Esa in Scotland

ronin4

Hello I live in Scotland, I have Schizophrenia, I was in reciept of DLA and Incap Benefit up until August 2012.
I was then changed over to ESA, the letter telling me this said that I had been put in a work placement group and if I did not attend my ESA would be stopped.
There was no information about where or when the work group began and my psychiatrist said she knew nothing about it at all.
6 months after the ESA letter I got another letter tellling me that it was only paid for 1 year and so in 6 months it would be stopped.
6 months later it was stopped. I was never told where or when the back to work group began, I never had an interview by Astos either.

I feel quite cheated, as it seems the Government are just telling voters they will be cutting benefits, but in return helping people back into work. I got no help just money for 12 months and then it stopped.
MIND cant really help me as Im in Scotland and they say they only deal with England and Wales.
Im curious to know if anyone else in Scotland, or elsewhere, has been treated the same way?
Is it often the case that people havent been sent anywhere for help back into work and when the 12 months are up the money gets stopped and you are just forgotten about?

rogerblack

ronin4 wrote: »

Is it often the case that people havent been sent anywhere for help back into work and when the 12 months are up the money gets stopped and you are just forgotten about?

You seem to have gotten the wrong end of the stick. (not helped by the design of the letters).

If you are placed in the work-related group, you are entitled - as long as you do the things required of you - to ESA.
However - if you are on contribution based ESA, and in the work-related group, this will only be paid for one year.
If you have other household income, or significant assets (excluding home), then after one year, you will not be paid, but will still get NI credits towards your pension.

It is at the option of the DWP if you are required to do any work-related activity at all.
For some people there may be none, others may be required to do something for 8 hours a day.
If the DWP decide not to assign you work-related activity, that is their choice - the time limiting at 12 months is not related to that.

If you have no household income, or significant savings, you should be entitled to be moved over to ESA-income-based - which is paid at the same rate.

In principle, now, you can make a late appeal of the decision to grant you ESA-work-related and that you should have been entitled to the support component from the start.
This would only be if you meet one of the 'support group' descriptors, or not finding you to be entitled to the support group would be a risk to your health.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esa214-a-guide-to-employment-and-support-allowance-the-work-capability-assessment

tomtontom

Did you (or your carer) ever contact the DWP and ask for clarification or support?

http://www.supportinmindscotland.org.uk/information-and-support

This organisation may be able to help you.

ronin4

Thankyou both, I think I will go back to chasing up my Social Worker, who disappeared about 2 years ago lol.
thanks again.

epitome

rogerblack wrote: »

In principle, now, you can make a late appeal of the decision to grant you ESA-work-related and that you should have been entitled to the support component from the start.

As it is an IB Mig case the decn may have been taken in July 2013 for IB to stop in August and ESA to start in August. So his 13 months to appeal could already have expired.

Ronin,

Your ESA is still open for NI credits, you can appeal the original decision if it made less than 13 months ago and you get your appeal in and received within 13 months. Best way to do that is with a jobcentre appointment to have your appeal faxed.

You will be reassesssed at some point in the future and if you are still given WRAG you can appeal that decision for Support Group.

Or you can write in saying you have worsened and you want to be assessed now for Support Group.

You must have a working partner ? or savings over £16,000 otherwise you would have been told about ESA IR by now.

ronin4

As it is an IB Mig case the decn may have been taken in July 2013 for IB
Sorry I didnt really follow that, what is an IB mig?

You must have a working partner ? or savings over £16,000 otherwise you would have been told about ESA IR by now

No and No.

I still get DLA of £81 a week though.

Have decided today I should just write to DWP, quite taken back they dont have an email address though.
thanks to all

epitome

In your Opening Post (OP) You said you were migrated in August 2012 <<<that is an IB Mig

Is that correct ? 2012... so your ESA ran out in 2013 ? So how have you survived for the last 12 months?

Answer the following Qu's:

What is your marital status?

Do you live with a partner?

How old are you?

Do you (and your partner) have savings over £16,000?
or savings over £6,000? If yes, how much?

Do you have any other income apart from DLA?

What rate "DLA Care" do you get? low, middle or high

Do you live alone?

When did your ESA stop paying you?

Do you own any other land or property?

ronin4

In your Opening Post (OP) You said you were migrated in August 2012 <<<that is an IB Mig -
Ok sorry just didnt know what the "mig" was

Sorry if I caused offence I wasnt being sarcastic just didnt understand the abreviations used.
Im 42 and have had to go back to live with my mother as I lost my home. I never got Housing Benefit because I had savings from when I worked, they were mainly in Bank shares, but when the shares collapsed I gave up my council house.

Ive got virtually no savings and get £80 or so a week.

To be honest, Im more concerned that I was told I would be given help and got nothing.
I know this is a financial site, but I was wondering how many people had been promised help and never got it, just had the benefit stopped. In effect they have just cut benefit, without giving anything in return. I once heard Iain Duncan Smith talking about giving people the training and help needed to find work in return for moving people on to the new benefit. Where I live it seems these Work Group dont even exist.

epitome

No offence was caused by you, no worries.

When your ESA stopped a year ago did you have savings over £16,000?

I'm trying to understand why you didn't claim or qualify for ESA IR

If you have no savings now and live with your mum and are single then... why not ask for an ESA3 form to be assessed for ESA IR?

ronin4

epitome wrote: »

No offence was caused by you, no worries.

When your ESA stopped a year ago did you have savings over £16,000?

I'm trying to understand why you didn't claim or qualify for ESA IR

If you have no savings now and live with your mum and are single then... why not ask for an ESA3 form to be assessed for ESA IR?

No my savings went in 2010. I didnt know there was an esa IR. When it stopped last year I was just feeling conned, because I had been waiting to get on to the back to work scheme. Not long after I was unwell and was in hospital for a while. Its only in the last few months I havestarted to think about these things again.

I am going to post a letter tomorrow to DWP asking for help.
Thanks again

TELLIT01

ronin4 wrote: »

I am going to post a letter tomorrow to DWP asking for help.
Thanks again

Don't send a letter - call them. The route mail takes can be circuitous to say the least. A phone call will require a call back within 3 hours. If you do call them please be available to be called back. It's frustrating when people don't answer the phone after requesting a call. (Guess where I work)