PIP award triggering ESA reassessment????

JamesGeorge

Hello. I'm in a state worrying, didn't sleep last night from worrying  as got a text message from DWP yesterday saying 'we need to talk to you about your ESA claim. Please call us straightaway on...'  the thought of it has upset me as the text sounds very official and surely anything important would be sent in the post?  I've only just been awarded PIP and have been claiming ESA since early 2017. My two thoughts are that, my condition worsened a month after my ESA assessment and I did not let them know re the ESA - didn't see how it would make a difference as my situation is worse and I can not work and I am already in the SG category. The only other thing I did not inform  the DWP of in relation to the ESA is a recent 5 night stay in hospital, which the PIP officer said made no difference. I realise in hindsight I ought to have advised of any changes but. I. Now think the DWP are going to use my mistakes against me so they can reassess my  ESA in the hope of stopping that and my PIP.  The point is, my situation has worsened, I still cannot work, my condition  has deteriorated and I now think I'm going to be expected  to have to go through the DWP nonsense all over again. I couldn't bear it with my anxiety being worse than ever. I dread hospital and GP appointments and yet we all know a DWP one is  hostile 99.9%  I believe they are doing this just to. Make things hard for me as I won my appeal at tribunal that I did not appear at in person due to my anxiety. Does this resonate? Any thoughts? Should I ring them or wait for a letter? I'll be all wound up regardless until this is sorted. I'm not well, this is the last thing I need.

Jurph

Hi!

I don't think the change of circumstances you described have any bearing on ESA.

All their texts and letters sound horribly official! From what I can gather, there are a few simple possibilities...

1, now you have been awarded PIP, you may be entitled to premiums related to ESA. 

2, if you've had ESA for about a year, they may be reveiwing it. They check on most claims around the year mark I beleive.

As hard as it is, it's best just to call them. Not knowing often makes us think it's going to be awful news but it rarely is that bad

JamesGeorge

Hi JUrph , thank you. Just hearing  from you has made me feel a little better as I'm at my wits end already with my mental health so this has thrown me. My ESA was awarded for 2 years back in early 2017. I've just read something else, do)  think they could be trying to switch me to universal credit. That's a different kettle of fish as I didn't understand any. Of what I read on it. You're right, horribly official, I think that's what's upset me the most is a call us straight away text  mid Saturday afternoon.

Yes, I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet  and  call them as waiting for that brown envelope will now be just as bad as I'm upset  over the text.

Thank you so much for helping. Sometimes, knowing others understand your situation helps even though it's not solved. I don't have anyone I can talk to about it so this forum helps.

Thanks, JUrph

James 

Jurph

I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help.

I know I always assume the worst until I know otherwise, it's impossible not to. Once you know what it's about, come back and let us know. Whatever it is, you'll get help here ☺

JamesGeorge

No need to be sorry! You have helped, I didn't mean it to sound any other way. You have helped, that was my point.

janice_in_wonderland

Hi 

Is it quite usual for successful PIP Tribunals to call people in for ESA Reassessments?

JamesGeorge

Hi Janice. Sorry, do you mean it IS quite usual for it to happen or were you asking? I don't know I'll update as soon as I find out

Jurph

@JamesGeorge I think I worded it wrongly. I just meant I was sorry not to be able to offer a definitive answer. 

JamesGeorge

As long as you know I'm grateful

Jurph

Glad I could help. Do come back and let us know. I'm sure others here can help more.

Good luck!

janice_in_wonderland

@JamesGeorge

Yes, and it would be good for people to know... 

JamesGeorge

Hi. FYI, the ESA dept were contacting me to advise of how PIP enhances the ESA award. No ESA reassessment triggered, thankfully. Panic mode  so often sets in with the DWP as we all know.

whistles

It might be because they were looking at a premium.
I lost my pip care and I didn't need to tell them, big the award and then taking the premium arrived the same day!

Puzzled though why you were only given ESA for two years. Did they wrote and tell you that. I've never been told this but maybe new claims are different.

poppy123456

lillybelle said:

It seems wrong that a disability premium is only given to ESA income based
and not to the people in the support group


That's not correct. People in the Support can and do receive the disability premiums. Those in the Support group can either be claiming Income Related or Contribution based. If it's Contribution based then the premiums aren't paid, unless you're entitled to an Income Related top up. Those that receive Income Related WILL be entitled to the premium. The Severe Disability Premium has specific criteria and not everyone will be entitled to this.

whistles

I believe it's because you are a couple. 

If you are a couple:

• You and your partner must be getting a qualifying benefit, 

However you have just been awarded a qualifying benefit- standard/ enhanced pip care, so you might actually be entitled to this on top. An advisor might see this and help you out.

I find forums odd sometimes that it's unfair that someone doesn't get extra money, but someone who has just had that taken off them is fine.

whistles

That makes me scratch my head. Though the system in general gives me splinters! 

@CockneyRebel any ideas? 

Income related get EDP don't they?

[Deleted User]

Hi lillybelle and whistles

Its always worth bearing in mind that benefit rules are  complicated. For example, there is an overarching rule that if one person in a couple works 24 hours or more, there is no entitlement, at all, to income-related ESA. That's an absolute rule.  But the same couple could get universal credit (UC), if they live in a full-service UC area, because that is a rule that hasn't been carried forward to the new system. 

With both old-style and new-style contributory ESA, payments are only made for a year unless the person is in the support group. That impacts on anyone whose only entitlement is to contributory  ESA. This may well seem  unfair, and it is the current law. Some people may qualify for income-related ESA when their contributory ESA runs out.

It is almost as if the system has been designed to be impenetrable.

Premiums, which are a facet of income-related "legacy" benefits only, and not including tax credits, are different for each benefit. So what lillybelle is asking isn't straight-forward.

Which is why I think it would be best to take your paperwork to a specialist adviser locally, if you can, and ask them to translate for you!

If that isn't possible, because there isn't a local service that you can use, do feel free to telephone the helpline to discuss your concerns there. 

Best wishes

Gill_Scope
Benefits and Finance Information Specialist
Scope Helpline
Tel: 080 800 3333

Laura99

Aaaaaaaaagh Oh the DWP and their impenetrable fog of letters which make no sense......... I do feel for you.

What happened in the end?

poppy123456

lillybelle said:

No, I don’t think I’m entitled to anything
as a few days after my brown envelope from pip, I had another brown letter from ESA saying that there had been changes and I am awarded exactly the same as I’m on now. £110 a week

This amount of ESA tells me tat you're claiming Contribution Based and not Income related. If you were claiming Income Related then you would be claiming approx £126 per week.

Do you live with a partner that works?

johnanfield

JamesGeorge said:

Hello. I'm in a state worrying, didn't sleep last night from worrying  as got a text message from DWP yesterday saying 'we need to talk to you about your ESA claim. Please call us straightaway on...'  the thought of it has upset me as the text sounds very official and surely anything important would be sent in the post?  I've only just been awarded PIP and have been claiming ESA since early 2017. My two thoughts are that, my condition worsened a month after my ESA assessment and I did not let them know re the ESA - didn't see how it would make a difference as my situation is worse and I can not work and I am already in the SG category. The only other thing I did not inform  the DWP of in relation to the ESA is a recent 5 night stay in hospital, which the PIP officer said made no difference. I realise in hindsight I ought to have advised of any changes but. I. Now think the DWP are going to use my mistakes against me so they can reassess my  ESA in the hope of stopping that and my PIP.  The point is, my situation has worsened, I still cannot work, my condition  has deteriorated and I now think I'm going to be expected  to have to go through the DWP nonsense all over again. I couldn't bear it with my anxiety being worse than ever. I dread hospital and GP appointments and yet we all know a DWP one is  hostile 99.9%  I believe they are doing this just to. Make things hard for me as I won my appeal at tribunal that I did not appear at in person due to my anxiety. Does this resonate? Any thoughts? Should I ring them or wait for a letter? I'll be all wound up regardless until this is sorted. I'm not well, this is the last thing I need.

johnanfield

they could not give a toss. they just try & make things as hard as possible for your self .I my self was having reassessments  every 3 to 4 years now I have had 2 within 12 months.things now are worse than ever regarding reassessments