Switched to UC, ESA question?

blackstar

Hi all,

Just switched to UC and was in Support group ESA Contribution Based. 

The local job centre called and it was a lady from the ESA team. She said she's sending me a letter in the post which I have attached and to just ignore the parts about having any work related meetings or work related commitments in the letter as they are just generic and the only thing I need to do is just report directly to ESA and not to her such as a change of address or change of medical issues and this is all. 

Can I get your thoughts on this? Anything I should do. I know she was clear on the call that this is a generic letter and the parts about work commitments etc do not apply to me and not to worry about this but do you think I should do anything about this? 

She ask me is this OK on the phone and I said yes and can see how on the letter it says I agreed to this but just makes me worried as even though she said letter is generic and the work commitments are not applicable to me it's the fact that it doesn't say not applicable to me on the letter and has me agree to it. 

Anyone give me any insights please or advice. Please see attached.

Spoonie_Turtle

It's saying your commitments in each section are literally just to report any changes of circumstance.

Would have been simpler and clearer for them to tick the 'This does not apply to me' boxes though!

8dayweek

Your contributions-based ESA has converted to New Style ESA following your switch to UC - so there has to be a (separate) commitments in place for your New Style ESA basically. 

Your UC commitments will be to report all changes in circs etc. and so too is your NS ESA one. Basically - you need to report changes to  both UC and ESA. 

(Agree with PP - it’s a poor Commitment and she should have ticked the “does not apply to me” boxes to just generate a nice generic one). 

TimeLord1

So if you don't attend a meeting it costs you £12.80 each day until you arrange a new meeting. I would phone them to get a better explanation or get it edited.

TimeLord1

So you have done this commitment over the telephone, and she read it section by section, and you said YES or NO to her while she was reading off a screen?

To me it reads that you're open to appointments being made and if you fail to attend it's a daily fine of £12.80 until you make another appointment.