HELP!!!!

jodexterhotmailcouk

Hi,

I am new to the benefits system and need some advice. I have a mental health disability and resigned from my job in sep 2020. I applied to claim contribution based ESA and have been receiving this since Oct 2020. I have applied for PIP and have been in receipt of that since oct 2020. I was already in receipt of UC so i contacted them to let them know i was no longer working and that i had a disability. I have been sending FIT notes to the ESA and UC since oct 2020. I had a capability asessment on the 12th Feb which was organised by UC. I have yet to receive a decision regarding this and its been 10 weeks. My question is was that capability asessment to assess which group i will be put into for ESA and UC. If so and i am put into the support group for ESA will my payments increase and will my oayments to backdated? If i am put into the LCFW group with the UC i will receive an additional payment from them? How long do i have to wait for this decision? Also once i have been claiming ESA for 365 days what will happen then? Do i have to then apply for ESA through UC instead and will i need another asessment and will this then become income based rather than contribution based? I am.finding all this very confusing and just want to ensure i am claiming all the right things from the right people. Can anyone out there answer any of these questions? Much love x

janer1967

Hi there 

I can answer a few bits but not all 

If you are placed in a support group or lcwra you will get additional payment but I don't think you will get it twice it will be just applied to one benefit (not sure about this ) 

If in support group the 365 day limit doesn't apply 

It can take a while for a decision but I would chase them up 

Payments will be backdated to the 4th assessment period after reporting the medical condition  

Hope some of this helps