ESA Support Group & working?

redhenjen

Hi, i have been on ESA due to a heart problem for almost 2 years. i am having a tribunal tomorrow.

Can I advise you not to rely on jobcentre advice as ESA is so new they do not know. they are also over-whlemed.
I have received conflicting advice. if you phone you get through to a contact centre - if u need an answer make sure you ask for a call back (within 3 hours) and a person from your benefits centre will advice you. they are always very good. Put it in writing afterwards though - although this is never looked at, it covers your back if in future you are accused of working outside the rules

I work and it has created nightmares. I was in the WRAG at first. Work based interviews are compulsary for this group as they assume you have no existing job.
However they do not really help you get a job - they just make sure you have the basic tools to and are trying.
If you are in the support group I would just take on applying for jobs yourself or use contacts.

I hope to be put in the support group now i have learnt the critieria. I have used a website called "benefits and work", the guides and copies of what they use for the medical assessments have finally given me the information I needed.

however never expect logic, the ESA people admit this themselves! - I am self employed and want to work but cannot attain 16 hours. The system is not designed to work around that - it assumes you are stupid and do not want to work at all.
To be able to claim jobseekers you have to be able to work 16 hours minimum.

Good luck, if you can, and can live without the benefit I advise you not to bother as it has made me iller and been a dark cloud for 9 months since my first 52 weeks of permitted work ended in April.

Always however go for an appeal if you feel you can pass, the ATOS & DWP decisions are target driven. A Tribunal is impartial.

You also cannot do certain tyoes of work voluntarily - be careful there. I work for a theatre with charitable status but cannot work for them for free if it takes someones job.
I hope this helps whoever is reading x
all the best,
jen

IanG1471

Jen,

Sorry to hear of your ESA benefit problems. I am new to all of this so do not understand some of what you say but I wish you well anyway.

I must admit my claim was all sorted out for me by the welfare chap before I was discharged and I got put straight into the Support Group, albeit with what seems the lack of job seeking support available to me, I wish I had been put into the work group.

It was my local Job Centre that I rang, not the pace where the ESA letter came from which is miles away. I thought being a volunteer for the work interviews they would have grabbed me quickly but no, it seems I go to the back of a very long queue. The reason I want the work interviews is to see what courses etc they can offer me, and also about using 'Access to Work' as in the bumph they sent me this is possible from these work interviews.

From what I can see, being out in the Support Group is a complete waste of time if they cannot be bothered to help me and I go to the back of a very long queue for their help.

Ian

rogerblack

In an ideal world, those put in the work group would be given focussed, useful help to enable them to get back into work.
In reality, this may well not be the case, and you can probably do better yourself.

IanG1471

Thanks RB,

Yes I am trying myself as well.

I just rang the DWP who dealt with the ESA and asked to be moved out of the Support Group and into the Work Group but they won't let me. They said I would have to go to an appeal tribunal to do that (and there is over a year wait) and even then they might keep me in the Support Group!.

I just feel thwarted at every turn.
Ian

rogerblack

IanG1471 wrote: »

They said I would have to go to an appeal tribunal to do that (and there is over a year wait) and even then they might keep me in the Support Group!.

As a technical point, I don't believe that you can do that.

You can only challenge decisions that are not in your favour, the appeal automatically terminates if a decision in your favour has been made.

You cannot exit the support group merely because you ask, only if you no longer match the descriptors of that group.

(you can of course terminate your claim).

IanG1471

rogerblack wrote: »

As a technical point, I don't believe that you can do that.

You can only challenge decisions that are not in your favour, the appeal automatically terminates if a decision in your favour has been made.

You cannot exit the support group merely because you ask, only if you no longer match the descriptors of that group.

(you can of course terminate your claim).

Well, that is what I was told by the DWP yesterday.

I also tried a different tack, try to claim Job Seekers Allowance instead of ESA, but was told I cannot due to disability!!.

The problem with closing the ESA claim is, although the actual money is not important at all, it is to keep my NI credits going towards my old age pension (should I ever get there as it keeps moving - 68 or 69 I think it is now as I am only 26).

I just want to get a job, or even the chance to get a job instead of being trapped in this ESA Support Group but need the help with things such as their courses etc and Access to Work etc that only the DWP can provide. The welfare chap said I should be a priority for courses etc with the DWP but so far it seems I am at thr bottom of a big heap and going further and further backwards. So much for the government wanting to help disabled people into work.

Ian