Eesa

RainbowDreamer

I am confused. I have never applied for ESA before.
I applied on the 27th July and sent a 4 weeks sick note a week or so later. I have recieved 2 payments off them.

I am due to be paid on Monday (but money always goes in on a Sat due to my bank).

My sick note ran out on 24th Aug.. my gp gave me one for another 4 weeks.

Was I supposed to post this off? And if so where to?

I saved a freepost envelope to JCP Bolton.. I posted my questionnaire and my next sick note in it.

The next day I received a letter from ATOS reminding me to complete and send back my questionnaire back to them and also said near the end not to post sick notes to them, but to the job centre.

So will this mean my payments have now most likely stopped?

My questionnaire isnt due until the 11th.. but I think I have def sent it to the wrong place. Though the sick note should of gone to the right address?

I am very confused.

benefitbaby

Hi, I think you need to get another sick note from your GP and this will need to be sent to the Jobcentre Plus benefit delivery centre that sent you the letter confirming you were awarded ESA.

Depending on how quickly you do that, will depend on how quickly your payments will be reinstated. You should also call and tell them that you sent the med cert with the ESA form to Atos as they may be able to retrieve it or confirm with Atos - this however may be a long shot.

If you are short of cash in the meantime your local CAB or similar may have access to a food-bank or emergency supermarket vouchers, if this fails then you may have to consider a crisis loan however this is repayable directly from your ESA payments when they are reinstated.

RainbowDreamer

Thanks for your reply.
Does the sicknote go to the Bolton JCP?
As this is where I sent BOTH sick note and atos questionnaire.
Don't ask why.. I am an idiot

But even if they get my sick note.. won't they stop payments anyway when my questionnaire doesnt turn up in time?

I am not sure who to phone in the morning.. I have £7 credit and no money. Though I could walk to my local JC as I am guessing they would let me use their phones to phone whoever for free?

benefitbaby

Your local JCP should have free phones for you to call the benefit delivery centre (these are the people who process your claim, sick notes, make decisions and issue payments). It may be Bolton but you need to check your ESA award letter/s.

The ESA50 work capability questionnaire is sent to Atos Healthcare (they usually provide a white envelope to return it in). If you have accidentally sent the ESA50 form to the benefit deliverly centre ring and tell them, this means that they will have your sick note but the form will be in the wrong place.

If you explain your confusion then I would hope they would accept this and use their common sense as technically although the form has gone to the wrong address this is an address within the DWP, so it will have been received before the deadline.

ESA can be very complicated so try to ensure you read the letters you are sent and keep them in a safe place (just realised I sounded like someone's Mum then )

RainbowDreamer

You are right. I have so much on at the moment that my head is all over the place and all letters etc are getting put in one place.. but it doesn't help that I have sent ALL benefit type letters to the legal aid people, which means I cannot read over it again to double check things.

I am struggling enough so now that my payments have stopped this will now make things ten times worse. But it is my own fault.

benefitbaby

Everyone gets in a pickle with the numerous letters from ESA... just don't panic. If someone else has your letters (legal aid?) then ask for the originals back - they can take copies.

Sit down and sort your letters into separate piles e.g. one pile for Bolton BDC letters, one for HB/CTB, one for Atos etc (you get the picture) and then put them in date order (oldest at the back). This will put you more in control and will help you to feel less overwhelmed.

Contact the Bolton BDC in the morning and tell them exactly what you have explained on here. If you have any difficulty then contact your local CAB/welfare rights unit etc