ESA - 12 months only?

weanie

I am in the process of awaiting a specific diagnosis of cancer and as I had been seeking work since my contract ended last year, I was advised to apply for ESA during this difficult time.
Currently, I am in the assessment phase as my diagnosis of cancer is not documented precisely yet.
My question is that will I be entitled to this benefit for 12 months only [contribution benefit] or will it be allowed to continue past 12 months as chemotherapy will certainly begin and may last for well over the 12 months?
Many thanks.

[Deleted User]

you will if you qualify get contribution based esa for 365 days,after that it will be the means tested income based,so if you have a partner that earns above the limit(£7,500?),or savings above the limit then esa will stop after a year

weanie

Thank you for the reply. I was confused about the two groups people can be placed in.
I understand that the 'Support Group' is a group of people who would not be able to work as they have conditions/treatments which definitely preclude it and that chemotherapy was one of these. So - even people in the Support group have a 12 month limit then?

MrsManda

If you are put into the Support Group there is no time limit as long as you still meet the criteria.
In terms of chemotherapy the work capability assessment criteria says that people can be treated as having a limited capability for work related activity (and go into the Support Group) if they are:

•receiving treatment by way of intravenous, intraperitoneal or intrathecal chemotherapy or likely to receive such treatment within six months after the date of the determination of capability for work, or
•recovering from that treatment and the Secretary of State is satisfied the claimant should be treated as having limited capability for work-related activity

http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@disabled/documents/digitalasset/dg_177366.pdf

weanie

Many thanks Mrs M - this makes it clearer.
I anticipate a treatment plan to be devised and begun next week but the delays have been due to biopsy samples being delayed or unsuccessful. These will hopefully show that there is only one cancer to deal with and not two. The chemotherapy cannot start until urgent surgery is ruled out.
As I am in no fit state to seek work, I am relying upon the support of my adult children and also on the prospect of ESA until I can start a new contract some time in the future. I have never claimed any form of benefit before and so this is not a comfortable situation from a number of perspectives.