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Confused

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applecrumble
applecrumble Community member Posts: 4 Listener
in Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Hi, I have just made an online claim for ESA. I have been off work over the passed year due to my progressive illness so I was initially sheilding then unable to go back and I am having sick notes from my GP. I will not be returningnto work and will be formally finished for good on June 30th  as I mutually agreed to finish due to ill health and there being no prospect of me returning or being able to work again. As I said I did the online claim which asked if I wanted to claim from July 1st and I clicked yes. However the final page said I needed to send in my fit note from now and I would get a call from the jobcentre asking me to go in. I thought this strange seeing as my claim will not start for another month plus I exoected to fill out a more detailed form first explaining my illness. So I rang dwp today and they said i do have to send in the sick note now and I do actually need to attend the jobcentre for an interview. I am confused by this as I ahve been shielding and did not expect without filling in further forms  have to go to the jobcentre for a compliance interview Any thoughts please. 



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  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,010 Disability Gamechanger
    edited May 2021
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    The claim just starts the process. If the claim is accepted you will be sent a Work Capability Questionnaire which is where you then explain what your health conditions are and how they affect your ability to work.
    They need a Fit Note in order to know that you are eligible.
    https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-employment-and-support-allowance#how-to-apply

    I would expect you to already have Fit notes available because most employers would require you to obtain them if you are off work. Given that you have been off work for a year your SSP entitlement presumably ran out quite some time ago. If you have Fit Notes for the period you can backdate the ESA claim by 3 months even though you were still employed as long as it does not overlap wit any period of SSP entitlement.

    Depending on your household income is low and if you do not have capital over £16,000 you may also be able to claim Universal credit.
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Rules may be different in other parts of UK.
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  • applecrumble
    applecrumble Community member Posts: 4 Listener
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    Yes I have sent off the fit notes but according to DWP won’t get the work capability  questionaire until I have had a phone call from the local jobcentre and I have gone in and had a compliance interview. The advisor said there has been a recent change to the ESA system and everyone has to go to the jobcentre first for an interview to agree to comply .
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