ESA groups, can I move?

TeddyB22

Hi I wonder if someone could advise me as I have little faith in the Citizens Advice or gov bodies.
I have been on ESA for around 8 years. I've always been on contribution related but I feel I should have been on income related. I'm not sure why they would not put me in the income based ESA as I have no savings and haven't worked or paid income taxes for 8 years. Previous to that I worked full time.
I want to claim the edb but I am in contribution. Can I ask to be put in the income related group? I thought they did this automatically.
Many thanks,
TeddyB.

welshbirdne

Been where you are.  They think you have more than 16 grand. I had to contact my MP to get it sorted.  I suggest you do the same.  You won't get the warm payments etc if on contributions.  You will have to provide bank statements etc

TeddyB22

Thanks for your reply. They are sending me out a ESA 3 form so I guess I will have to fill that in. Also someone said that I might be back paid. I'm not sure about that.

Ami2301

Hi @TeddyB22
Welcome to the community! Please let us know if there is anything else we can help you with!

Chloe_Alumni

Welcome to the community @TeddyB22! I will move your discussion to the ESA section but please let me know if there is anything else that I can do to help

welshbirdne

Yes you will get back paid, as did I. Get your MP involved, that meant the DWP manager contacted me with his direct dial.   Still took months of not receiving my medication (heart etc).  Easy to do a search.  I will help if you like.   Just need your post code.  As mad as I am I am quite eloquent and would like to help you!!!

TeddyB22

Hi thank you for the offer of help welshbirdne.
I have an appointment with the Citizens Advice on Friday. I don't need help in filling in the form and I wonder if I have to fill in all my information again in the ESA3 form? Can I just not phone them and ask them to look into my ESA from 8 yrs ago?
I
Someone told me that perhaps I told them I wanted Contribution ESA to begin with on a form but I never filled in a form to be begin with. They just put me on ESA. I had worked prior to that but I'm told the stamp contributions only last 2 years, so they should have put me on to IR after that. All I know it's I have never had the EDP payment & paid for my prescriptios n glasses.

poppy123456

Unfortunately, you will need to fill out the ESA3 form. All those that were transferred from Incapacity benefit were automatically placed onto contributions based ESA.

TeddyB22

Does this mean I cannot be back paid IR ESA? Shouldn't I have been placed in the IR group after a year?

poppy123456

No, it' doesn't mean that. It means you need to fill out the form to be assessed for the Income Related top up. Claiming it will depend on circumstances, such as household income and savings/capital. It can be backdated as for as 2011, if you qualified at that time.

TeddyB22

Many thanks.