ESA back payments for assessment decision period?

Kelseycmh

Hello,

So I'm majorly confused. I applied for ESA about a month ago as well as housing benefit etc... the only form I received back was asking for evidence of tenancy (which I'm yet to send off)
I received a letter yesterday telling me my ESA claim has been accepted and il be receiving £114 a week and it including a backpayment from July now accept the first week blablablahh
But I'm not attended a medical assessment yet, or filled one of them forms out or even sent off my sick notes, so I'm confused at what's actually going on 🙈

pmlindyloo

You will receive the assessment rate of ESA until you are called for a work capability assessment.

The amount depends on your circumstances.

£114 per week sounds like a joint claim.

So, have you a partner who is not working? Do you receive DLA or PIP and if so which rates?

What does the ESA award letter say about how your ESA rate has been worked out - exact words please!

TELLIT01

Your claim has been accepted and you are now in the assessment phase. You are being paid the basic couple rate. At some point you will be sent an ESA50 questionnaire prior to the actual assessment.
I'm surprised that you have been told you will be receiving the back payment if you haven't yet provided the medical certificates, but that could simply be an admin error. The letter may have something in it about sending in medical certificates. If you can't see anything I would call ESA on Monday as they will suspend payment at some point if they aren't received.

epitome

Just send them your sick note that covers you from July, and the one(s) that cover you up to now.
Don't send DWP the tenancy documents (I know, I know the DWP have asked you to send them...bla bla bla...just don't ok.),.... ask your Housing Benefit if they want to see those documents...then forget about it.

Return the ESA50 ASAP,

Go to your assessment

If you get WRAG, no more sicknotes, rate will not change
If you get Support Grp no more sicknotes, rate will go up.

TELLIT01

epitome wrote: »

All sounds perfectly normal to me.

What I am saying isn't normal is the suggestion that payment from July to now has been/is being released before a medical certificate is provided. As there is now a 7 day 'waiting period' I wouldn't expect any payment to be released until a medical certificate, covering the backdating period has been received.