my appeal and scored 18 points in the WRA group. Does anyone know whether I will have payments backdated? And if so would it be from appeal date or should it be from earlier?? Should I have been on a different rate from week 13?

dmg24

Your title is misleading. Yes, now you have won the appeal your payments will be backdated to Week 13.