ESA Contribution based

Hatti_e

Hi
I am currently on new style ESA contribution based and still in the assessment phase, havent heard anything back since i submitted my ESA50 in December 2021.  I have supplied fit notes but now wondering what will happen if i am fit for work but not employed, would i still keep receiving the ESA? TIA

poppy12345

Hatti_e said:

Hi
I am currently on new style ESA contribution based and still in the assessment phase, havent heard anything back since i submitted my ESA50 in December 2021.  I have supplied fit notes but now wondering what will happen if i am fit for work but not employed, would i still keep receiving the ESA? TIA

There are huge backlogs of people waiting for assessments so you could be waiting several months, possibly longer.

If you're found fit for work then your payments will stop once the decision is made. If you disagree with the decision you can request the Mandatory Reconsideration (MR)

If you're placed into the WRAG then your payments will stop after 1 year.

If placed into the Support Group your money will increase from the 14th week of your claim and payments will continue for as long as you remain in that group.

poppy12345

You can see the descriptors for the Support Group here. It says LCWRA but it's exactly the same. https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/universal-credit-uc/uc-faq/limited-capability-for-work-related-activity

TELLIT01

If you became fit for work ie your GP will no longer provide Fit Notes, you would no longer be entitled to ESA and would have to claim either Conts based JSA (if entitled) or Universal Credit.

Hatti_e

Thank you all for your posts, they do help as I am finding it confusing.

If I remain on ESA with a fit note I can do permitted work up to £143 per week, is that correct?

Or, if after my assessment I am placed in the work related group, I would still need fit notes?

calcotti

Permitted work is up to £143/week and must be less than 16 hours. If you do Permitted Work it does not affect the amount of ESA you receive.
Once a decision is made you will not need to provide Fit Notes regardless of whether you are placed in the WRAG or the Support Group.

Hatti_e

calcotti said:

Permitted work is up to £143/week and must be less than 16 hours. If you do Permitted Work it does not affect the amount of ESA you receive.
Once a decision is made you will not need to provide Fit Notes regardless of whether you are placed in the WRAG or the Support Group.

calcotti
thank you so much for your reply, that helps alot

Qtipps44

We just heard today and his form went in on July 16th.

Hatti_e

Qtipps44 said:

We just heard today and his form went in on July 16th.

hi Qtipps44 - is this the wrong post?

poppy12345

Hatti_e said:

Qtipps44 said:

We just heard today and his form went in on July 16th.

hi Qtipps44 - is this the wrong post?

No, it doesn't seem like it to me. They were just telling you how long they had to wait after returning the form.