I've really screwed up my ESA - Don't know what to do

Torry_Quine

Razzler wrote: »

My immediate concern is the £187.90 x 16 weeks that I've not had. What can I do about this?

I know when there was a mess up with my IB 3-4 years ago, they backdated the 3 months.

Really appreciate the help to date everyone

If I remember correctly ESA can be back-dated for 3 months. You need to contact them as soon as possible to get things started.

rogerblack

Razzler wrote: »

My immediate concern is the £187.90 x 16 weeks that I've not had. What can I do about this?

I know when there was a mess up with my IB 3-4 years ago, they backdated the 3 months.

Really appreciate the help to date everyone

Unfortunately, because you have left it past the absolute deadline of 13 months since the decision to place you on ESA, you cannot appeal the original decision not to place you in the support group - and hence the stopping of your ESA payment.
If you had succeeded in this appeal, you would have had backpay over the whole period, and it would continue at the support rate.

You can now either start being paid again if you qualify for income based ESA, which will be paid at the couple rate, and reduced somewhat by your partners earnings (if they are 40 quid a week or so).

Or if your condition has worsened since your last assessment.

If your condition worsens, and you qualify for the support group, or if you are found to be eligible for the support group in a subsequent assessment - payment of ESA(C) will resume.

I suspect in principle it is possible to backdate the income-based ESA payment - but I'm unsure if this will be straightforward.
You will need to show good cause why you did not apply at the time.

Razzler

Ok. This is worse than I imagined.

I honestly thought once I completed the questionnaire & they approved everything, I was going on to the benefit with the new name.

No idea about different groups etc etc. I assumed they would call me back or even write to me like they did with IB, but apparently thats not the way it runs now.

Who do I need to contact next? I assume the ESA dept will be thinking 'ha ha, what a mug' & will be unlikely to help me.

I will have no money whatsoever in a fortnight - I really have to resolve this in days

CKhalvashi

Razzler wrote: »

Ok. This is worse than I imagined.

I honestly thought once I completed the questionnaire & they approved everything, I was going on to the benefit with the new name.

No idea about different groups etc etc. I assumed they would call me back or even write to me like they did with IB, but apparently thats not the way it runs now.

Who do I need to contact next? I assume the ESA dept will be thinking 'ha ha, what a mug' & will be unlikely to help me.

I will have no money whatsoever in a fortnight - I really have to resolve this in days

The main issue is that this won't be sorted in days, it will be weeks at best.

You need to speak to them, and get a WCA sorted ASAP.

CK

Torry_Quine

Razzler wrote: »

Ok. This is worse than I imagined.

I honestly thought once I completed the questionnaire & they approved everything, I was going on to the benefit with the new name.

No idea about different groups etc etc. I assumed they would call me back or even write to me like they did with IB, but apparently thats not the way it runs now.

Who do I need to contact next? I assume the ESA dept will be thinking 'ha ha, what a mug' & will be unlikely to help me.

I will have no money whatsoever in a fortnight - I really have to resolve this in days

Firstly take a deep breath and don't panic.

The basics

As you changed from IB then that means you were switched to contribution based ESA. You are in the WRAG group where the money only lasts for one year when you can only get income based. Income based is on household income and savings. As you didn't apply for income based that's why the money stopped.

If you had been put into the support group then it would have continued as there is no time limit.

First thing tomorrow you must call the ESA department and if nothing else tell them that you want to claim income based as your contribution based has ended. They will need details of your partner's income and any savings over £8,000.

They won't laugh at you and will have come across this before as sadly many don't realise that their money will stop after a year and they need to claim income based. You may get it back-dated but you will need to show a good reason why it wasn't claimed before.

Torry_Quine

CKhalvashi wrote: »

The main issue is that this won't be sorted in days, it will be weeks at best.

You need to speak to them, and get a WCA sorted ASAP.

CK

No they don't need a WCA.

ab.da54

Razzler wrote: »

I will have no money whatsoever in a fortnight - I really have to resolve this in days

What money have you been living on / paying bills with, since January?

MidnightHour

£187 a week? I thought esa was around a 100 a week.

Indie_Kid

MidnightHour wrote: »

£187 a week? I thought esa was around a 100 a week.

Can be more if you receive DLA.

Owain_Moneysaver

Depending on how old you are, you might be able to claim Guarantee Pension Credit, which takes you out of the ESA system entirely.

Use the calculator as a quick guide to see if you're eligible.

If not, then get a telephone claim in form Income Based ESA immediately.