am I eligible for esa?

hazmatrec
hazmatrec Online Community Member Posts: 5 Contributor
in Employment & Support Allowance (ESA)
hello! this question is pretty basic, but...
can I apply fir new style esa?
you know when you ask one question of one person once, and somehow their answer becomes a stone of truth for no apparent reason? I had one of those, thinking I can't apply for esa fir some reason. 
so, I had health issues in 2009-2012 ish that kept me from working full time employment, but I wasdoing some self employment stuff and receiving dla and we were getting by with that and the tax credits. but the health has actually gotten worse;  I've been working even less; my husband, more;  it's taken nearly six years four applications and six appeals since my dla ran out to be approved for pip; financially we've tightened every belt we own. in 2014, I looked into esa, and I wastold when I rang up that I couldn't even apply because my husband was working too many hours for me to be eligible. I so much didn't understand that. he was breaking his back _because_ I couldn't work. I wastold to go apply for jsa, but the first thing in jsa is, I have to be able to take work. I have seizures with unknown triggers and no warning. it's not as simple as 'take work'. so when I tried that, they said I couldn't do that. I chalked things up to catch-22. but I'm realizing: ¹ I may have misunderstood, ² the people telling me stuff may have misunderstood me or the information, ³ maybe things have changed. 
I receive double high rate pip and my husband and I between us receive both working and child tax credit and our son is twelve in school. I have uncontrolled random seizures and severe pain and fatigue and bp drops and spikes and am taking class c medicines at least four times a day. my husband works full time and I'm still able to self employ about three hrs a week avg. 
can I apply fir new style esa?
basic question :p  :persevere:

Comments

  • hazmatrec
    hazmatrec Online Community Member Posts: 5 Contributor
    heh. @woodbine, I've been there. I've read through that. it looks like they won't make us change from tax credits to uc. I'm not looking for absolute answers from here in the forum necessarily.  I'm looking to break that stone of truth that has become a blockage to actually just applying. Reading that stuff hasn't broken through my fear. I need stories, or conversation, or such. I want to be able to have at it on Monday. x
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Online Community Member Posts: 17,410 Championing
    Hi @hazmatrec - I think the best thing for the avoidance of any doubt is to point you to a reputable source, i.e. the government's website about New Style ESA. Please see: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-employment-and-support-allowance
    As this states, 'Normally, this means you may be able to get it if you’ve paid or been credited with enough National Insurance contributions in the 2 full tax years before the year you’re claiming in.' So, you need to have sufficient National Insurance contributions for the past 2 financial years, April 6th 2019 - 5th April 2020, & 6th April 2020 - 5th April 2021. You can check your National Insurance contributions here: https://www.gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record
    Hope this answers your query.
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Online Community Member Posts: 17,410 Championing
    No, without a change of circumstances you wouldn't be moved onto UC. My daughter receives both child & tax credits, so have a little understanding of those. However, reading stories doesn't necessarily help with ESA or any other benefit, but I do wish you well.
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,000 Championing
    The key issue is your NI record for 2018-19 and 2019-20. Unless this is complete you cannot claim new style ESA.

    However, if your record for those years is not complete, but you were still registered with HMRC you can contact NI and make voluntary Class 2 contributions for those two weeks. That will cost you about £300. You will then have to wait six weeks but will then be eligible for new style ESA.
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,000 Championing
    edited June 2021
    chiarieds said:So, you need to have sufficient National Insurance contributions for the past 2 financial years, April 6th 2019 - 5th April 2020, & 6th April 2020 - 5th April 2021. 
    The crucial issue but the wrong tax years. The relevant years are the last two complete tax years prior to the current benefit year (which runs from the first weekend in January). The relevant years are therefore April 6th 2018 - 5th April 2029, & 6th April 2019 - 5th April 2020.
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Online Community Member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    @calcotticalcotti said:
    chiarieds said:So, you need to have sufficient National Insurance contributions for the past 2 financial years, April 6th 2019 - 5th April 2020, & 6th April 2020 - 5th April 2021. 
    The crucial issue but the wrong tax years. The relevant years are the last two complete tax years prior to the current benefit year (which runs from the first weekend in January). The relevant years are therefore April 6th 2018 - 5th April 2029, & 6th April 2019 - 5th April 2020.
    April 2029 ? Think that's a typo 

  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,000 Championing
    janer1967 said:
    @calcotticalcotti said:
    chiarieds said:So, you need to have sufficient National Insurance contributions for the past 2 financial years, April 6th 2019 - 5th April 2020, & 6th April 2020 - 5th April 2021. 
    The crucial issue but the wrong tax years. The relevant years are the last two complete tax years prior to the current benefit year (which runs from the first weekend in January). The relevant years are therefore April 6th 2018 - 5th April 2029, & 6th April 2019 - 5th April 2020.
    April 2029 ? Think that's a typo 
    Indeed - should be 2019.
  • Justcheckingin15
    Justcheckingin15 Online Community Member Posts: 364 Empowering
    You are correct @calcotti

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