Heard nothing from them

polly63
polly63 Online Community Member Posts: 2 Listener
edited November 2019 in Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
I was given esa in 2017, I found it very stressful, attending all the meetings. One minute I was on it then I wasn't then I was again! At that time esa was based in Bristol and the chap on UC in N.Ireland kept telling me that my esa letter granting me it meant nothing, he really made me ill, anyway I was given it for 2 years, but that 2 years is up on December 7th 2019, but I've heard nothing from them. All the stuff I've read confuses me as it keeps going on about something that happened 2015. I'm stressing out over this again and my anxiety and panic attacks are making my ibs flare up again, and it was for this I got esa, because I can't be in a stressful situation and having to drop what ever I'm doing and rushing to the loo hoping I get there in time. Help please.

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,458 Championing
    HI and welcome,

    I'm a community champion here on scope and i advise people on the extremely complex benefits system.

    I can tell you that ESA is an ongoing award unless you're found fit for work and then it will stop. It will not end on 7th December. For ESA the timescale that you're given is just a guide and nothing more and you can be re-assessed anytime from 3 months. This means that no one really knows when that work capability assessment form will arrive, unfortunately. Some people are assessed before the time given, others are assessed around the time given and others are assessed after the time given.

    All i can advise you to do and yes i know it's hard but try to relax if you possibly can and try to put it at the back of your mind. Stressing about it will only make it worse and because we never know when that form will arrive to constantly think about it won't help.

    I also claim ESA, which means i never know when that form will arrive and the only way i cope with it, is to do exactly as i advised here.... try extremely hard not to think about it. The good news is, your ESA will continue until you're next re-assessment.

    I hope i've helped, even if it's just a little bit.
  • polly63
    polly63 Online Community Member Posts: 2 Listener
    edited November 2019
    Thank you so much, that really helps. I was recently transferred from dla to pip and they took a £100 per month off me because I can drive. My car is my legs as I can't walk far. I wonder if being put on that helped, although the £100 less a month has made it difficult to keep the car, I'd be housebound without it.

  • Chloe_Alumni
    Chloe_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 10,506 Championing
    Welcome to the community @polly63, I'm sorry to hear you lost some money when transferring over. How are you doing at the moment?

    Hope you have a lovely weekend. :)

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