Decided to...

pastelbelle95

Attempt to Delete this Post because I re-read it and it did not make much sense, serves me right trying to explain stuff whilst I have brain fog. Sorry, nothing to see here. Moderators, if you are listening please delete my post doesn't really make sense and it's very quite embarrassing!

Spoonie_Turtle

New-Style ESA is an income-replacement benefit for people who are unable to work due to illness/disability - but eligibility for it is based on National Insurance contributions, and as you last worked in 2018 it is highly unlikely you will have the required contributions to qualify for NS ESA now.


The other option is Universal Credit; eligibility is means-tested but PIP does not count as income.  It gets a bit complicated with studying thrown in the mix, it will depend on whether your course is considered to be full-time or not but as you are not eligible for student finance that may bode well.

--- Oh I've just re-read and you'll be graduating, well that makes things simpler.  UC should be fine then, unless you have lots of savings locked away (from your post I infer that's unlikely!). ---


Means-testing takes into account your income and any savings/capital you may have, including locked away in ISAs or equity in a house which is not your own home. 

You should put your details into a benefits calculator such as the one here https://www.entitledto.co.uk/

Out of interest, who advised you to apply for PIP?  I am curious as to how you knew about that but not ESA or UC (absolutely no blame on you at all, as like you say we don't get told anything, just sent away to pick up the pieces of our shattered lives and work out ourselves how to live with life-altering chronic conditions).  If somebody advised you about PIP but nothing else, then they dropped the ball there.

For both ESA and UC there is a Work Capability Assessment which determines whether you are fit for work, have Limited Capability for Work (LCW), or have Limited Capability for Work and work-Related Activity (LCWRA).  As you have limited mobility, if you are unable to self-propel more than 50m at a time without significant discomfort (pain/exhaustion/breathlessness/etc.) you may qualify for LCWRA under the mobility activity.

Here is an overview https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/employment-and-support-allowance/help-with-your-esa-claim/fill-in-form-esa/
Here are the descriptors https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/esa_criteria
And here are the activities in more depth https://wcainfo.net/

If you apply for UC you will need a fit note to submit as medical evidence; after 28 days they should then refer you for a WCA.  You will get a form to fill in, kind of like the PIP form but the activities are slightly different, and then at some point you should be assessed.

poppy12345

pastelbelle95 said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

New-Style ESA is an income-replacement benefit for people who are unable to work due to illness/disability - but eligibility for it is based on National Insurance contributions, and as you last worked in 2018 it is highly unlikely you will have the required contributions to qualify for NS ESA now.


The other option is Universal Credit; eligibility is means-tested but PIP does not count as income.  It gets a bit complicated with studying thrown in the mix, it will depend on whether your course is considered to be full-time or not but as you are not eligible for student finance that may bode well.

--- Oh I've just re-read and you'll be graduating, well that makes things simpler.  UC should be fine then, unless you have lots of savings locked away (from your post I infer that's unlikely!). ---


Means-testing takes into account your income and any savings/capital you may have, including locked away in ISAs or equity in a house which is not your own home. 

You should put your details into a benefits calculator such as the one here https://www.entitledto.co.uk/

Out of interest, who advised you to apply for PIP?  I am curious as to how you knew about that but not ESA or UC (absolutely no blame on you at all, as like you say we don't get told anything, just sent away to pick up the pieces of our shattered lives and work out ourselves how to live with life-altering chronic conditions).  If somebody advised you about PIP but nothing else, then they dropped the ball there.

For both ESA and UC there is a Work Capability Assessment which determines whether you are fit for work, have Limited Capability for Work (LCW), or have Limited Capability for Work and work-Related Activity (LCWRA).  As you have limited mobility, if you are unable to self-propel more than 50m at a time without significant discomfort (pain/exhaustion/breathlessness/etc.) you may qualify for LCWRA under the mobility activity.

Here is an overview https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/employment-and-support-allowance/help-with-your-esa-claim/fill-in-form-esa/
Here are the descriptors https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/esa_criteria
And here are the activities in more depth https://wcainfo.net/

If you apply for UC you will need a fit note to submit as medical evidence; after 28 days they should then refer you for a WCA.  You will get a form to fill in, kind of like the PIP form but the activities are slightly different, and then at some point you should be assessed.

So in short, maybe I maybe able to get UC and ESA

No, that's not correct. UC is one benefit with many different elements. It's replaced the old style Income Related ESA, which can no longer be claimed. There's some information here about UC with a health condition. https://www.gov.uk/health-conditions-disability-universal-credit

There's information here about UC. https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit

Once a decisions been made on the work capability assessment if you're found to have LCWRA then you'll receive extra money from the 4th month after you reported your health condition. You must make sure you send a fit note within 7 days of reporting your health condition and continue to send them without any gaps until a decisions been made.

KxMx

National Insurance credits will be paid as part of a Universal Credit award. 

Spoonie_Turtle

Whoops, yes I should have clarified, the only type of ESA anyone can start a new claim for is the New-Style, so ESA is not an option for you.

Sitting is one of the activities assessed in the WCA as well, so you should score points there depending on how long it is before you faint.  (POTS?  Although don't feel obliged to answer either way if you don't want to.)