SSP to ESA

Rach_b_123

Help!

Completely confused. My last day of being paid SSP is 27th December (this is the last working day of the 28 week period) but I get paid SSP one month in arrears.

My employer just wrote to me to say I will continue to receive SSP until January - but as explained above, that isn't the case - I will get SSP until 27th December, but I receive December's pay in January.

When am I able to apply for ESA from? From the day after SSP stops (i.e. 28th December onwards)? Or will the fact I get it paid one month in arrears mean I cannot get ESA from that date and therefore will it need to be from January onwards (i.e. after the final pay in arrears)?

I'd like to avoid calling my company's payroll department if poss - they useless. They are apparently sending my forms to apply for incapacity benefit - what use is that??!

catzooo

I gave just gone through this. Your employer needs to send you a form stating the date you are paid SSP up to. You then call DWP and apply for ESA. They will send you an ESA50 form which you need to fill in and return with a GP sick note and the form from work.
It looks like your employer is just confusing IB and ESA. I wouldn't worry about that.
My employer was as bad- didn't inform me SSP was stopping and I didn't notice for a few weeks. Had to chase them up to get the correct form.
It all worked out in the end as ESA was paid back dated to the date on the form from my employer.

Rach_b_123

catzooo wrote: »

I gave just gone through this. Your employer needs to send you a form stating the date you are paid SSP up to. You then call DWP and apply for ESA. They will send you an ESA50 form which you need to fill in and return with a GP sick note and the form from work.
It looks like your employer is just confusing IB and ESA. I wouldn't worry about that.
My employer was as bad- didn't inform me SSP was stopping and I didn't notice for a few weeks. Had to chase them up to get the correct form.
It all worked out in the end as ESA was paid back dated to the date on the form from my employer.

Thank you for explaining this...I now know what to do!

They are apparently sending me an SSP1 form, which I am assuming is the form that states the date you are paid SSP up to.

I am just worried this form will state that SSP has been paid up to end of January rather than 27th December because they are so useless. I suppose I had better watch out for this and take it up with them if they get the date wrong.

Glad to hear you got your ESA backdated though, incase this happens and I need to chase them for a new form with the correct date. If the form even turns up at all that is! Oh dear, I really should have more faith in them...