Income based support group ESA being cancelled

Alice_Holt

It may be that the DWP have computer generated the wrong letter to send you, and you will receive the next ESA payment as usual!

aaronlowe

Alice_Holt wrote: »

ESA number - 0800 169 0310 This is the one to use not the 0345 number.

Hopefully it may be that the DWP have computer generated the wrong letter to send you, and you will receive the next ESA payment as usual!

What was weird was that the letter delivered through my door after 5pm yesterday. By the time I noticed it, it was 6pm. The office was closed when I called.
Today it is still closed, because of a public holiday. So I have to wait 4 more days before I can call them. Both DWP and Council are closed for 4 days.

pmlindyloo

Since it was hand delivered have you checked that your NI number corresponds with the NI number on the letter?

Very strange, especially since they have already cancelled your ESA.

The only reason why they would do this is if you are not in the support group and are not entitled to income based ESA.

TELLIT01

Delivery after 5pm suggests it was put through the wrong door originally. DWP certainly don't hand deliver letters.

tazwhoever

#10 question is for my knowledge, if anyone can answer. thanks.

w06

ESA letters are about as clear as mud, I had a credit only claim during my PhD (as a disabled student on a stipend). Reading is not my forte but I couldn't make head nor tail of what they were trying to tell me!

If you were on income based esa support group and haven't been reassessed as not entitled to it for health/disability reasons then this is likely to be a letter sent in error, because it doesn't make sense to not be entitled to income related ESA because of NI contributions

try not to worry about it over the weekend (I know that's easier said than done)

poppy12345

tazwhoever wrote: »

Quick question: As CB ESA (support) runs more than 365 days, how long does IB ESA (support) run for?

For as long as you qualify unless household income changes. For EG a partner starts work.

aaronlowe

tazwhoever wrote:

#10 question is for my knowledge, if anyone can answer. thanks.

Posted answer at #12. I'm no expert but it mirrors what everyone else has said.

pmlindyloo wrote:

Since it was hand delivered have you checked that your NI number corresponds with the NI number on the letter?

The only reason why they would do this is if you are not in the support group and are not entitled to income based ESA.

Checked the NI number on the letter. It's correct. I've been in the income based support group for the last 4 years. Apart from a reassessment 3 years ago have heard nothing from them. It's totally out of the blue.

pmlindyloo

aaronlowe wrote: »

Posted answer at #12. I'm no expert but it mirrors what everyone else has said.


Checked the NI number on the letter. It's correct. I've been in the income based support group for the last 4 years. Apart from a reassessment 3 years ago have heard nothing from them. It's totally out of the blue.

Just a few thoughts..........

What is your history of claiming benefits. I notice the years that they have used for NI contributions is when you say you were on JSA. So if you were on JSA for the years previous to claiming to ESA then you would not be eligible for contributions based ESA (you need earnings as well as NI credits)

So that leaves us with your being on income based ESA as you have no savings/no other household income. The letter says you are no loner entitled to income based ESA and they checked to see whether you were entitled to contribution based - and no, you aren't.

So why are they saying you are no longer entitled to income based ESA? (sorry, hypothetical question!)

Recently you said your wife is a benefits advisor - is this a voluntary role or does she get paid?

Apologies because I am sure you realise this - if you have a wife then it must be a joint ESA claim if she isn't working. Out of interest how much were you being paid on ESA?

Are you sure you have no other household income? You haven't received a large inheritance/anything else which would end your entitlement?

Just rambling really, probably just some sort of clerical error

aaronlowe

pmlindyloo wrote: »

Recently you said your wife is a benefits advisor - is this a voluntary role or does she get paid?

Apologies because I am sure you realise this - if you have a wife then it must be a joint ESA claim if she isn't working. Out of interest how much were you being paid on ESA?

Are you sure you have no other household income? You haven't received a large inheritance/anything else which would end your entitlement?

My wife is a limited benefits advisor in a paid job. She's trained to help people in positions of poverty. I had difficulty contacting her because she is abroad. She finally got in touch and has echoed what people say here, that it makes no sense.

We don't cohabit. Her flat is full of kids from other marriages so there is no room for me (thank God - I need my sleep). So, I have no access to any funds from her.

DWP are fully aware of this and have long accepted this. This is not given as the reason why ESA was cancelled in the letter. The reason given is tax years before my wife and I met, so it can't have anything to do with her.

It's really sneaky of them to post the letter after working hours just before a 4 day public holiday. I wonder if they're trying to cook the stats by claiming a reduction of ESA claims as the tax year turns to 2018. Even if I sort out this mess and get the ESA back to normal they can claim one less ESA claimant at the beginning of the tax year. Imagine if they did this to thousands of other people. There's no bad consequences for the DWP and they can claim to be meeting some budget reliant deadline. Fishy stuff!

And I have no other income. My only income is ESA. No inheritance. No reason to end entitlement that I know of. It is a true mystery. All I can do is wait until Tuesday and ask them to explain.