Payments for ESA

Alison_B

Four weeks ago my son contacted Job Centre Plus about claiming ESA. They took details and said that he was eligible for ESA, then asked him if it was contributions based or income based that he was claiming. He hadn't a clue which but heard the word income and thought as he hadn't worked before, so he said contribution based (surely they should have told him which he needed). He was told to get a sick note and send that off along with his birth certificate. We were also told we could go along to a job centre plus and get his birth certificate validated, so we would only need to send a photo copy rather than the original.

A couple of days after sending the sick note off, we received a letter stating that he couldn't claim contirbuion based ESA due to the fact that he had not paid enough contributions. We phoned them up and the lady we spoke to was really nice and said that he had been advised incorrectly and that he should be claiming income based but she would send out a form for him to fill in. A week later and no form has arrived, so we phoned again and was told another form would be sent out, nearly another week has passed and still no form has arrived.

They are faffing him about on this. When will they start payment from, the date that he applied which would be 4 weeks ago or when they finally get everything sorted?

MrsManda

If he keeps his sick notes up to date then he'll be able to backdate the claim to the start of the first sick note (I did this so know it's possible). I'm not sure if he doesn't keep the sick notes up to date as I had to keep providing notes until I got confirmation that I was eligible for ESA.

He should be able to fill out his initial application over the phone then be sent the medical assessment form through the post. Has he done this or is he waiting for the initial application form?

If he's still waiting for an initial application form, get him to call the benefits line and ask to start an application over the phone. Or else he can download a form from the direct.gov website or fill out a claim form online

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Illorinjured/DG_172014

Alison_B

He was sent a form through which he filled in and sent it off with a copy of his birth certificate and his sick note. He then received a letter saying he couldn't claim contribution based ESA. He has since had another letter from them saying his sick note is due to expire, so we are not sure where we are at. It is just annoying that this has taken 4 weeks and he is no nearer to receiving anything.

Thanks for the reply.

allen35

Alison_B wrote: »

He was sent a form through which he filled in and sent it off with a copy of his birth certificate and his sick note. He then received a letter saying he couldn't claim contribution based ESA. He has since had another letter from them saying his sick note is due to expire, so we are not sure where we are at. It is just annoying that this has taken 4 weeks and he is no nearer to receiving anything.

Thanks for the reply.

Unfortunately this is inexperienced advisers at their best, i have noticed this a lot recently, it's as though it's a quiz 'which benefit do you want to claim, are you sure, d'ya wanna ask a friend'

When his claim is sorted for income based request backdating and if they refuse you have the right to appeal.

Keep the sick notes going in and try and remember names/times of phone calls and any other correspondence (write down)