ESA(C) advice please

mhhelp

Im considering moving from Northern Ireland to England as my family have moved there for work reasons and I would have more much needed support for my condition, I get contribution based ESA and am in the support group. I cant make or receive phonecalls as I have panic attacks if I try to so cant ring about this. I emailed the CAB but they said I would have to either make a new claim or go ahead and just hope I can transfer without having to make a fresh claim (not an option as the last assessment almost broke me). I cant understand if the reciprocal agreement has been changed in April how cant I find anyone who knows about it and can help with the transfer. Does anyone know when the Northern Ireland benefit system will come into line fully with the rest of the UK and is there anywhere I can go for help with this. Thanks.
this is what I have managed to find out so far on my own

NIdirect website says
Moving between Northern Ireland and Great Britain
Payment of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is now included in the shared arrangements between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. This means that if you move you must inform the ESA Centre of the change of address
The Social Security (NI Reciprocal Arrangements) Regulations 2016


Law centre ni website says
Transferring PIP and ESA between NI and GB
On 6 April 2016, new rules come into force which will ensure that people moving between NI and GB will not have to make fresh claims or go through a stressful new Work Capability Assessment for:

• Employment and Support Allowance (ESA);
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP) when it is introduced in Northern Ireland from 20 June 2016.
• The Social Security (NI Reciprocal Arrangements) Regulations 2016 provide for a decision to be recognised once the person moves within the UK without further assessment.

Tommo1980

Looks to me like you have answered your own question with the research you have done.

I read it as you just need to notify DWP of the change of address when you move.

Tom

mhhelp

Thanks Tom I tried my hardest lol...I cant find anyone to verify for me if I can transfer the contributions based ESA and cant just cross my fingers and hope for the best, I cant afford to do that. Those passages mention ESA but dont mention contributions based if you see what I mean

Tommo1980

I do see what you mean. But in this case I think you can be confident both are covered.

You national insurance contributions are the same whatever part of the UK you live in.

Tom

mhhelp

yes I agree that NI contributions are usually the same whatever part of the UK you live in, the problem was that when they brought ESA to Northern Ireland they ommitted to include it in the reciprocal agreement which meant that for any other contributions based benefit you could simply transfer but ESA was excluded from that and the law had to be changed to include it. Its a minefield which I didnt realise until I started considering a move a few weeks ago.
All I could find to start with was that it wasnt included and I looked harder and found the two above.

belinda1960

Hi Mhhelp. I have a friend who moved over from NI in Spring 2016 who is on CB ESA / Support Group and she just sent in a letter notifying the DWP of her new address and all was fine.

Out of interest when was your last ESA review and/or year in which you last had to fill in an ESA 50 (or NI equivalent) ?

mhhelp

omg thats brilliant news Belinda thank you so much I still dont have a GP arranged as Im waiting for recommendations from an association to do with my condition to get one and my bank would remain the same just a change of address, would I need to change branch too do you think?. my review was April 2014 and I filled my form in a month before. . The Dr I saw for my appointment didnt even examine me she just said dont worry you wont have to go through this again and I got the letter 4 days later. Why are you asking?

TELLIT01

If you have problems using the phone somebody else can make a call on your behalf. DWP staff will need to speak to you to go through the security questions, that is to protect your interests, but apart from that you wouldn't need to speak to them. If you want a person to speak on your behalf on a regular basis that information can be added to the claim notes.

mhhelp

thanks Tellito1 I didnt know that thanks for the info

belinda1960

"... my review was April 2014 and I filled my form in a month before. . The Dr I saw for my appointment didnt even examine me she just said dont worry you wont have to go through this again and I got the letter 4 days later. Why are you asking? "

.. just interested that's all. You may be re-assessed again next year - normal max period between reviews for those in Support Group is 3 years, but I have heard of people being left alone for 4-5 years.

mhhelp

oh no I was kinda hoping that because of my age (62) they might leave me alone...I cant believe Im going to go through all this moving, finding a new GP etc and then still have to be reassessed