ESA stopping - what do I do?

hale

I have been claiming contributions based ESA for 3 1/2 years as I suffer from severe anxiety, depression, agoraphobia and pernicious anaemia which makes me fatigued and have bouts of nausea and vomiting. I failed the medical last year, appealed and am currently awaiting a tribunal date. I had a letter yesterday to say as I have been receiving the benefit for more than 365 days it will cease at the end of the month. We are not entitled to income based ESA as my husband works too many hours/earns too much for us to qualify. His money just about covers the mortgage and bills and my benefits pay for food and anything our daughter needs. I dont know what we are going to do as I am due to have our second child in 3 weeks and my health has not improved so getting a job isnt a possibility. I have phoned the welfare rights advisor that the mental health team put me in touch with but she is on annual leave until next Tuesday. Please can anyone offer any advice? I am so worked up at the moment about how we will manage financially, I've had no sleep and keep having panic attacks. Thanks in advance

DaisyFlower

I'm sure this is a dejavu post.

Its been known for some time that CB ESA will only be paid for 12 months.

Given you are well enough to have more children, perhaps a small part time job isnt out of the realms of possibilities.

If you truly cant work, then you need to find areas of your budget you can cut back on. Presumably you factored into the budget another child when planning the baby so its only the loss of the ESA you need to recoup by budget saving.

Mara69

I hope you've been using the time available since these changes were implemented to make changes to your spending. I would suggest that in the first instance go to the Debt Free board and post an SOA, you'll get help in cutting back on your spending and advice on how to save money. Also visit the old style board for help in managing on a day to day basis. As you are at home all day, you should have plenty of time to cook from scratch.

If you are so desperately ill that you've been unable to work for over three years I am amazed you've decided to have another child. Are you receiving medical help for your many conditions? Treatment for pernicious anaemia is highly effective and if you are receiving counselling or some such for the depression, it might be time to consider a gradual introduction into part time employment. Maybe something like Avon, where you mostly work from home?

What benefits are you currently in receipt of and how much does your husband earn?

julielaura

I know exactly how you feel I'm in the same boat as you. I have been on ESA contributions based benefit for nearly three years after having to leave a full-time job as a staff nurse due to a back injury for which I have had surgery three times and the pain and disability will only get worse. My husband also works over 24 hours and pays the mortgage and what bills he can, but my ESA payments also had to pay the bills as well as buy food for us and three teenage children. I have spoken to the job center adviser and I am not eligible to any other benefits because my husband works over 24 hours. I don't know where to turn either. So just remember you are not alone in this

Mara69

julielaura wrote: »

My husband also works over 24 hours and pays the mortgage and what bills he can, but my ESA payments also had to pay the bills as well as buy food for us and three teenage children.

Your husband needs to look for a full time job. I would imagine with three children your tax credits are high and then there is child benefit.

These changes are long overdue and are not exactly sudden, so families like yours should have been preparing for the changes.

julielaura

My Husband already has a full time job thank you, and yes we do get some tax credits etc but due to his wage it is reduced (another new part of the government changes).
Quick question have you ever been in my position, sorry but with your answers I do not think so.
yes the system needed reviewing but to stop benefits because someone works more than 24 hours is stupid.
Some one could work less than 24 hours and earn well over £20,000 but be also like my husband work over 24 hours and earn less than £16000 so that is the problem, it should be on income not the hours they work, or have you a problem with that as well

pmlindyloo

julielaura wrote: »

My Husband already has a full time job thank you, and yes we do get some tax credits etc but due to his wage it is reduced (another new part of the government changes).
Quick question have you ever been in my position, sorry but with your answers I do not think so.
yes the system needed reviewing but to stop benefits because someone works more than 24 hours is stupid.
Some one could work less than 24 hours and earn well over £20,000 but be also like my husband work over 24 hours and earn less than £16000 so that is the problem, it should be on income not the hours they work, or have you a problem with that as well

I know you are very cross and frustrated but I do believe that the poster genuinely misread your post as your OH working 24 hours and not over 24 hrs.

The first thing to do is check that you are receiving all the benefits you are entitled to. Put your details into the benefit checker with your ESA and then do it again without the ESA. See here: www.turn2us.org.uk.

No-one is saying that the benefit system is perfect but what we all know is that it is very complicated.

You can ask about transferring to the Support Group ESA, which isn't bound by the one year rule, if you believe you meet the criteria (google for the desriptors)

You have been on ESA for a long time and I can imagine that the thought of doing some kind of work is terrifying especially if you have agrophobia. However, if you do not meet the descriptors for the Support Group then you are going to have to accept that you are no longer entitled to this money.

There are only two ways to deal with the financial problems - you either have to decrease your expenditure or increase your income.

Do go over to the Debtfree Wannabe board for advice and support (you do not need to be in debt)

Also have a read of the Upping Your Income forum.

There is a wealth of help on this website so spend some time having a good read.

You probably feel that you aren't going to manage but you will.

Mara69

julielaura wrote: »

My Husband already has a full time job thank you

Oh, sorry I thought you said he worked over 24 hours (so assumed it was less than 25 hours a week). Full time is 36 hours (or, in my husband's case 50 hours a week). You should have said he works 36 hours+.

I haven't been in exactly your position, but I have been in difficult position yes. I managed. I cut my cloth accordingly.

julielaura wrote: »

Mbut be also like my husband work over 24 hours and earn less than £16000 so that is the problem, it should be on income not the hours they work, or have you a problem with that as well

Well yes, I do actually. All adults that are capable of full time work should work full time. If I had a job that was for only 25 hours a week I'd be looking to increase my hours by at least 11 or looking for a second job. It really is time people looked to themselves to support their families - not the tax payer.

For the record, how many hours does he work?

You really need to stop being so defensive. The situation is what it is and you need to deal with it. Visit the debt free and Old Style boards. You might learn something that will help with your difficult financial situation.

julielaura

Checked the support group criteria and easily fit them according to benefits and work . co. uk website but how do I even attempt to be moved to the support group ?

Icequeen99

If you lose your CBESA, then your tax credits will most likely increase because your income will be lower.

IQ

Muttleythefrog

julielaura wrote: »

Checked the support group criteria and easily fit them according to benefits and work . co. uk website but how do I even attempt to be moved to the support group ?

You can appeal the DWP decision (presumably in your case to put you into WRAG at last assessment) within 4 weeks of receiving it. If you appeal after that then you need to show good cause for appealing late.... I would assume good cause would not include realising you're going to have a drop in income due to legislative changes.

If your condition changes then you can apply for a supercession (re-assessment).

The only other obvious way to get into Support Group is to wait for next re-assessment... if you request, from the DWP, the last ESA85 (ATOS face to face medical report) or ESA85A (ATOS advice to DWP where face to face medical not carried out) then it should have a prognosis giving a period of time which is likely to indicate the next re-assessment timing.