emergency income support

Chrysalis

is there such a thing? friend who is in the following situation.

found fit for work during IB to ESA reassessment as didnt attend medical (reason was didnt get letter, DWP said not good enough reason), its been appealed, however in this situation not entitled to payments during appeal.

done a new claim for ESA, due to circumstances on how lost previous claim friend isnt entitled to ANY payments until a medical has been attended, stories of people waiting over 13 weeks for assessment. Do assessments in this situation get fast tracked? DM told my friend over phone they do.

Crisis loan was obtained to cover 2 weeks living costs but friend has been told cannot get a new crisis loan after that, if still no benefit was told they can get emergency income support to cover until ESA is started, is that true? if not what are they supposed to live on?

For what its worth the DWP amazingly seemed to really fast track the medical on the reassessment, it was only 2 weeks from when ESA50 was returned, so questions will be raised if this new medical is a much longer wait. Also has no other benefit income other than housing benefit for rent.

epitome

Never heard of Income Support as an alternative under these circumstances. As far as I know JSA is the only option.....will have to attend Jobcentre and be available & looking for work...no ifs no buts....may be able to get a concession from full time work from the personal adviser and be allowed to look for part time work.

Unless they have a partner who has an underlying entitlement to IS....

i.e. Getting carer's allowance or pregnant within 11 weeks.

Chrysalis

yeah it seemed like the crisis loan advisor was giving false hope and saying what was needed to stop the crisis loan been once only been questioned. Allowing emergency income support would seem like the sort of loophole the DWP wouldnt dare open as they so paranoid about fraudsters.

My friend has no partner and lives on his own, I and a few others have been helping him out although as it stands it looks like he will be going for weeks on end without any benefit. The job centre lost a sicknote already so he has to send another which will take at least a week to get there. Then after that is process time for the claim plus the wait for a medical assessment.

I doubt he can sign on for JSA hence claiming ESA.

I know there is a massive grey area, I expect a lot of people are deemed fit for work and such but actually cant work or sign on for JSA but most of those people probably have a partner/family to fall back on and end up claiming nothing living off family. My friend cant do that his family wont help him.

[Deleted User]

part of the ib to esa transfer process is afaik intially a phone call to tell you that the process is about to start
as for emergcy IS no such thing i`m afraid

Soapn

part time work seems to be the best option then?

Chrysalis

Soapn wrote: »

part time work seems to be the best option then?

isnt an option no.

Welfare rights are arranging help from a charity. Although it turns out he is entitled to a further 2 crisis loans and was misled by that initial crisis loans advisor (who also was the one advising of emergency IS). So as I understand it he can get 2 more crisis loans, if at that point there is still no benefit then the charity will help. Its probable I will still help my friend although I can only do limited amounts so he will ultimatly be skipping bills whilst this is going on.

We also will be trying to get the medical escalated so its fast tracked (something a ESA DM told us does happen).

Chrysalis

woodbine wrote: »

part of the ib to esa transfer process is afaik intially a phone call to tell you that the process is about to start
as for emergcy IS no such thing i`m afraid

yes but that phone call is nothing to do with any medical appointments, its prior before the ESA50 form even arrives.