ESA ending what next do i do ?

harleq1962

Jaffa_cake wrote: »

Thanks for this information Roger,

yet it seems to be that by the Government's own logic behind the changes now coming into place, that after 12 months you suddenly become capable of work, it's not logical they can then refuse JSA on the grounds you are not then fit to work.

If that is so then by defination you should be in the Support group, not Work related.

Can they have it both ways?

i have just got my report back and i have been put in a wrag, it states on the doctors report i wont be fit for 2 years and then he cant see there being any improvement, so it looks like ill be a statistic, not entitled to jsa and not fit to work.

uponahill

Jaffa_cake wrote: »

Hello all, and my sympathy and empathy to Negativpitch on this. I find it incredible that although there is a supposed income based altenative once the 12 month period ends, if your partner works more than 24 hrs you are inelligibe, no mater how low the income you may have as a couple to live on afterwards.

That isn't true.

The government have set an amount that they consider that a family can live on.

If however they have debts etc, that is of no concern to the government quite rightly.
Otherwise you would have the state paying different amounts to different people depending on how much debt they are in.

The government assume that you have no debt.

uponahill

Jaffa_cake wrote: »

Thanks for this information Roger,

yet it seems to be that by the Government's own logic behind the changes now coming into place, that after 12 months you suddenly become capable of work, it's not logical they can then refuse JSA on the grounds you are not then fit to work.

If that is so then by defination you should be in the Support group, not Work related.

Can they have it both ways?

I'm sorry but you are missing the point.

The 12 month rule is there to protect the financial resources of the country.

Like I said - look at it as an insurance policy.

Pay the premiums (2 years stamp) and you get a payout of ESA for 12 months.

It would not be fair if it carried on indefinitely. The wife might be a mutil millionaire with earnings of say 1/4 million a year, yet the husband claims ESA on a contribution based claim.

Given that example, would you be happy with say a banker worth millions and his partner able to continue getting ESA contribution based for years and years?

No, and I don't think many will. So they have placed a time limit. If you are on low income you can get what the government say you need to live on.

None of this has anything to do with 'being better and able to get a job!'

uponahill

harleq1962 wrote: »

i have just got my report back and i have been put in a wrag, it states on the doctors report i wont be fit for 2 years and then he cant see there being any improvement, so it looks like ill be a statistic, not entitled to jsa and not fit to work.

No one is saying you are fit for work.

All they are saying is that you have had 12 months of payout.

Your choices are when it runs out are:

(1) claim Income based ESA (because you are still not fit for work) or
(2) live off the money that is coming into the household if it is greater than (1) above.

Jaffa_cake_4

uponahill wrote: »

It would not be fair if it carried on indefinitely. The wife might be a mutil millionaire with earnings of say 1/4 million a year, yet the husband claims ESA on a contribution based claim.
'

I agree that it is fair to means test. I have no problem with benefits being matched to need.

What I cannot accept is that once the period ends, which is the 30th of April for anyone who has had the benefit for 365 days is that they are then disbarred from applying for any other benefit (income based ESA) if they have a partner who works more than 24 hr even if it is on or near minimum wage.

If you feel a wage that may be in the range of 150 a week is sufficient for 2 people to survive on, who have a mortgage and 1 of them is ill, then I would love to know how.

krisskross

Jaffa_cake wrote: »

I agree that it is fair to means test. I have no problem with benefits being matched to need.

What I cannot accept is that once the period ends, which is the 30th of April for anyone who has had the benefit for 365 days is that they are then disbarred from applying for any other benefit (income based ESA) if they have a partner who works more than 24 hr even if it is on or near minimum wage.

If you feel a wage that may be in the range of 150 a week is sufficient for 2 people to survive on, who have a mortgage and 1 of them is ill, then I would love to know how.

You need to apply for all the means tested benefits that apply to your situation.

May be entitled to WTC and council tax benefit and increased child related benefits if you have any.

Jaffa_cake_4

krisskross wrote: »

You need to apply for all the means tested benefits that apply to your situation.

May be entitled to WTC and council tax benefit and increased child related benefits if you have any.

Thanks for the pointers there, I have had a look, we have no children young enough to claim for, and it seems that taking in to consideration my income (1,100 Monthly after tax and NI) we may get WTC or CTB, but only one or the other and this comes to about 1000 help over a year. Much less than the 4500 taken away with the end of ESA.

uponahill

Jaffa_cake wrote: »

Thanks for the pointers there, I have had a look, we have no children young enough to claim for, and it seems that taking in to consideration my income (1,100 Monthly after tax and NI) we may get WTC or CTB, but only one or the other and this comes to about 1000 help over a year. Much less than the 4500 taken away with the end of ESA.

With a net income of £1100 a month for just a couple, you are way over the amount that the government say you need to live on.

The actual amount from memory is something like £450 a month!!! But obviously you would get housing and council tax benefit on top.

Jaffa_cake_4

uponahill wrote: »

With a net income of £1100 a month for just a couple, you are way over the amount that the government say you need to live on.

The actual amount from memory is something like £450 a month!!! But obviously you would get housing and council tax benefit on top.

No housing benefit as we have a mortgage of slightly more than 450 a month, not renting. No equity to speak of so downsizing not an option.

seven-day-weekend

Jaffa_cake wrote: »

Thanks for this information Roger,

yet it seems to be that by the Government's own logic behind the changes now coming into place, that after 12 months you suddenly become capable of work, it's not logical they can then refuse JSA on the grounds you are not then fit to work.

If that is so then by defination you should be in the Support group, not Work related.

Can they have it both ways?

No you don't, you just become ineligible for CB based ESA. If you have a low enough household income then you will be eligible for IB ESA. If your household income is over the threshold, then you will be deemed as a family to have enough to live on.

You and/or your partner may however, become eligible for other means-tested benefits such as Council tax Benefits, Housing Benefit and extra Tax Credits, which you may not have received before.

Hope this helps.