Students and ESA

LL30

Afternoon!

I was wondering if anyone is good at sums and in the know about ESA and students? I'm doing my MA and in receipt of DLA LRC, so I've been told I'm eligible for ESA. How does this work? The whole thing scares me to death and I don't want to start a claim and go through all the horror that I read about for nothing.

I have psoriatic arthritis and gave up work last April to do some SE work until I started Uni. I can't work now a) because of my course and b) because of my arthritis which isn't under control yet. Do I have to get a sick note? Feels fraudulent as I couldn't work anyway because of my course iyswim?

Also, I get an NHS bursary, circa £7.5K per year including various components for being a single Mum, travel etc. Is this taken into account? I would have thought that it would have precluded me from gaining esa as it's not a small amount. I also get tax credits for my daughter, £56 p/wk - is this counted too? My thinking is that there's enough pennies there to make me ineligible, which is fine, but I wanted to know how it works. My finances aren't too bad, I can't complain but blimey these Uni books are expensive!

Any input appreciated

rogerblack

LL30 wrote: »

Any input appreciated

Only addressing one part.
If you have enough contributions in the hears 10/11 and 11/12, then you will be entled to contributions based ESA, rather than income based.
However, this is not payable to students, only income based.

Willing2Learn

Just took a quick at the Disability Rights UK student faq. They have a helpline giving advice to students studying England on various things including welfare benefits.
0800 328 5050
09:00 to 20:00 Monday to Friday
10:00 to 14:00 Saturday
http://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/disabledstudents.htm

LL30

Thanks Roger and Willing! I'll give the number a ring and see what they say, but I'm still on the fence about it (and slipping - more towards the 'don't do it' side!)

I have no idea about contributions - I probably don't have many for those years as I was on maternity leave for a lot of 10/11 and then I was made redundant in Sept '11

Savvy_Sue

LL30 wrote: »

so I've been told I'm eligible for ESA.

Who told you, and were they aware of all the facts? Obviously if you weren't studying and getting an NHS bursary that would be different.

ETA just seen this thread, don't understand the situation but as you'd only be able to claim contributions-based ESA you'd need to check that you were on a low enough income to make it worthwhile. I'd subscribe to that thread and see what information comes up there!

LL30

Thanks Sue. It's a friend of mine who has the same condition and is studying too. She'd mentioned it a while ago, but I just brushed it off as quite honestly, the whole things scares me to death and I've been too poorly to deal with most things until recently. I'm going to ring the helpline suggested by Willing tomorrow and take it from there xx

LL30

Just thought I'd update in case anyone out there was in a similar situation.

If I have enough contributions, then I'm eligible to claim (C) ESA, so my bursary will not be taken into account. I have an automatic limited capability to work due to my status as a student, but, the DWP are doing their thing and refusing claims without a fit note attached, so I've been told to get one anyway (!). I will have to go through the medical etc and will be obligated to attend WFI if in the WRAG (now that would be amusing!).

If I don't have enough contributions, I can claim (IR) ESA and my bursary will be taken into account, minus some disregards. Again, I have limited capability to work etc...

Now, I just have to decide if I can put myself through it. I hate being prodded and poked, I hate admitting how limiting this damned thing is (at the moment, it WILL get better) so I'm not overjoyed at the idea of arguing about how ill I am, or not, as the case seems to be from the stories I've read. Anywho, there we go, that's how it works for students.