Stopping ESA

scottishstudent91

Hey guys, I have recently received ESA due to ill health and sent in a doctors note for 2 months. This has now expired and I don't want to hand in my next note as i'd rather get back to uni/work.

So, I was just wondering, as my sick note has expired, will ESA be stopped automatically or do I have to contact them and explain?

Thanks in advance.

[Deleted User]

no harm in telling them you are ending the claim

Muttleythefrog

As above.. the DWP can tie you up in knots if you add any complexity to things. Call them up and tell them you want to stop the claim (that should be difficult enough for them to process!)... otherwise yes they'll probably stop your payments, fail to tell you, and write to you in 6 months time asking about the martian who you want added to your claim and warn you that you failed to attend a medical you were never invited to.

broad-sword_2

Muttley must have been in a sardonic mood! If they are on the ball, your ESA will cease from the date the cert expires. Paying you beyond that is an official error (not repayable) Otherwise, as above let them know you wish to withdraw the claim and you will be paid upto that date or when your cert expired (the day after it covers up to).

epitome

broad-sword wrote: »

Muttley must have been in a sardonic mood! If they are on the ball, your ESA will cease from the date the cert expires. Paying you beyond that is an official error (not repayable) Otherwise, as above let them know you wish to withdraw the claim and you will be paid upto that date or when your cert expired (the day after it covers up to).

Not true, the ESA will remain open after the date of cert expiry, waiting for customer contact. And will only be closed when the customer fails to attend the eventual medical. Muttley is also correct in that they will find it difficult enough to process a requested claim closure first time round. There is a high chance that when he claims JSA he will have to re-contact ESA to get the claim closed - to receive JSA. He can save himself a lot of hassle, by
1. requesting it closed now,
2. Claiming JSA
3. Phone ESA again after 3 - 4 working days and check it is closed.


The OP should phone ESA and request claim closure from whatever date they want, but they must send ESA, a cert to cover them up to the date they want to be paid ESA upto, otherwise the claim closure cannot be actioned.

If the OP is going onto JSA ...fine
If the OP is not going to claim JSA why are you throwing away free money, it doesn't grow on trees you know.

broad-sword_2

Sorry, but not right. Whilst the claim would remain open for a while you should not be paid without a med cert. It's a condition of entitlement to have an up to date med cert until (if) you pass the WCA - once/passed med certs are not needed until the next assessment. If DWP pay beyond that date it is they who have made the error. I agree with ringing to withdraw to save all the hassle though.

epitome

I was correct, I never mentioned whether or not the claimant would continue to be paid, but by saying "remain open - waiting for customer contact' I was implying that payments would stop

The payments would stop but the claim would remain open.....and if the OP started a job this could cause them problems with their tax coding and get the wrong amount deducted for PAYE -I know because this happened to me- the best thing to do if starting work is to insist on a P45 and confirm by phone it is closed.

broad-sword_2

Sorry, I think we were at cross purposes....

PippaGirl_2

I was certainly paid in the past beyond the cert dates, DWP just contacted me to make sure I got a new cert in within so many days or it would then stop. Can't remember how many days of grace period there was but I used it several times.

scottishstudent91

Thanks guys! I'll need to phone them up then. Also, I just received a letter about my medical, which is in 2 weeks or so (can't remember exact date) so will I have to still attend or will I just phone up once I cancelled ESA and cancel my appointment too?

Muttleythefrog

scottishstudent91 wrote: »

Thanks guys! I'll need to phone them up then. Also, I just received a letter about my medical, which is in 2 weeks or so (can't remember exact date) so will I have to still attend or will I just phone up once I cancelled ESA and cancel my appointment too?

If you're still on ESA at the time then yes attend... otherwise call ATOS HC and cancel would seem sensible just in case the DWP fail to inform them (in time).