Advice regarding ESA payment

Hanelora

Hi guys, i'm wondering if anyone can advise me on this. After winning my appeal for ESA at the beginning of September, i have still not received any money or letter advising me when my benefit will be re-instated. The only letter i have received was to say that i won my appeal. My money was stopped on June 2nd and i didn't claim JSA or any other benefit since that time.
I am at the stage i have no money whatsoever for food or heating (after using what little savings i had) and haven't eaten since last week and i am just sinking deeper into depression with each passing day. I don't know who turn to or to ask for help and really feel that i can't go on. I have been worn down so much with all of this, i'm beginning to feel that life just isn't worth it anymore.
Does anyone know how long it is supposed to take or even if there is a time scale set out by the DWP. Many thanks for any advice you can give me,

McKneff

Ring the DWP and ask.


If they say not yet, ask for some emergency money to feed yourself.

Redshirt

You could go to CAB, your GP or local job centre and ask for a food bank voucher to at least get some food while they sort things out

Hanelora

Thank you both for the replies. Unfortunately i am not up to (mentally) dealing with the DWP on the phone but will try to get to see my doctor regards the food voucher. Thanks again.

richard9991

Hanelora wrote: »

Thank you both for the replies. Unfortunately i am not up to (mentally) dealing with the DWP on the phone but will try to get to see my doctor regards the food voucher. Thanks again.

Re Foodbank i work in a trussel trust foodbank you will need to contact the foodbank to find out which agencys in your area are voucher holders ie not all GPS will hold them and DWP in our area do not will not hold vouchers as they refuse to accept the need for foodbanks.

Hanelora

richard9991 wrote: »

Re Foodbank i work in a trussel trust foodbank you will need to contact the foodbank to find out which agencys in your area are voucher holders ie not all GPS will hold them and DWP in our area do not will not hold vouchers as they refuse to accept the need for foodbanks.

Thank you richard9991. Do you know how i can contact a food bank, i don't even know if there are any in my area. I have never been in such a situation and really don't know what i should be doing.

richard9991

If you can go to or ring your CAB or Local council they should be able to tell you (they may even have vouchers)

Better still put your post code on this web site and will tell you nearest to you.

http://www.trusselltrust.org/map

sportage1kia

I got a food voucher from a CAB then was advised to go to a food bank that they knew . after going the first occasion and giving details you can go again without going to see the CAB. also the CAB may be able to speed up the process with the DWP.

TELLIT01

Try to contact your local MP. That has a remarkable ability to concentrate the minds of those responsible for getting benefits into payment.

richard9991

sportage1kia wrote: »

I got a food voucher from a CAB then was advised to go to a food bank that they knew . after going the first occasion and giving details you can go again without going to see the CAB. also the CAB may be able to speed up the process with the DWP.

At our foodbank requires a new voucher for each parcel and you can only have 3 parcels in every 6 months

TELLIT01

richard9991 wrote: »

DWP in our area do not will not hold vouchers as they refuse to accept the need for foodbanks.

The first part is generally true as access to foodbanks is generally controlled by the local council, not the DWP. The second part is wrong as DWP will point people in the direction of the local council if they are unable to pay benefit.