ESA going to visit son abroad

Janallan

Can I ask please. I lost my husband and I can’t bear to be alone on New Years Eve as he was a piper and it was our night (my one night a year I went out) so I would like to go and see my son who lives abroad and would like to go for 32/33 days. I have read benefits will be stopped after 28 days which is fine. I don’t understand will all my ESA for the time away been stopped or the time over 28 days.

Thanks for your help x

McKneff

It would be easier if you just went for 4 weeks ie 28 days

poppy12345

Stop_Watch wrote: »

Seem to make the most of this only go out ones a year. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/73530253#Comment_73530253 How does someone on ESA afford a holiday to NZ???

The OP is going to see their son abroad and maybe this is where the son lives. The OP's son could have paid for the flights, no one here knows that...

Mojisola

Janallan wrote: »

I have read benefits will be stopped after 28 days which is fine. I don’t understand will all my ESA for the time away been stopped or the time over 28 days.

When my son phoned up to explain that he would be away for longer than 28 days, the advisor said that he could 'suspend' his claim rather than cancel it.

All the ESA will be stopped after the 28 days but, as it is paid in arrears, you will get one payment after that.

Glen_Clark

Incidentally, The days of arrival and departure do not count towards days out of GB - see '
C4008
With regard to any particular day, a person should be regarded as present if they are in GB for part of a day: thus the day when a person arrives in GB and a day when they leave count as days when they are “in” GB.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/661494/admc4.pdf

duchy

Stop_Watch wrote: »

Seem to make the most of this only go out ones a year. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/73530253#Comment_73530253 How does someone on ESA afford a holiday to NZ???

Even people on ESA are allowed to go on holiday. A flight to NZ isn't going to differ much in cost to a week's flight and reasonable hotel in Europe.....possibly less. Staying with family isn't likely to cost , most people don't charge their parents to come and stay ! Some even pay for their parent's flight (not that any of that is anyone's business)

Glen_Clark

Janallan wrote: »

. I have read benefits will be stopped after 28 days which is fine.

When my ex said 'Thats fine' I knew I was in trouble.
Why does a woman say 'fine' when she means just the opposite?
The real danger here seems to be that if you are on Contribution Based ESA, your claim could be closed after 28 days excluding days of arrival and departure as I explained above. Then you probably won't be able to re start it as you won't have enough eligible National Insurance Contributions in the relevant 2 years. As with most benefits you can get different answers from well meaning people (including DWP call handlers) because its complicated and the goalposts keep moving. Some idea of how complicated it gets can be seen from this Rightsnet thread: https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/4955/

pmduk

Stop_Watch wrote: »

Seem to make the most of this only go out ones a year. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/73530253#Comment_73530253 How does someone on ESA afford a holiday to NZ???

This isn't the board if you want to pass judgement on people. Particularly when you haven't much of a clue about their situation.

Glen_Clark

pmduk wrote: »

This isn't the board if you want to pass judgement on people. Particularly when you haven't much of a clue about their situation.

Indeed. Benefits Board: For help and support NOT JUDGEMENT.
is right at the top of the forum and still people ignore it unfortunately.
Or going into politics slagging off the Tories etc which I might agree with, but its also not what is needed here, and should be confined to the discussion forum.

ev8

Four days isn't much difference, I would go for 28 days and save yourself any trouble at all.

If you are going as you want support because of NYE then you will have that and four weeks of support. Is four days really worth the hassle of losing everything?

Ames

I'd be worried that going over 28 days would lead to the claim being closed and depending where you live you might have to move to UC.

I was told by a benefits adviser that going over 28 days would lead to my claim being closed and having to start the whole assessment process again.

I wouldn't risk it, in fact I'd plan for less than 28 days in case of flight disruption, delays etc. Especially going long haul where you can't get back quickly by other means, and the cost of a last minute flight to make it back in time would be astronomical.