ESA for Nat Ins - is it worth it ?

2totango

My contribution based ESA, (WRAG), payments have stopped after 365 days, but apparently I am being credited with Nat Ins Contributions. My partner is in full time work, so he has to support me.

I have received a new ESA50 to fill in.

I already have 30+ years of N.I. contributions although not eligible for a state pension until 2022, (goalposts were moved !!) I will be eligible for my private pension from 2016.

My illnesses/conditions are probably about the same as originally assessed, so unlikely to be eligible for the support group. Felt so grateful/relieved that I got through the last round of forms and the medical, and didn't expect/realize that it would continue once the payments stopped.

Is it worth the hassle of ATOS, (a process which stressed me out badly last year) for just Nat Ins contributions ? I just wish I was well enough so I could try to get a job.:(

Would be grateful for your thoughts on this.

Many thanks

Horseunderwater

From 2017 you will need 35 years on NI cont's to get full state pension so I'd say in this instance yes it is worth it and if you get worse, then you can ask for a Supercession to see if you can get into the Support group.

schrodie

2totango wrote: »

My contribution based ESA, (WRAG), payments have stopped after 365 days, but apparently I am being credited with Nat Ins Contributions. My partner is in full time work, so he has to support me.

I have received a new ESA50 to fill in.

I already have 30+ years of N.I. contributions although not eligible for a state pension until 2022, (goalposts were moved !!) I will be eligible for my private pension from 2016.

My illnesses/conditions are probably about the same as originally assessed, so unlikely to be eligible for the support group. Felt so grateful/relieved that I got through the last round of forms and the medical, and didn't expect/realize that it would continue once the payments stopped.

Is it worth the hassle of ATOS, (a process which stressed me out badly last year) for just Nat Ins contributions ? I just wish I was well enough so I could try to get a job.:(

Would be grateful for your thoughts on this.

Many thanks

This tory government has removed the contributory principle of paying in all through your working life to get some degree of help and assistance in later life.

The problem is that unless you can satisfy the National Insurance Contributions conditions of CB ESA then you won't be able to claim it again in the future if you "sign off" as it were. The advantage of keeping yourself "on the books" is that if your condition worsens then you can ask for a reassessment and maybe get into the Support Group but couldn't if you as above "signed off ESA"

The only way to get back onto ESA at a later date is if you can show that you satisfy the Income Related ESA rules which are as you can imagine very very stringent.

2totango

Many thanks for your replies.

Hadn't thought about not being able to get back onto ESA in the future. My conditions are deemed medically manageable at the moment, but not curable, so unfortunately will get worse over time.

I have checked and I will have amassed 35 years of N.I. credits this month, so pension should be ok providing the rules do not change again.

Gives me food for thought, so many thanks again.

tango

Brassedoff

schrodie wrote: »

This tory government has removed the contributory principle of paying in all through your working life to get some degree of help and assistance in later life.

The problem is that unless you can satisfy the National Insurance Contributions conditions of CB ESA then you won't be able to claim it again in the future if you "sign off" as it were. The advantage of keeping yourself "on the books" is that if your condition worsens then you can ask for a reassessment and maybe get into the Support Group but couldn't if you as above "signed off ESA"

The only way to get back onto ESA at a later date is if you can show that you satisfy the Income Related ESA rules which are as you can imagine very very stringent.

Not trying to pick an argument, but this policy is the policy of the governments health and pensions Tsar. It (the colilition government made up of Conservative and Liberal party's) carried out his recommendation.

The Tsar by the way is Labours Frank Field.

schrodie

Brassedoff wrote: »

Not trying to pick an argument, but this policy is the policy of the governments health and pensions Tsar. It (the colilition government made up of Conservative and Liberal party's) carried out his recommendation.

The Tsar by the way is Labours Frank Field.

This regulation has always been part of claiming CB ESA save for the tories changing it form 3 years worth of NICs to two years (thus closing the goalposts).

Hence even though your paid CB ESA may have finished after 365 days if placed into the WRAG the length of your time in the WRAG for may well be longer e.g. two years; so after the 365 days you then receive NI credits until the end of the two years whereupon you're sent another ESA50 and so the cycle begins again. However you can at any time ask for a reconsideration if your condition deteriorates and you think you may be eligible for the Support Group (which isn't time limited).

Nu-Labour certainly have a lot to answer for, hence you can only get a cigarette paper between the tories and them as far as welfare policies are concerned. ESA is Nu-labour's [monster] creation!!