PIP & ESA advice needed please

cazz2013

I applied for PIP in the middle of July and my claim pack was returned to DWP. DWP sent it to ATOS on 14 Aug, and as of today that is still where it is - DWP gave me a contact number for ATOS who said that the claim is in early stages and could not give me any time scale on assessments or anything ---- so my first question is does anybody know approximately how long this procedure takes?? My second query is my SSP has ended and my employer sent me a form to apply for ESA - after ringing them today I was told because my husband works I could only claim contributory ESA -- my second question is how do you qualify for contributory ESA and again how long does this process take?? My husband only earns minimum wage and my SSP ran out two weeks ago - my employer has only just sent me the forms. I am worried sick over all of this and hope that some-one can enlighten me with these questions. Thank-you.

nannytone_2

as PIP is a new benefit, no one can say what the timescale will be, but DLA ( PIP's predecessor) took about 12 weeks from when the forms were returned.
to qualify for conts based ESA, you would have needed to be making NI contributions in 10/11 and 11/12

epitome

For ESA C
If you were employed in April 10 - April 11 you need to have earned £4,850 or more
and April 11 - April 12 you need to have earned £5,100 or more

If you did not earn those amounts then you would need to have benefit credits from child benefit perhaps? and you will need to have earned a lower amount in one of those years. (approx £2,800)

cazz2013

Thank-you for taking the time to reply - your advice is very much appreciated. Looks like a lot more time waiting for PIP to get back to me, but hopeful for the contributory ESA - In the meantime bread and butter for a few weeks I think

cazz2013

Heard yesterday that I have been turned down for contributory ESA, for missing a few months of work in 2010-2011 when I had serious mental health issues and did not claim anything - hence a gap in my NI. Cannot claim income related ESA because my husband works over 24 hours a week. Totally distressed over the whole situation - to make it worse I finally heard from ATOS today regarding PIP claim, and have been invited to a medical interview next Friday - I do not know what to do. My therapist is going to try to find an adviser to come with me - but everybody on here has said that they have had nothing but dreadful experiences at these assessments - anybody says hello to me at the moment I am in pieces. I am so scared of all of this - is it even worth going if they are most likely to just say no anyway? What do they do at these assessments - I don't know what to do - I have been diagnosed with complex PTSD and rattle with medication - advice needed please. Thankyou.:eek:

nannytone_2

so sorry to hear your news about your ESA claim.
i havent had a PIP medical but i have had one for ESA.
it was a good experience. the HCP listend to me, asked questions and was only too happy to clarify things that i wasnt quite sure of.
a lot of these medicals are good experiences, but its the bad one you hear about.
try not to worry and good luck!

portly1

cazz2013 wrote: »

Heard yesterday that I have been turned down for contributory ESA, for missing a few months of work in 2010-2011 when I had serious mental health issues and did not claim anything - hence a gap in my NI. Cannot claim income related ESA because my husband works over 24 hours a week. Totally distressed over the whole situation - to make it worse I finally heard from ATOS today regarding PIP claim, and have been invited to a medical interview next Friday - I do not know what to do. My therapist is going to try to find an adviser to come with me - but everybody on here has said that they have had nothing but dreadful experiences at these assessments - anybody says hello to me at the moment I am in pieces. I am so scared of all of this - is it even worth going if they are most likely to just say no anyway? What do they do at these assessments - I don't know what to do - I have been diagnosed with complex PTSD and rattle with medication - advice needed please. Thankyou.:eek:

Getting the assessment done is the easy part, getting the DWP to make a decision is the hardest bit.

So far, I am given to understand that very few decisions have been made for PIP other than those that automatically qualified under the life limiting 6 month rule.

There does seem to be a big hole where all of these assessment reports are sitting. The DWP won't give any info out about what is happening, other than to say 'it is being dealt with'.
What seems to be happening is that the DWP/ATOS are holding them back for what reason I have no idea.

So don't expect a decision any time soon.