Income based support group ESA being cancelled

aaronlowe

TELLIT01 wrote: »

We've all said that the letter you have received makes absolutely no sense, even to those of us who have worked on the benefit. Speak to DWP on Tuesday, or whenever you can get through to them (there are a number of posts on here currently about people receiving letters which make no sense, so lines could be busy on Tuesday!). Once you have an answer from them please come back with the detail and we will be able to advise further at that point.

Last two times I called the DWP took 1hr 10mins and 1hr 15mins on hold before answer respectively. One thing they do is put you on hold for about 35mins then pick up and immediately hang up. When I asked them about this they told me they always answer within 25 minutes.

Are these other non-nonsensical letters the usual non-nonsensical letters we get from the DWP or is this a new thing? If it's new it might give me hope that this is just an error. If it's usual then that's a bad sign.

BorisThomson

aaronlowe wrote: »

Ok, lets try to avoid derailing this thread about when the letters were posted. People have said that the idea it was done to cook the stats is a false one. Ok, time to move on.

The important thing now is whether this turns out to be an error or DWP are standing by their decision (in which every advisor I've spoken to says makes no sense). If they stand by the decision, is this a change in how the DWP are treating all people on ESA or am I the only victim? If they recognise it as an error will they allow me to continue claiming ESA or require a brand new application or reassessment (and the inevitable 9 months of tribunal that would follow). It's never quite clear with the DWP and in my experience they tend to make the most damaging decision possible. My fingers are crossed that they don't this time.

Who are these advisors you're apparently talking to, are they the same ones that claim no ESA claim is ever successful? I'm not sure what information you're looking for from the forum, if you apparently have access to several benefits advisors.

aaronlowe

BorisThomson wrote: »

Who are these advisors you're apparently talking to, are they the same ones that claim no ESA claim is ever successful? I'm not sure what information you're looking for from the forum, if you apparently have access to several benefits advisors.

I was referring to advisors in the literal sense, as in someone who gives advice, such as yourself.
The DWP advisors that reported to the DWP that no ESA claims in Inverness are successful without appeal were professionals. A different set of people. I can't even remember why I was invited to that meeting but stand by my account of it.

BorisThomson

aaronlowe wrote: »

I was referring to advisors in the literal sense, as in someone who gives advice, such as yourself.
The DWP advisors that reported to the DWP that no ESA claims in Inverness are successful without appeal were professionals. A different set of people. I can't even remember why I was invited to that meeting but stand by my account of it.

So is your wife a benefits advisor in the professional sense or the literal sense?

Is there any information you need from the forum at this time?

aaronlowe

BorisThomson wrote: »

So is your wife a benefits advisor in the professional sense or the literal sense?

Is there any information you need from the forum at this time?

My wife gives benefits advice as part of her job. I'm not sure if it's part of her job description as I've never asked. I've heard this is quite normal. Many of the people who have given me benefits advice over the years weren't specifically employed to do that. I came to MSE because my wife is abroad and I couldn't contact her. This was before I knew it was a public holiday and wanted to know what to do before the weekend.

I am not looking for any information at present. Just responding to replies while waiting for the public holiday to pass. Unless anyone can explain why the DWP would cancel an ESA claim without prior notice, for an income based support group claim, because of a lack of national insurance contributions, on a long term claim with no known issues or complications, of which there hasn't been a reassessment for 3 years and little to no contact since then.

TELLIT01

The only circumstance I can see the letter being accurate, i.e. Income Related benefit is ceasing, is if there has been a change of circumstance meaning that there is no entitlement to Conts based benefit any more and his wife's earnings nil Income Related entitlement.
The advice given previously still stands and that is that only ESA can provide a definitive answer. If that means spending hours on the phone then sadly that is what the OP will have to do.

aaronlowe

TELLIT01 wrote: »

there are a number of posts on here currently about people receiving letters which make no sense, so lines could be busy on Tuesday!

I think my reply got swallowed up but I'm still wondering if this is a higher number of people getting nonsensical letters from DWP than usual. I'm kinda hoping it is because then there's hope that it's a technical issue that can be fixed and not some weird logic that nobody understands.

Ames

Aaron - are you a UK citizen? If not has there been a change in your status?

I just ask because you refer to public rather than bank holiday, and not knowing that Good Friday was one.

It might explain why people can't figure out the letter, as it would be an unusual situation.

aaronlowe

Ames wrote: »

Aaron - are you a UK citizen? If not has there been a change in your status?

I just ask because you refer to public rather than bank holiday, and not knowing that Good Friday was one.

It might explain why people can't figure out the letter, as it would be an unusual situation.

Yes, born and bred in the UK. I don't tend to pay attention to holidays. Not even Christmas or New Year, but I've yet to successfully get through my birthday without someone reminding me. Came close a few times.

aaronlowe

9am, this morning called DWP on 0800 169 0310 (ignoring the 0345 608 8545 number on the letter). Only on hold for 56 minutes which is relatively quick.

Went through security questions. They asked me why I was calling.

I said I have received a letter stating "You are not getting any more income-related Employment and Support Allowance... because you have not paid, or been credited with enough National Insurance Contributions."

Immediately the operator said, "Oh, I know that that is about and put me on hold."

Eventually they got back and said they had phoned around and enquired what this letter referred to. They told me to call this number: 0141 636 8156, which is my local Jobcenter. I asked what they wanted to talk about. The operator said, "We don't know. There is no note on the claim."

I was worried that they hadn't explained so I asked them, "Is it normal to stop getting income-based ESA because of a lack of contributions?"

The operator replied, "Yes, that is sometimes the only way we can contact you."

I said I was confused as to whether my ESA had been stopped. The operator said my next payment is due on the 9th April. Still confused I asked if that meant I would get paid on the 9th April and whether the payments would continue. The operator said, "No. There is a block on your claim until you contact the Jobcentre that issued the block."

So, I said thankyou and goodbye.

Phoned the number provided twice. It failed to connect. So, looked up the number for my local Jobcenter which is listed as 0800 055 6688. Phoned that number and it said I needed to phone 0800 169 0310.

Wait a minute, I thought, that's the number I originally phoned!

So, phoned 0800 169 0310 again and was put on hold for a very short 40 minutes.

Explained the whole situation again as above. 5 minutes later the operator came back and said they had cancelled the block and there was no need to call the Jobcenter.

So, I asked if the operator knew why the Jobcenter (that I've never been to or had any contact with) had put a block on my ESA claim.

He said that a year ago I had been investigated by the fraud department because my wife works. I said, "But that was cleared up last year."

"Yes, but, the Job Center were only just told about it," the operator replied.

"So, I don't need to contact the Job Center?" I asked.

Operator: "No, I've lifted the block on your claim. The fraud department ruled there was no infringement and I'm not going to argue with that."

End of case study.

Edit:
For anyone who has noticed that I originally posted this before it seems possible (if you add up the waiting times from the calls), this is because MSE has the wrong time. It is 1 hour earlier than it should be, so you need to add 1 hour to all posts to get the actual post time.