ESA queries re ill health pension — Scope | Disability forum
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ESA queries re ill health pension

Sweepie3
Sweepie3 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
Hi
Firstly, thank you for welcoming me to the forum.

I lost my job in March 2015 due to mental health problems, after 20 years in the NHS. I have received an ill health NHS tier 1 pensionsince September 2016.
I received ESA income-related from March 2015 until August 2017- in the support group.
The first inkling I had of a problem was when my mortgage provider wrote to me to say that my account is in arrears and that DWP have advised them ( not me!) that they are no longer making the mortgage interest payments on my account - as per ESA. I then received a letter regarding my council tax payments saying that I am £400 in arrears and no longer entitled to council tax support - again as per ESA.
I contacted DWP to query all this and was told that from August of this year, I am no longer entitled to income- related ESA and am now on contribution- based. This effectively amounts to nothing - no payments, no help with mortgage costs, council tax support, prescriptions, etc.
My weekly pension amount is £197.
My monthly mortgage payment ( for a small 2 bed terrace house) is now £756 ( previously 456).
Council tax is now £150 including the sudden arrears ( previously £33).
I receive child tax credits and child benefit but I am now unable to pay any of my household bills in full.
I have been applying for jobs ( even though I am still in the ESA support group and have ongoing mental health issues) out of desperation.
I don't understand what the point of contribution based ESA is as it amounts to sweet nothing in my case- also i thought it was based on the last year of employment's contributions and mine would have been quite high as I was earning £47 k a year.
Thanks for any advice that you can offer.
Also I have applied for PIP and the first refusal is currently being reconsidered ( I previously received it from January 2016 to June 2017).

Thanks
Sweepie3

Comments

  • CockneyRebel
    CockneyRebel Community member Posts: 5,209 Disability Gamechanger
    Hello Sweepie and welcome

    So sorry that you are in such a difficult position

    I think you really need to get f2f advice from a trained advisor CAB or similar

    Have you tried putting your details into an online benefit calculator ?

    Have you thought about applying for an HC2  to help with prescription charges ?

    You may be able to get some assistance with bills from

    http://www.britishgasenergytrust.org.uk/uploads/A SHARED PROGRAMME OF GIVING - BGET website.pdf

    I wish you the best of luck with your PIP claim, but you may have to take it to tribunal as things are at the moment. There is plenty of info on this site about appeals process

    I hope that other members will have more/better advice for you and indeed that an advisor will be along soon to help

    CR
    Be all you can be, make  every day count. Namaste
  • Sweepie3
    Sweepie3 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
    Thanks for your reply- I will do as you suggest. 
    I did speak to someone at CAB but they didn't really offer much advice other than applying for PIP which I'm already doing.

  • CockneyRebel
    CockneyRebel Community member Posts: 5,209 Disability Gamechanger
    If you haven't done so, take the PIP self test on the B&W site

    http://www.mybenefitsandwork.co.uk/pip/indexxx.php

    It is important to understand the points system, the desciptor and the criteria for an award

    Have you asked for a copy of the assessment report ?

    CR

    Be all you can be, make  every day count. Namaste
  • cathie
    cathie Community member Posts: 143 Courageous
    sorry to but in ,,but i got awarded 4 points at my assessment as women claimed i could walk   without problems the said distance not sure how she came to this as never asked me   any way two points for needing help in and out of bath    still no walk in shower been 13 years a  machine to load mw in and out of bath was left in my passage for a long time no one came with parts or to show me how to use it    just saying ,,other two points for needing help to do buttons  .  when i used this assess ones self i got so many points did n,t even know what to do with them     just goes to show how very cheated we all are being ,,,  its a crime   i still say should be held accountable   but whole different story ,, any way just saying good advice  do a test not that u can use it nut puts own mind at rest 

    Only me .. cathie..

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