ESA Contribution Based advice please

bspm

:)Hi

I commenced claiming CB ESA in early March this year, I was awarded the assessment rate and have continued sending in fit notes. I have had the work I do checked and it falls in the permitted work category. I have gradually cut down my hours and changed the work I do to enable me to carry on feeling necessary, I am now starting to struggle doing the few hours that I try to do and know it wont be long before I am unable to work at all.

I am aware that in March next year my CB ESA will cease, I have not had a WCA and from the looks of things will not possibly get one carried out in the foreseeable future.....

My question is this....If, after 12 months of claiming CB ESA and knowing that I will not be eligible for IB ESA what actually happens? does that mean I will not be able to claim any future ESA?

A little concerning. Your replies would be appreciated.

Thank You

rogerblack

If you are found to be entitled to ESA at some point - then you will be paid backpay of either the arrears of support or work related groups from week 13-52 of the claim.
At week 52, payment will stop due to time-limiting.

If you are at some point in the future to become iller, and entitled to the support group, payment will resume.
Or if your circumstances change so that ESA-IR is payable.

If you break your claim before the WCA, you will _NOT_ be entitled to any payment of arrears of components, and if you later worsen, will not be entitled to payment of ESA-C.

bspm

Thank you for your reply Roger

However you have confirmed my biggest worry.... At week 52, if no assessment carried out then payment will stop due to time-limiting, I will not have paid enough NI contributions in the future as I have dropped my hours and pay to well below the LEL through ill health.

I fractured my spine many years ago in a car accident, it is now crumbling from many steroid injections, my L3 and L4 vertebrae are becoming fused due to scoliosis caused by the car accident, I have also been diagnosed with osteoporosis, I wont get any better, I know without a shadow of doubt that I will be eligible for ESA SG, I am very lucky to still be walking, during one of my hospital stays I asked the anaesthetist during the procedure to remind me to ask the surgeon carrying out the operation about a fit for work note afterwards, he actually said (he was looking at my spine on an x ray machine at the time) you actually work with that spine! I take my hat off to you!

So...due to the inadequacies of the current system I may be actually penalised when I cannot work any longer, it is a joke really isn't it after working almost 45 years.

By the way I have made a claim for PIP and am awaiting an assessment.

Maybe I should be one of these that gets their local MP's involved, I know this must push other claimants back and this is the reason I have not done this before, but needs must.

rogerblack

In principle, there is no reason why the WCA can't happen even after payment stops.
If it has not happened by that time, and you cannot get an appointment date I'd first write requesting compensation for the delay, then if still nothing - chase up via MP.

TELLIT01

bspm wrote: »

So...due to the inadequacies of the current system I may be actually penalised when I cannot work any longer, it is a joke really isn't it after working almost 45 years.

I don't think many would disagree that the system seems to favour those who either haven't worked, or have worked but spent every penny as it comes in. Frugality is penalised at every step.

epitome

You CAN claim again in 2015.

Usually (used to be the case) that a WCA was done within 6 - 9 months but nowadays it can take longer

So when people like you, claimed again after 1 year and 3 months they were already in WRAG.

You do not have to close your claim in order to claim again after 3 months from the point at which your payments end.

You do have to wait more than 12 weeks from the point at which payments stop before submitting a new claim.

When you claim again in July 2015 they will use tax years 12/13, 13/14

You have already qualified for 12/13
As regards 13/14 If you earned £5,450 or more in that year you will qualify for that year aswell so you will get another 365 days of ESA C from July 2015.


Of course, if you have your WCA at any point before claiming again in July 2015 and you are given Support Group (SG) then all this talk of claiming again becomes irrelevant because SG pays you for the life of the claim. not limited to 1 year.

Don't bother asking ESA new claims or ESA helpline about this claiming again, most of them don't know it can be done and they will tell you it can't be done, which is very wrong advice.

bspm

Thank you epitome

I just checked my on line P60 and my earnings in 2013/14 were just over £7,000 which will be fine, obviously like you said I already qualified for 2012/2013, my earnings that year were four times the following year!

Can I just ask if I do have to go down the route of making another claim in July 2015 they will definitely ne using tax years 2012/13 and 2013/14 and not 2014/2015?

I don't feel quite so worried now, still would like it all sorted within one year from claiming but your advice has cheered me. Thanks again.

epitome

Yes definately 12/13 & 13/14 will be used
14/15 will only be used in new claims from the 2nd week of 2016