ESA with cancer

catzooo

Can anybody advise on this please?
I was diagnosed with breast cancer October 2013. I have been off work sick since then. I was paid basic SSP for 6 months, then applied for ESA in April when SSP ended.
I am receiving £71 per week ESA. I am still sending in sick notes rom my GP. Which I guess means I have not yet been assessed by ATOS.
Is it normal to take this long? I am on contribution based ESA and my partner works full time so I expect my ESA to end after 1 year.
In the last year I have had 6 months on chemo, then mastectomy, then 5 weeks of daily radiotherapy.
I am now getting further chemo by IV. Does that mean an automatic pass into the support group?
Happily I am doing ok, and the outlook is as good as it can be. I am just confused with the system.

pmlindyloo

Can you check your dates? According to this thread https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4652323=

you were talking about applying for ESA in June of this year.

Just saying this as the time gone by isn't quite so long (although long enough!)

There seems to be a terrible backlog at the moment.

As I said before it seems that you would qualify for the Support group.

If it were me I would be checking to see that they have all the information they need about your treatment and see if they require further evidence of your current chemo treatment.

catzooo

Thanks for replying pmlindylou.
It was June when my work got round to telling me that I wasn't entitled to any more SSP. Work did only pay SSP up til April, I just didn't notice I wasn't getting any money for a few weeks as I was occupied with treatment and daily trips to the hospital for Rads
I then had to get a form from work which I sent in with my ESA application in June. ESA was paid and back dated to April, so I was assuming my claim started from April.
But yes, I guess my ESa paperwork only began in June.
I didn't fill in much on the ESA50 as there was a box to tick if undergoing cancer treatment. I passed the form on to my oncologist who then sent it in to ATOS.
As they are still paying basic ESA I assume they have all the information they need. But yes, it is worth a call. Am guessing I am just in the backlog though.

vintagebrighton

My ESA50 was received by ATOS on 2 August and I've still not been assessed (breast cancer treatment) I'm just thinking of it as 'enforced savings'... makes it a bit easier somehow although £71 is a bit of a struggle to live on. Hope it all goes well for you Catzoo

Pineapple88

If you are having chemotherapy or radiotherapy you are automatically entitled to go into the work related activity group. From memory there is a box to tick on the ESA 50 to say you are having this treatment. If you ticked this and explained your treatment in the form then you should have been receiving the WRAG premium since you applied.

Did you mention your chemotherapy/radiotherapy on the form? If not then phone then asap to inform of a change in circumstances. If you did then you may be able to appeal the decision and get the premium backdated. I would suggest either speaking to CAB about this or hopefully someone with more knowledge of the appeals process will be along on here to provide some more advice.

bloolagoon

Pineapple88 wrote: »

If you are having chemotherapy or radiotherapy you are automatically entitled to go into the work related activity group. From memory there is a box to tick on the ESA 50 to say you are having this treatment. If you ticked this and explained your treatment in the form then you should have been receiving the WRAG premium since you applied.

Did you mention your chemotherapy/radiotherapy on the form? If not then phone then asap to inform of a change in circumstances. If you did then you may be able to appeal the decision and get the premium backdated. I would suggest either speaking to CAB about this or hopefully someone with more knowledge of the appeals process will be along on here to provide some more advice.

It's IV based Not medication based. The key is IV based,

julia78

Have u been referred to the CAPC? Have u spoken to ur McMillian advisor?

Horseunderwater

As far as I know it is automatically into the Support group if on IV Chemo/ radiotherapy etc. There was talk earlier in year of including tablet based but whether that ever got included I could not confirm.

catzooo

Thank you for your advice here. I am getting IV - Introvenous chemo every 3 weeks. Means half a day in hospital connected up via a PICC line which has been in my arm since February.
Yes I ticked the box on the ESA 50 saying I was having chemo and gave details of the drug regime.
I got a letter last week saying sick note about to run out and to send a new one in - so that means my claim has not even been assessed yet. Got a new 3 month one from GP and posted it in.
As vintagebrighton says, best to look at it as savings. As I must be due back pay of the difference from 13 weeks from basic rate £71 to WRAG or SG rate.
Best wishes to you vb x