Hi, I was looking for some advice on a possible upcoming ESA appeal procedure. I was awarded ESA finally just under 3 years ago for mental health problems. I was turned down originally and MR was also refused so had to appeal and that was declined also. I then sought help from Welfare Rights and the lady i spoke to said I had a good case to appeal to the upper tier tribunal. On the morning of the UT tribunal I received a phone to say I didn’t need to come to the hearing they have decided in my favour. All good. The whole process took around 3 months from first appeal to winning the second tribunal but for those 3 months I had to claim Jobseeker’s Allowance and go to the job centre and sign on and look for work I was never going to do and go on courses I didn’t need and being forced to sit in large groups of people and I suffer with body dismorphia depression anxiety borderline personality disorder. I am due to be reassessed for ESA in a few weeks and know that I am probably going to have to go through the rigmarole all over again. My question is what benefit would I be able to claim while appealing ESA this time round as I have read there is only Universal Credit available and once you claim that for any reason there is no going back to ESA. I am also receiving SDA and PIP lower rate would the SDA also cease whilst appealing?
Thank you
