ESA Support Group back pay?

Tofudragon

Good morning all,

I received a letter last Saturday about my ESA claim and it states I've been placed in the Support Group. The letter is not very clear and would love some clarification from more knowledgeable forumites .

On the last page of the letter it says - "A payment of arrears of Income-related Employment and Support Allowance amounting to £319.24 has been calculated for the period from 4 July 2011 to 15 August 2011. This arrears payment has not been sent or credited to you as we are holding details of a possible overpayment."

I have rung the ESA people and the gentleman I spoke to stated that this is a computer generated letter and shouldn't have the back pay thing on but he is investigating for me to see if I am entitled to any back pay.

I find all this terribly confusing. On the assessment stage I was getting £38 a week as they take off what my partner is claiming in JSA. According to the letter I'm getting £20.25 extra because of the Disability Income Guarantee and £32.35 because I'm in the support group - and after minusing my partners JSA, should mount to £91.05 (income-related). Does this sound right? An extra £50 odd a week?

I'm guessing this is where the back pay message as come from, do you usually get back pay from the date I mentioned because you've finally been placed into a group?

Also, I've heard mentioned that once you are in the Support Group you don't need to send in sick notes - is this true? Doesn't mention it anywhere on the letter.

So sorry for all the questions.

Elle7

No, once you are in a group you don't need to send sick notes anymore.

What week of your claim were you in when you had your medical? It's supposed to be week 13 - if you were in week 13, you won't be paid backpay, I don't think. If it was later then this, you might be entitled to backpay between week 13 and the week you had the medical in. I think!

I'm not sure how they'll work it out with your partners JSA, I haven't heard of them doing it this way before. Someone who does will probably be here very soon!

Tofudragon

Morning Elle - thank you for your reply .

I am unsure what week I was in, I started my claim on the 1st April 2011 and I did not have a medical. I had a ESA50 form sent in June, I sent that back towards the end of July and I got my claim verdict that I was in the support group via letter (which was dated 11th August).

My partner started claiming JSA mid-March (as when she was working FT she was supporting us both, hence not claiming ESA despite being ill and out of work for a long time). They basically take off £67 a week off the couple rate I'm guessing - she only found out this week via her Jobseeker advisor that she can go on my ESA claim. According to my letter/benefit breakdown it goes like this;

Living expenses for you and your parter - £105.95
Extra money because of the Disability Income Guarantee - £20.25

Extra money because you are in the Support Group - £32.35
Which gives a total income related amount - £158.55

JSA for Parter - £67.50

Your income-related amount is £158.55 less income of £67.50
So your income-related entitlement is £91.05

The amounts on this page apply from 5 July 2011.

Then after those figures it goes to mention arrears payment between 4th Jul to 15th Aug of £319.24. During that time I have been receiving my assessment phase amount which was £38. It does seem that the figure given above is the extra money I should receive for being in the Support Group from those weeks mentioned.

My last ESA payment went in on Monday which was still at the rate of £38 a week. Like I said before my claim started on 1st Apr, it took a while to get any money as my partner is on JSA and had to be moved on to 'clerical system' means her JSA is worked out manually I was told.

EDIT - The 13 week phase ended for me on 1st July.

Tofudragon

I had a call back from them, I am entitled to back pay for that period and it is over £300 according to the lady I spoke to (she said her and her colleague were just working it out). She said it should be in my account in 3 working days time, so that's a nice result.

Does make me think though, if I didn't chase it up would I ever have gotten this back pay at all.

rogerblack

Elle7 wrote: »

No, once you are in a group you don't need to send sick notes anymore.

What week of your claim were you in when you had your medical? It's supposed to be week 13 - if you were in week 13, you won't be paid backpay, I don't think.

To clarify this for others - though the assessment period is 13 weeks from the date you put in the application, if you applied and requested a backdated application with medical information, then you get paid whatever component you are approve for backdated to 13 weeks after the date at which you supplied the sicknote for.

This can make a considerable difference if it's applicable to you (if, for example you've been suffering from depression, and living off savings rather than claiming), as you get the backdated payment up-front of the assessment rate.

So if you are able to get a doctors note saying you've been ill for 13 weeks, you get an initial payment of 13 weeks of assessment rate shortly after the beginning of your claim, then paid at assessment rate until you are granted ESA, and then you get the appropriate component backdated to the date you applied for the benefit.

Elle7

Oh wow, I didn't know that. No one told me when I applied...it would have been useful! Too late now. Thanks for sharing this

Tofudragon

Elle7 wrote: »

Oh wow, I didn't know that. No one told me when I applied...it would have been useful! Too late now. Thanks for sharing this

Haha same here too!

NASA_2

Just to point out that, if in the first week of your claim you provide a 13 week line, you do not get a lump sum payment of 13 weeks money. You will get paid for either the next 11 or 12 weeks on a fortnightly basis.

The letter that was issued to the OP is self explanatory. There was an outstanding overpayment and then arrears due after the support group ws awarded. The overpayment is offset against arrears and the balance paid.

rogerblack

NASA wrote: »

Just to point out that, if in the first week of your claim you provide a 13 week line, you do not get a lump sum payment of 13 weeks money. You will get paid for either the next 11 or 12 weeks on a fortnightly basis.

I can say this is wrong in my case. (on the strict meaning of 'you')

I applied Sep 7, with a line backdated to Jun 7.
On 23rd Sep, I got a payment of 18.70, and on the 11 Oct 1047.20, with subsequent payments of 130.90 fortnightly.

I don't of course know how general this is.
I passed the medical, into the WRAG group.

11 Feb I got 551 pounds - the arrears of the 21 weeks from the application date till that date of the WRAG component. (split into two payments, and also the winter fuel and christmas bonus.)
I phoned to query this, as I was not expecting the WRAG component to be paid for the 13 week assessment, just the last 8 weeks, but was assured it was correct.

Sixer

NASA wrote: »

The letter that was issued to the OP is self explanatory. There was an outstanding overpayment and then arrears due after the support group ws awarded. The overpayment is offset against arrears and the balance paid.

Surely, if these letters were actually "self explanatory" for people who do not work in the system, there wouldn't be such large numbers of people who can't make head nor tail of them?

NASA_2

Sixer wrote: »

Surely, if these letters were actually "self explanatory" for people who do not work in the system, there wouldn't be such large numbers of people who can't make head nor tail of them?

Have you seen one of the letters?

It says, in black and white, that due to a change in circumstances there may now be arrears due to you but that before the payment is issued the department needs to consider outstanding overpayments on the account. It also says that once the calculations have been done that any arrears left will be issued.

That is very clear cut.