Can they close my ESA account ?

maggieomx · April 2019

Iv now moved to wales from manchester im on income related ESA they have now asked for all paperwork regarding my house sale apart from ESA im on severe disability payment and aslso pip an iv got a car.
I know they are going to stop all my benefit as iv got £39.000 in bank from my house sale i was advised on here to tell them not to close my ESA account to keep it open and pay my stamp ?? Can they still close it if they want too ?? Thanks

wilko · April 2019

@maggieomx, as you are over the savings threshold this may come into play plus the fact that you have moved to Wales they may not have reciprocated benefits as the UK. As regards your PIP the two benefits are not related and should affect each other. You must contact DWP for an explanation of your situation since your move to Wales keep the community updated this could be an interesting outcome.

maggieomx · April 2019

Yes i understand the xcess money in my account will stop my esa benefit.
But i was advised on here they must keep my ESA account open to pay my stamp into.
Im also on severe disability payment .

poppy123456 · April 2019

SDP is part of income related ESA and all payments for ESA will stop providing all your ESA is income related. Yes you can still keep your claim open to receive your NI contributions towards your state pension, if you still need to. It will be worth checking your state pension to see how much more contributions you need because keeping your claim open you will still have to go through all the re-assessments as normal. At this point it will be worth speaking to an advice centre near you.

maggieomx · April 2019

Thankyou poppy x

maggieomx · April 2019

Poppy who pays my NI contributions into my ESA account ??
Them or me ??

poppy123456 · April 2019

DWP pay them to HMRC they are NI credits towards your state pension only!

woodbine · April 2019

You only need 35 years NI credits now for the full state pension.

maggieomx · May 2019

Hi all moved from manchester to wales was on ESA iv finaly moved told Dwp iv sold my house got money in my acount from the sale they ask for paperwork regarding sale/proof of my house sale asked for a bank statement to show what money has finally gone in my bank account i.know i wont get esa due to money in my account.
I was advised to tell DWP to keep my ESA account open to pay my pension stamp which i did.i sent all this paper work to them near 3 weeks ago but have not heard anything back from them how long must i wait to hear back from them ??

poppy123456 · May 2019

Are you still receiving money from ESA or has that stopped?

maggieomx · May 2019

Yes im still getting a lower ammount of ESA than i was doing.
But today i recieved a capability of work questionaire form ??
If they are stopping my ESA as iv got over £30.000 in the bank from sale of house why do i need to fill in this form ?? And maybe go on a f2f exam ??.

poppy123456 · May 2019

You need to ring DWP to check if you were receiving Income related or Contributions based because if all your claim was income related then all of your money should have stopped by now. If it was part contributions based you were receiving then you will be entitled to approximately £110 per week because savings won't affect that.

maggieomx · May 2019

It sounds like its contributions as im getting £223 per fortnight i think ? Il check when i get in ?

maggieomx · May 2019

Will i need to go for the f2f exam ??

poppy123456 · May 2019

maggieomx said:

Will i need to go for the f2f exam ??

Yes, you will need to fill the form out and return it with all your evidence and a face to face is most likely.

maggieomx · May 2019

Hi poppy just checked i get £223.30 per 2 weeks ?

poppy123456 · May 2019

Could be contributions based but you'll need to ring to check just to be sure.

maggieomx · May 2019

Iv been granted P.I.P till 2027 would this change things about having to have the f2f assessment ?
i near had a break down worrying about my p.i.p one??

poppy123456 · May 2019

maggieomx said:

Iv been granted P.I.P till 2027 would this change things about having to have the f2f assessment ?
i near had a break down worrying about my p.i.p one??

No because they're different benefits. You can send your PIP assessment report and decision letter as evidence, it may help. I'm not saying it will for sure but there's no harm in sending it.

maggieomx · May 2019

Iv just got in contact with DWP and the lady said im on CONTRIBUTION BASED ESA
what does that mean please ?? Does it affect the money i have in my account ??
Thankyou x

poppy123456 · May 2019

It means that your savings don't affect this and you'll still receive the amount you're receiving now, which is £223.30 every 2 weeks.

maggieomx · May 2019

Is this a good outcome ?
I thought id lose my esa coz of the money in the bank not get more ?
She said theres no end date ???

poppy123456 · May 2019

When you first asked the question a couple of months ago i remember asking if part of your claim was Contributions based or whether all of it was Income related. You said you thought it was all Income related, so the advice was that all your money would stop because of your savings.

As you were claiming Contributions based with an Income related top up then you get to keep the contributions based part and just the income related will stop. This means you'll continue to receive the amount you're receiving, which is a reduction because of your savings. The amount you would have been receiving before you moved would have been more.

Contributions based isn't means tested and you'll continue to claim this for as long as you remain in the Support Group. If you're moved to the WRAG then it's only payable for 365 days.

The form you received for the work capability assessment will need to be returned no later than the date stated on the letter. You'll need evidence to support your claim and a face to face assessment is most likely because most people have them.

maggieomx · May 2019

Now can i stop worrying about my money in my bank and collecting every receipt as my esa account isnt means tested ??my daughter needs a loan of £3,000 to pay off a debt accrued by her ex boyfriend
Can i lend this her without worrying ???

poppy123456 · May 2019

Your Contributions based ESA is not means tested. This means that any savings/capitol or any other income you have is not counted. This means you can do what you want with your money because it doesn't make any difference to the amount of ESA you're receiving.

However, if anytime in the future your savings drop below £16,000 and you re-apply for the Income related top up (extra money on your existing ESA) then they may want to know what you did with the money for it to drop below £16,000.

maggieomx · May 2019

Hiya does nothing go easy ?
My pip was reviewed on 19th march saying nothi g had changed and il stil get my pip as im regostered disabled .
i got a letter now for the esa work capability test
Just been to doctors to get some more evidence as i came out of a double fractured pelvis which DWP dont know about so drs receptionist said she would send me last 2 years medical records but when she looked on computer my medical records from manchester have not arrived in wales and could take up too 3 months to arrive in wales.
so wont be able to send any info to the work capability people any idea what i should do ????

poppy123456 · May 2019

It's perfectly normal for medical records to take that long to be sent from one GP to another. You could ring your old GP and ask if they still have them.

May i ask what evidence you used for your PIP review? As that was fairly recent. Do you not photo copy the evidence you have before sending it to DWP? I always keep all my evidence in a folder so that i always have it ready when ESA and PIP are reviewed.

maggieomx · May 2019

When i went for my dla to pip assesment 3 years ago they had 108 pieces of evidence copied when i went and i won .
i got this new renewal letter in march saying they had look at my pip again and it hadnt changed and i didnt even know it was being done ????

poppy123456 · May 2019

That was because they most likely used your DLA file as evidence for your PIP claim. PIP and ESA are different benefits and they don't look at PIP evidence when reviewing ESA. They also very rarely contact anyone for any evidence.

maggieomx · May 2019

Thats why i want to get my medical records as i have evidence of my double fractured pelvic and also me being diagnosed with osteo arthritis and rhumatoid arthritis i know i wont have it by 7th june when form needs to be in ? Do you think i might get a while longer to send forms and evidence to them ?

poppy123456 · May 2019

Please be aware that it's not about a diagnosis, it's how those conditions affect your ability to do any type of work. The diagnosis of those conditions isn't going to tell them how you're affected by those conditions.

There's no extension of time to return the ESA50 form and it must be returned no later than the date stated on the letter. If it's not returned by that date then you'll be found fit for work for failing to return the form.

It will be worth knowing the reasons why you were placed into the support group the last time and if that still applies then you'll know what to concentrate on when filling in the form. If it was mobilising then they will also take into consideration your ability to use a self propel wheelchair. See Support Group descriptors in this link. https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/employment-and-support-allowance/esa-glossary/1353-support-group-descriptors

If the decision is to place you into the WRAG then because you're claiming Contributions based ESA then this will only be paid for 365 days and then it will stop. As you have savings over £16,000 then you won't be entitled to claim Income related ESA.

maggieomx · May 2019

Hi poppy as you know i have money in my account from sale of my house im on CONTRIBUTION ESA. £223.30 per 2 weeks .can you tell me how this £223.30 is made up with ?
I was on ESA with SDP id like to know if iv lost that ?

poppy123456 · May 2019

That amount will be £73.10 because you're a single person. Then £38.55 for being in the Support Group. Added together is £111.65 per week Contributions based. Which is £223.30 every 2 weeks.

You lost the SDP and the other disability premium (approximately £82 per week) because your savings are more than £16,000 and you're not entitled to the premiums because they are means tested.

You're still entitled to the £223.30 which is a very good thing. If your claim had been all income related then you would have lost it all.

maggieomx · May 2019

Im not being greedy i wanted to.know how my payment was made up thats all.

poppy123456 · May 2019

I never said you were, i was just explaining it to you.

maggieomx · May 2019

Poppy i didnt think you was?
I am greatfull you have explained it to me thankyou.

poppy123456 · May 2019

No problem.

maggieomx · June 2019

Hiya poppy is fibromyligia reconised by the DWP ??
JUST been diagnosed with it ???

poppy123456 · June 2019

It's not about a diagnosis for PIP or ESA, it's how those conditions affect you.

maggieomx · June 2019

Hi poppy I went citizens advice who filled my form in as my daughter who is my lasting power of attorney always fills my forms in for DWP but this form she wasn’t able to do it. I foned DWP to tell them I was having trouble getting the form filled in time
todays the 4th June form has to be back for the 7th June
so I went job centre to tell them I was having trouble getting it back to DWP in time. Yesterday I got a reminder from DWP telling me if it wasn’t returned by 67th June my money will be stopped !!
i went to job centre yesterday to tell them I wouldn’t get form filled in time .
the guy got my claim up on the computer where I found out I’d been granted another week till the 14th June to get form returned.
just weird the message on the p.c but wasn’t told about the extension?
so I’m going job centre and I’m going to ask him to print the message off the p.c for me As proof .
still not got my medical records from old doctors just sent as much evidence to them as I can ?

poppy123456 · June 2019

There's no extension of time to return the ESA50 form. The rules are relaxed if you're claiming for mental health but if you're not and the forms aren't received by the date on the letter you could be found fit for work for failing to return the form.

maggieomx · June 2019

oh no he told me to my face I had a weeks extension too the 14th of June ?? I need to get citizen advice guy to sign the form he forgot then il send it next day delivery ...
what a liar !!

poppy123456 · June 2019

Sorry but i don't understand why you need to person from CAB to sign the form? It's your ESA form so you should sign it. I've had help from CAB in the past but they have never singed any form on my behalf.

Do you claim for mental health or not?

maggieomx · June 2019

Surely he needs to sign it as he filled it in that’s what it says at end of the form ?
“If someone signed the form on behalf of you they need to sign it ?

maggieomx · June 2019

Sorry I mean if they filled in the form for someone else they need to sign it ?

poppy123456 · June 2019

No, it's your form and the claim is yours, you need to sign it. All the years i had help with my forms not once has anyone else signed it, only me.

I filled out my daughters PIP form and signed it because i'm her appointee. The person that filled your form in isn't your appointee.

maggieomx · June 2019

Thanks ppoppy saves me a trip 👍

maggieomx · June 2019

Hiya poppy I sent my ESA work capabilities form back yesterday but as you may no my doctor hasn’t got my medical records from England yet so the evidence I sent was a couple of years old apart from a couple of reports it was all tat !
today typically I got a report from the hospital from a visit 2weeks ago.
i think this report would help my case.could I send it to them for them to look at ?

poppy123456 · June 2019

There's no harm in sending extra evidence but make sure it's a copy only and you put your name and NI number on the top. If you attend a face to face assessment also take a copy with you, just in case they didn't receive the first one.

maggieomx · June 2019

Do i need to send this evidence registered post ?

poppy123456 · June 2019

If you mean recorded delivery? then no, its pointless using that because it still have to go through the mail sorting process. If you kept a copy of the address you sent the ESA50 form to then send it to the same address.

maggieomx · June 2019

I I sent it next day signed for .

maggieomx · June 2019

Iv recieved another piece of medical evidence after my ESA50 has been sent off.
Can i go job centre to have this piece of evidence added to my examination ??

poppy123456 · June 2019

You need to check where your form was returned back to. Some work capability assessment forms are sent straight to the health assessment advisory service (assessment providers) rather than to DWP. My last 2 forms weren't sent to DWP.

If it is then sending late evidence may not be used to support your claim because DWP may not forward it onto the health assessment advisory. You could ring them to ask if they've received you form, if they have ask if you can send further evidence to them and could you have the address to send it to because all areas are different.

https://www.chdauk.co.uk/

maggieomx · June 2019

Hi as you know my form has gone in for work capability assesment im waiting for a reply back to see if its a f2f exam ?
Iv just got a letter from jobcentreplus saying theyv looked at my claim again?
Would this have anything to do with the work capability assessment result ?? Meaning no f2f ?
Or am i dreaming that i might not need a f2f ??

poppy123456 · June 2019

I have no idea. My advice is to ring DWP and ask if a decision's been made. The decision letter will come from DWP not your local job centre.

maggieomx · June 2019

So its probably not a decision from the capability worksection ?

poppy123456 · June 2019

I have no idea, i'm afraid. Please ring DWP to ask if a decisions been made, they are open until 6pm. ESA decision letters are very oddly worded.

Adrian_Scope · June 2019

Did you manage to get in touch with the DWP @maggieomx and find out whether it was a decision?

maggieomx · June 2019

Not as yet couldnt get through !!
Im at drs today will ring later as im swopping internet n fone today so will continue to try later .

poppy123456 · June 2019

It can often take as long as 1 hour to get through. Good thing it's a free phone number now.

maggieomx · June 2019

Have just been cut off the DWP LINE was waiting 58 minutes !!
My house fone has just come on along with internet
From my new povider lost an hour of my life i wont get back !!

poppy123456 · June 2019

If it was close to 6pm then that will be the reason you were cut off because they close at that time. Best time to ring is early in the morning, at least that's always the best for me.

maggieomx · June 2019

Its not open weekend is it ??

poppy123456 · June 2019

No. Monday at 8am.

Adrian_Scope · June 2019

I hope you manage to get through today @maggieomx, let us know how you get on.

maggieomx · June 2019

Iv been hangin on this morning for 24 minutes so far i will keep you updated on the outcome !!

maggieomx · June 2019

Just got off the fone apparently its just a automatic update letter and has got nothing to do with my ESA capability test ?

poppy123456 · June 2019

I thought it maybe that, although that letter is late. It just seemed rather quick for it to be a decision letter. They very often have strange ways of wording letters.

As you've only very recently returned the ESA50 form it could be a few months until you hear something back. Your file will be sent to the health assessment providers to decide if a face to face assessment is needed, most have them.

maggieomx · June 2019

He didnt have a clue rearly ?!
Can they not read whats on the screen he said my esa had been cancelled as they didnt get my form back in time !
I told him it was sent registered signed for and.id checked they had got it !!
He rhen read screen and he saod ih yes we have got it !!
He said HE THINKS ?? its gone to the people to see if i need a test or not ....not at all confident after this fone call !!

poppy123456 · June 2019

Signed for delivery doesn't mean anything if the form was sent straight to DWP. Some are sent straight to the health assessment providers, mine always has been for ESA. Signed for delivery just means it's been signed for by someone from Royal Mail sorting office, once that's happened, it could be anywhere. It's not classed as being there until it's been put onto the computer.

It's been a couple of weeks since you returned the form and i'm sure if they hadn't received it, you would have received a letter by now.

maggieomx · July 2019

Hiya poppy i recieved this letter yesterday from DWP ?
If you remember iv sent my form back for a ESA work capability test ?.
Im confused would this be my answer from them ??or am i wishing for a miracle and i dont need to attend a work capability test f2f ??.
Sorry about the sidewards foto im hopeless with this mobile phone thanks!

poppy123456 · July 2019

I would say that's a decision on the latest WCA, so great news no face to face was needed.

maggieomx · July 2019

Yayyy thankyoy poppy !!
Great news on a monday morning thank you for your help x

Can they close my ESA account ?

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