is it right to be on contribution based for this long?

fishman
Online Community Member Posts: 4 Listener
hi, i have been on ESA contribution based for about 3 years. i have been ticking the esa income box on prescriptions not relising there where different parts to esa so now owe a fortune. is it right to be on contribution based for this long? thanks in advance
0
Comments
-
fishman,
As Mike says, it's fine to be on cont ESA for years as long as you are in the support group.
As regards prescriptions:
1) check whether you are entitled to income-related ESA too. The benefit calculator can help you check this. If you are entitled, alert the DWP as soon as possible & ask for a revision because there is also a national scandal about people on contributory ESA who have missed out on income-related ESA
2) if you are not entitled to income-related ESA, then you could still be entitled to free prescriptions via the low income scheme.
As for ticking the box when you didn't realise, I agree with Mike that face to face advice is the best idea - try Citizens Advice. I know that you can pay back penalty charges (which are a lot more than the prescription charges themselves) in instalments, but advice could help you as you might, for example, be able to complain about the wording of the prescription form/wording of your ESA letters and challenge the penalty charge.
Will0
Categories
- All Categories
- 15.1K Start here and say hello!
- 7.1K Coffee lounge
- 85 Games den
- 1.7K People power
- 116 Announcements and information
- 23.9K Talk about life
- 5.6K Everyday life
- 351 Current affairs
- 2.4K Families and carers
- 863 Education and skills
- 1.9K Work
- 515 Money and bills
- 3.6K Housing and independent living
- 1K Transport and travel
- 876 Relationships
- 254 Sex and intimacy
- 1.5K Mental health and wellbeing
- 2.4K Talk about your impairment
- 859 Rare, invisible, and undiagnosed conditions
- 920 Neurological impairments and pain
- 2.1K Cerebral Palsy Network
- 1.2K Autism and neurodiversity
- 38.9K Talk about your benefits
- 5.9K Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- 19.4K PIP, DLA, ADP and AA
- 8K Universal Credit (UC)
- 5.6K Benefits and income