ESA work focus interviews for 60yr old

chris2017

I am on ESA Contribution based since July 2017 and had my WCA in Oct 17 placing me in the WRAG in Oct 2017, since then heard nothing from the DWP re having to attend work focus interviews (not complaining). Briefly I have declared to them my age over 60 and in receipt of a private pension that reduces my ESA , does this mean the DWP are not bothering with work focus interviews for the over 60's?

pmlindyloo

chris2017 wrote: »

I am on ESA Contribution based since July 2017 and had my WCA in Oct 17 placing me in the WRAG in Oct 2017, since then heard nothing from the DWP re having to attend work focus interviews (not complaining). Briefly I have declared to them my age over 60 and in receipt of a private pension that reduces my ESA , does this mean the DWP are not bothering with work focus interviews for the over 60's?

Have you ever attended a work focussed interview since your ESA claim? Usually there is one about 8 weeks into your claim.

https://benefitsandwork.co.uk/employment-and-support-allowance/esa-glossary/1483-work-focused-interview

To answer your question relating to your age, there is no 'rule' that says you won't have to attend if you are over a certain age.

There could be a number of factors as to why you haven't been called..................
: they are overwhelmed by the number of work focussed interviews that need to be done and yours has 'gone to the back of the queue' because of your age/disability/other circumstances (are you a carer for instance?)
: you are on contribution based ESA and your claim will end after a year (unless you are eligible for income based ESA)
: they have forgotten about you!

You have the following options:
Don't worry about it
Telephone and ask when your work focussed interview is

The only other thing I would say is failure to attend a WFI will cause a suspension of your benefits so do make sure that they have your current address.

TELLIT01

If your pension reduces your ESA cash entitlement to zero there would seem to be little benefit in continuing to claim. Over the age of 60 NI credits are automatically applied, or at least they used to be. pmlindyloo - is that still the case?

ceegee

That's an interesting question Chris 2017. I am 62 and had my WCA last Friday but have not had a work focused interview. Having said that, though, there is something niggling at the back of my mind about these interviews having been stopped.

anmarj

Auto credits are being phased out in line with woman’s state pension age

https://www.gov.uk/automatic-pension-credits-for-men

TELLIT01

anmarj wrote: »

Auto credits are being phased out in line with woman’s state pension age

https://www.gov.uk/automatic-pension-credits-for-men

Bummer. Sorry to get your hopes up.

chris2017

Thanks for that, think I will just wait and see if the DWP contact me. I know they have my address as I have spoken to them since my WCA. I know that once my claim reaches 365 days I wont be entitled to ESA (IR) and will receive credits only. If I get a work focus interview I will keep you posted on the time scales.

epitome

After 365 days your ESA (C) claim will not end... but it will stop paying....assuming it is paying now.

If it is not paying now due to your pension then it is called NI credits only...NI credits only claimants do not have to go to WFI or Work Program.

After your 365 days payments end you should wait 12 weeks and ask for ESA C to continue again from the 13th week. You could get another 365 days of ESA C

Murphybear

I was claiming ESA until my state pension age. They insisted on a WFI which consisted of a small group of us, some on JSA, some of us on ESA. We sat round a table and had a talk about Tarot and ate mince pies. Maybe things are different in the wilds of Devon

I was called into the JC+ 8 days before my retirement and when i asked if were necessary they said it was to tie up loose ends or something and if I didn’t attend I wouldn’t get my final payment. We had a little chat about what I was going to do in my retirement and when I mentioned bridge and Mahjong that gave us a nice safe subject.

Moral of this if they tell you to jump, ask how high.