Welfare Reform Bill and Contributory ESA

Harold_Hardup

NASA wrote: »

The legislation to enable this hasnt come in yet so they will not do it ahead of April 2012.

Though people claiming in northern Ireland may get away with it for longer as the nI assembly hasnt even got close to passing the legislation yet despite the fact they only need to copy Westminster amending the regs along the way.

Thank you. Nothing concise yet then to address the Governments information to suggest the 'rolling out' will be during the latter stage of 2011.

I agree, not yet legislation, but the inference is that the legislation is just a rubber stamp; hence why I originally asked about changeover process during 2011. Seems I cannot get a truly definative answer. I'll just have to wait and see what happens.

Thanks all anyway.

H

MrsManda

Harold_Hardup wrote: »

Thank you. Nothing concise yet then to address the Governments information to suggest the 'rolling out' will be during the latter stage of 2011.

The Welfare Reform Bill process should be completed by the end of 2011. This does not mean the changes come into force at the end of 2011.

I just found the question/answer document about the proposed changes. These were updated on the 19th September and state:

When does the 12 months start?
Should the change happen, all days of the existing contribution-based ESA entitlement, including the assessment phase period, count towards the 12 month time limit if the claimant is in the Work Related Activity Group. The 12 month time-limit does not include any time spent in the Support Group or the time spent in the assessment phase if you moved from the assessment phase into the Support Group at the start of their claim.

When will this change happen?
The earliest this proposed change can become law is April 2012.

there's nothing to say that it's being rolled out prior to this though the DWP will be notifying claimants of the change from this week. Plus new claimants will be informed as they receive their award notification letters to say they're in the WRAG ESA(CB).

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/adviser/updates/proposed-changes-to-contribution/

The letter they are sending out can also be downloaded from the link above.
HTH

Harold_Hardup

Thanks HTH; then why do they bother and say the following from the letter going out to all on CESA? What do they mean by 'changes' per se? is this changes to the bill, or changes to CESA prior to the law coming into force in April 2012?

'This proposal is in the Welfare Reform Bill which is currently going through parliament. Changes may be made during the process, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2011.'

H

MissMoneypenny

Harold_Hardup wrote: »

Thanks HTH; then why do they bother and say the following from the letter going out to all on CESA? What do they mean by 'changes' per se? is this changes to the bill, or changes to CESA prior to the law coming into force in April 2012?

'This proposal is in the Welfare Reform Bill which is currently going through parliament. Changes may be made during the process, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2011.'

H

It's changes to the Bill. When a Bill goes though it various stages, it can get changed before it becomes the law. That may mean that CESA is changed on this passage, or it may not.

TBH, I can't see the CESA being changed as CJSA only lasts 6 months and welfare is meant to be for those that need financial help. IBESA will help those that need financial help.

You can follow the Bill here:-
http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2010-11/welfarereform.html
This page shows that the Welfare Reform Bill 2010-11 is now at the Committee stage in the House of Lords and that the third and final reading in the House of Lords starts on 4 October 2011.

I've been following the Dog Control Bill and that has had a few changes too.

Harold_Hardup

Thank you very much. That does answer my question. On your own comment re CESA; I bet a pound to a pinch it will go through and to some level of sensibility I can actually understand it. I never realised Contributions based ESA was not means tested; which, when you consider Income based is, I can see quite a saving off the welfare cost to the taxpayer.

I'm not convinced though the percentage projections by HMG are as high as they expect. I'll hazard a guess and say it will be a lot less that they expect … making the leap across to IESA from CESA that is.

Having paid in for almost 42 years before finally succumbing to arthritis, as long as I can get some help that permits me to eat and feel warm during cold weather I shall be happy with that. I wish I was not on benefits, but there we are, needs must. Ironically my Job Centre plus rep never sees me, I get a call once every few months to see how I am, and that is it. She feels I should have been in the support group. Sadly the ATOS assessor hardly spoke any English and did not understand very much of what I said. She seemed far more interested in here computer screen.

Yes, strange this new way of treating genuine folks when making any claims:eek:

H

MissMoneypenny

Harold_Hardup wrote: »

Yes, strange this new way of treating genuine folks when making any claims:eek:

The problem is that they need to weed out the ones who aren't making genuine claims.

In the dog world, we see many people who claim to be too sick to work and instead claim welfare and/or public sector pensions. They can walk their dogs miles everyday; travel miles up and down the country to compete nearly every week; join in all the games in the evening after competing all day; but strangely, just don't have the energy for paid work.

I stopped donating to the PDSA for the same reason: people claiming the right welfare payments to get free PDSA treatment for all their many pets, yet find the money for their entry fees and travel costs for shows. Up to then, I had wrongly assumed that my PDSA donations went to OAPs or a few people down on their luck who just had one or two pets per family.

pinklady21

Harold Hardup- if that is indeed your name.....

The Time Limiting for WRAG claimaints of Contributory ESA is not yet law.
I believe the Welfare Reform Bill of which this is a part if currently in the House of Lords.

You mentioned in your initital post on this thread that you also receive Income Support, you are therefore probably not on contributory ESA but Income based ESA.

My understanding is that claimants in receipt of Income Based ESA will not be affected.

Harold_Hardup

pinklady21 wrote: »

Harold Hardup- if that is indeed your name.....

The Time Limiting for WRAG claimaints of Contributory ESA is not yet law.
I believe the Welfare Reform Bill of which this is a part if currently in the House of Lords.

You mentioned in your initital post on this thread that you also receive Income Support, you are therefore probably not on contributory ESA but Income based ESA.

My understanding is that claimants in receipt of Income Based ESA will not be affected.

Thanks. Clearly HH is not my name and I don't use it as I am well known for my voluntary work over the years. My wife is receiving some IS not me. I just get my rate of Contribution based ESA, hence why I asked. We have just a few hundred pounds in reserve, my wife receives carers allowance as she/we look after her Mother who we made a home for with us (someone has to, and it is a pleasure). We worked hard to be mortgage free in my late 40's, and do still almost twenty years later still get a buzz.

I should have clarified it is my Wife who receives IS (just a few pounds weekly) on top of her carers allowance. Over time I have probably put three times what an average person would into the tax/NI pool; not only do I have RA and OA I have serious problems in my tummy so I really cannot work as always need to be close to a WC. I rambled, sorry, didn't mean to:o

HH

cagneyfan

Can I ask. What happens if I get moved from my incapacity benfit to ESA WRAG instead of the support group? What will happen after the 12 months if I have over £16,000 in savings

cit_k

Although, its not actually known if its going to happen, as its not even law yet, the fact that they have moved the debate to a smaller room (despite plea's from numerous lords / ladies etc and the public not to, due to access problems for those disabled people involved in the debate, and restricted public access) PLUS the fact the DWP has already spent a few million sending out these letters BEFORE its law, shows the whole 'debate' is likely to be a farce, and the outcome in the eyes of the government is pre-determined.

I hope they get proved wrong, and the lords shoot them down, but the way this government is going, I would not be suprised if they ignored what was said and steam rollered ahead anyway.