ESA Partners Interview

florallle_2

I've got ME/CFS and haven't been well enough to work for years, although I was nominally Company Secretary for my husband's company up to a year or so ago, and paid NI contributions.

A year ago, my husband had a stroke. He gets ESA and is in the support group. I knew when we claimed for ESA (it's a joint claim) that I would be called for a partners interview and I've now had the letter to attend in a couple of weeks time.

I'm in no fit state to work, what with my illness and now caring for my husband. Can anyone confirm what happens at these interviews? I have the idea, but I don't know if it's right, that it's just a formality. I have to turn up, explain my case, and we'll continue to get the benefit. Or am I being naive?

pmlindyloo

florallle wrote: »

I've got ME/CFS and haven't been well enough to work for years, although I was nominally Company Secretary for my husband's company up to a year or so ago, and paid NI contributions.

A year ago, my husband had a stroke. He gets ESA and is in the support group. I knew when we claimed for ESA (it's a joint claim) that I would be called for a partners interview and I've now had the letter to attend in a couple of weeks time.

I'm in no fit state to work, what with my illness and now caring for my husband. Can anyone confirm what happens at these interviews? I have the idea, but I don't know if it's right, that it's just a formality. I have to turn up, explain my case, and we'll continue to get the benefit. Or am I being naive?

No, you're not being naive. It is a requirement to attend though.

It is to offer support and help to get you back to work but once they know you are a carer and you are also poorly you will be OK.

Do you receive Carer's Allowance?

florallle_2

pmlindyloo wrote: »

No, you're not being naive. It is a requirement to attend though.

It is to offer support and help to get you back to work but once they know you are a carer and you are also poorly you will be OK.

Do you receive Carer's Allowance?

Hubby has applied for and been turned down for PIP (we're getting the appeal together at the moment), so no Carer's Allowance. If he does end up getting PIP at the right rate, I will apply. (He got 6 points on the care element of PIP, so worth appealing I think.)

florallle_2

Just to report back, I had my interview a couple of weeks ago and all went well. She said that she could see I wouldn't be able to work. An interview that was scheduled to last an hour lasted only about 15 minutes.

She did say that up until now, this has been a one off interview, but I will probably be called in every six months under changed rules.

As far as PIP goes, I rang up and asked for mandatory reconsideration (I think that was the phrase!). The young man from a charity who went with my husband for his PIP assessment wrote a letter pointing out all the things from that assessment that they'd ignored. He also included a new report we'd received from the stroke consultant. This week we got a letter saying they were awarding standard rate PIP for both components.

Thanks to everyone above who helped to reassure me about this.

I have a question about Carer's Allowance, but I'll open a new thread, so it has the appropriate title.