Contribution based ESA ending no assesment yet

Limara

Hubbys contribution based ESA is ending 6 weeks time, he has not yet had the assessment and there is no doubt he should be in the support group.
We will not be entitled to claim the income related.
What happens when this comes to an end hes not entitled to much because of his ill health pension but we do rely on it.
He has received a letter today stating that its going to end not saying anything about being assessed in the future.
I understand the contribution based does not end after a year, but what happens if you have to had the assessment within that year?
Also we are due the best part of a years worth of back pay for the higher rate if he is in the support group.

rogerblack

Contribution ESA is limited to 12 months in the work-related and assessment groups total.
If you are awaiting assessment and have not been assessed yet - your ESA _WILL_ end.
If you are found to be entitled to the support or work-related group, this will be backdated to the 13th week of claim.
You need to push for an assessment.

If later you are found to be eligible for the support group, payment resumes - even if it has in the interim stopped.

TELLIT01

ESA payment will cease after 365 days but the claim itself remains open for NI credit purposes. Nonetheless, he does need to push hard to get his assessment done. It might be worth contacting your local MP. When they get on the case things tend to get sorted very quickly. I'm sure that's pure coincidence though!

Limara

rogerblack wrote: »

If later you are found to be eligible for the support group, payment resumes - even if it has in the interim stopped.

Thanks for the info I hope the above is correct, I have been given 2 different versions from speaking with them today!
First phone call the lady I spoke to said it ends on the date given and can not be reclaimed and will not be re-awarded the assessment HAS to be done BEFORE it ends, if not" the money stops and you cant get it back " were her exact words.
She gave me a number to chase up the status of his medical appointment and I queried that as I had the same thing with his PIP assessment and that was a waste of time as they cant tell you anything.
I phoned them and it was as expected, they said to phone esa back and tell them they must request to prioritise the assessment,.
I phoned esa back and spoke to some one totally different, he said the money stops but claim remains open and we should not have been given the number to chase up the appointment and they cant prioritise appointments.

TELLIT01

The second version is the accurate one by my understanding. Your only real option now is to get onto your MP. It's one thing to have to get by at the assessment rate for 12 months, another altogether to have the money stop because the DWP, or its agents, are unable to do their job in a timely manner.
Senior management bang on all the time about the importance of customer service. It would be wonderful if they would practice what they preach.

Cazzr

Thankyou for posting this as I'm in a similar situation. Esa contribution rate runs out on 9th September. Ive had no assessment and cannot claim income based as hubby has just been made redundant and will claim carers allowance for our eldest sons care and income support. I was made redundant in April too. All monies have gone towards paying off debt.

So I guess my only option is to contact my mp then?! Not good when I struggle with depression and anxiety and have 2 kids with special needs. My youngest son currently only gets low rate care dla otherwise I'd claim carers for him, tho it won't be long till his renews so who knows.

I'm not hopeful about the assessment tho anyway as I gather awards are like hens teeth for mental health issues. :-/

rogerblack

Cazzr wrote: »

Thankyou for posting this as I'm in a similar situation. Esa contribution rate runs out on 9th September. Ive had no assessment and cannot claim income based as hubby has just been made redundant

Err?
If your husband does not have other income, then he can be added to your ESA-income based claim, and paid on that basis.
Assuming you do not have capital >16K

pmlindyloo

Cazzr wrote: »

Thankyou for posting this as I'm in a similar situation. Esa contribution rate runs out on 9th September. Ive had no assessment and cannot claim income based as hubby has just been made redundant and will claim carers allowance for our eldest sons care and income support. I was made redundant in April too. All monies have gone towards paying off debt.

So I guess my only option is to contact my mp then?! Not good when I struggle with depression and anxiety and have 2 kids with special needs. My youngest son currently only gets low rate care dla otherwise I'd claim carers for him, tho it won't be long till his renews so who knows.

I'm not hopeful about the assessment tho anyway as I gather awards are like hens teeth for mental health issues. :-/

If you feel that you are not fit for work but unlikely to get ESA after your assessment through lack of medical evidence or whatever then I suggest that you claim Carer's Allowance for your son and then make a claim for Income Support and add your partner while he is out of work.

Then when your partner finds a job you can continue to claim CA until you feel well enough to work.

rogerblack

pmlindyloo wrote: »

If you feel that you are not fit for work but unlikely to get ESA after your assessment through lack of medical evidence or whatever then I suggest that you claim Carer's Allowance for your son and then make a claim for Income Support and add your partner while he is out of work.

Then when your partner finds a job you can continue to claim CA until you feel well enough to work.

On the other hand - if you think you are likely to be put in the support group - then your ESA(C) would resume, if you do not close the claim.

Indie_Kid

pmlindyloo wrote: »

If you feel that you are not fit for work but unlikely to get ESA after your assessment through lack of medical evidence or whatever then I suggest that you claim Carer's Allowance for your son and then make a claim for Income Support and add your partner while he is out of work.

Then when your partner finds a job you can continue to claim CA until you feel well enough to work.

You can't claim carers for someone on low rate care.

pmlindyloo

Indie_Kid wrote: »

You can't claim carers for someone on low rate care.

I meant she should claim CA for the child who qualifies (the one the father was going to claim for) Sorry.