ESA

beeman1200

I have a terrible suspicion that they have sanctioned at me I went to the meeting at the Jobcentre in July
but the Jobcentre was closed due to covid-19 

poppy123456

HI,

It's highly unlikely they would have. If they had then you would have known by now because your payments would have decreased. It's now October so you should have been paid a few times since July.

What makes you think you've been sanctioned?

beeman1200

reduce payment on Wong day nothing on normal day Thurs ie £149 on wed instead of £207.8 on thurs

poppy123456

Check your statement it will have a break down of exactly what elements you receive and the deductions.

Do you work at all? Have you taken out a loan from DWP? £207 is a fair amount short of any of the standard allowances. Do you receive payment once a month or fortnightly?

beeman1200

every 2 weeks no loans taken out from DWP

poppy123456

Sorry, i was thinking you're claiming Universal Credit. You will need to ring DWP to ask because they are the only ones that can tell you why your payment was reduced and why was it paid on a different day to your usual payment day.

The number you need to ring is 0800 169 0310 but do be aware that you could be on hold for quite a while.

beeman1200

ESA were told I made a universal credit application which I never made

beeman1200

done that see above

poppy123456

Are you 100% sure you didn't submit a claim for UC? This is the link to apply https://www.gov.uk/apply-universal-credit I've heard of stories where people think they were doing a benefits check when they actually applied because they submitted the claim.

Even if you had applied you said your payment wasn't the usual amount. When you apply for UC your ESA will continue with it's normal payments for 2 week.

beeman1200

I have never apply for on Universal Credit when I ESA was cut off in January last year I did a mandatory reconsideration and got it back in March and they said it would continue at no point did I say I wanted to go onto universal credit

poppy123456

When you "got it back" in March had payments continued to paid as normal since then? When was the last time you received a payment from ESA?

beeman1200

15 October this year

beeman1200

and we'd 28 reduce and not today's I was expecting it

poppy123456

It has been known for scammers to claim UC in someone else's name, have a read of this link here.

https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/universal-credit-scams

All i can suggest you do is ring ESA again and tell them that you didn't make a claim for UC, ask them who claimed it on your behalf.

poppy123456

Do you receive housing benefit? If so have you received any letters regarding this stopping?

beeman1200

ESA have decided that it was a fraud application from somebody who made a claim on using my details now investigating and I will get a phone call from the fraud  people today or tomorrow

poppy123456

Wow that was quick, did they tell you this, this morning?

beeman1200

yes 53 mins on phone

poppy123456

I'm glad that it's being sorted, the more you said the more obvious it become. They should now reinstate your ESA but do let us know the outcome.

beeman1200

I will

beeman1200

the letter say I required to claim universal benefit