bit confused over benefits situation .. hopefully someone is up early :)

jasonwatkins

ok, so the summary is that I was on Incapacity Benefit, failed my WCA in October last year. Appealed. was placed on appeal rate ESA, and won the appeal in (i think) October this year.

Everything was processed, I got the back pay and was then placed back on the higher rate at the same time, which was £216.10 a fortnight.

Got the letter confirming this as well.

Got a letter the week before last informing me that my ESA was ending after a year, which I assumed was simply routine, as I was now on the higher rate, and it also had been a year, so I (stupidly I admit..) chucked it out.

Been getting the higher rate since then and was due to get it today, until I go to my online banking to see a payment of £15.44

Now i'm trying not to get into a panic as I obviously need to go to the DWP to find out what's going on, but if anyone sees this before around 9:30am, i'd appreciate some clues

I didn't realise or think I had to re-apply as I had been placed on the higher rate already and had been receiving it. I'm kind of hoping that when I get up tomorrow morning, the money will actually be there as it's still on it's way overnight, but i'm still having a bit of a panic, mainly as i've got rent, food e.t.c.. and a hospital appointment in london on thursday.

I know the moral of the story is that you should never assume with the DWP, so I hope I haven't made a horrible mistake..

Thanks in advance

Torry_Quine

Contribution based ESA only lasts for a year in the WRAG. You may be eligible for income based if your not living with someone who is earnig and or you don't have over £16,000 savings. Between £6 and £16K there is a sliding scale.

jasonwatkins

Torry_Quine wrote: »

Contribution based ESA only lasts for a year in the WRAG. You may be eligible for income based if your not living with someone who is earnig and or you don't have over £16,000 savings. Between £6 and £16K there is a sliding scale.

Thankyou.

I live on my own and have done for over 20 years. Do I actually have to re-apply for the benefit then ?

And how long would it take ?. I literally have nothing else other than the £15.44 that was deposited into my account to last me.

Torry_Quine

jasonwatkins wrote: »

Thankyou.

I live on my own and have done for over 20 years. Do I actually have to re-apply for the benefit then ?

And how long would it take ?. I literally have nothing else other than the £15.44 that was deposited into my account to last me.

You will need to complete a form to ascertain eligibilty for income based, I would suggest calling your local centre first thing to get this going quickly. You won't be reapplying for the benefit just for income based. Too late now but throwing out the letter wasn't a good idea as it would be letting you know that your year was up and you need to apply for income based. I don't know how long before your benefit is reinstated but you should be eligible for some kind of crisis payment.

jasonwatkins

Torry_Quine wrote: »

You will need to complete a form to ascertain eligibilty for income based, I would suggest calling your local centre first thing to get this going quickly. You won't be reapplying for the benefit just for income based. Too late now but throwing out the letter wasn't a good idea as it would be letting you know that your year was up and you need to apply for income based. I don't know how long before your benefit is reinstated but you should be eligible for some kind of crisis payment.

Thankyou. I remember reading the letter and reading the first part that said the benefit was ending and just assuming at that point that it was just a routine mailshot because I'd already been moved to the higher rate. Hindsight being what it is, I suppose reading the whole thing would have helped ....

I'm now officially panicking.. I think I still owe the DWP a small amount for an old crisis loan that i'd been paying off so if that's the case, I can't see me getting one of those. Obviously i'll have to check that later on this morning.

I've got some direct debits due out for bills this week as well which will now have to be cancelled ..

Thanks for your help Torry, I think I need to try and sleep on this now and try and think of how i'm going to sort this mess out.

jasonwatkins

well it never arrived overnight .. (where's that 'roll eyes' smiley when you need it )

as far as surviving the next two weeks, i should be able to do it. none of the bills, including rent, will get paid, but i'll just have to ring around everyone and let them know what's going on. i know sky tend to disconnect you if you don't have an active direct debit, but i found out that if i re-start it the day after it's been due, they'll re-activate everything.

at least i can have my usual daily allowance of £3 quid a day and, just as importantly in this weather i suppose, put some money on the gas so i can have a *bit* of heat at least !

if this all goes on any longer than a fortnight then i'll truly be screwed

Dunroamin

jasonwatkins wrote: »

well it never arrived overnight .. (where's that 'roll eyes' smiley when you need it )

as far as surviving the next two weeks, i should be able to do it. none of the bills, including rent, will get paid, but i'll just have to ring around everyone and let them know what's going on. i know sky tend to disconnect you if you don't have an active direct debit, but i found out that if i re-start it the day after it's been due, they'll re-activate everything.

at least i can have my usual daily allowance of £3 quid a day and, just as importantly in this weather i suppose, put some money on the gas so i can have a *bit* of heat at least !

if this all goes on any longer than a fortnight then i'll truly be screwed

Don't you claim LHA/HB for the rent?

Muttleythefrog

If you meet means testing for income related ESA.. and nothing above suggests you won't... then you should be able to switch to income related. ESA3 form from DWP might do the trick... but they led everyone to believe conversion to IR after the 12 months would be seamless. Who knows... it may already be in motion... certainly wouldn't assume it... and the recent deposit to your account needs explanation.

I am assuming you're in WRAG rather than support group... if you're in support group then contrib based ESA should not end after 12 months and therefore the unusual payment would be even less obviously explainable.

As above.. make sure you're getting local authority sourced beneft entitlement... CTB/HB.

jasonwatkins

Dunroamin wrote: »

Don't you claim LHA/HB for the rent?

I do. My "rent" is actually 'officially' water rates, it just all gets paid to the same place. Either way, it's not getting paid.

Muttleythefrog wrote: »

I am assuming you're in WRAG rather than support group...

I am in the WRAG , yes. I'm on my way to the DWP now so fingers crossed

Dunroamin

jasonwatkins wrote: »

I do. My "rent" is actually 'officially' water rates, it just all gets paid to the same place. Either way, it's not getting paid.

Sorry, you've lost me.

looby75

Dunroamin wrote: »

Sorry, you've lost me.

A lot of people in LA housing or HA have their water rates included in their rent. HB doesn't cover the water rates, but it's still paid to the council as "rent"

My rent is £73 a week but £13 of that is water rates, so I pay that amount to the council via their rents system.