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ESA

stephen1960
stephen1960 Community member Posts: 3 Listener
I have just moved from another part of the country where I was receiving Housing benefit, unfortunately where I am now I have had to apply for Universal Credit. I have been disabled since 2009 and am in receipt of PIP and ESA support group. Even though I have undergone 3 medical assessments and been deemed unable to work I am being asked to attend the Job Centre to look for work and make various commitments, failure to comply could mean a 3 year sanction !!! I am feeling totally distraught by this and the stress is unbelievable....I will only find out a couple of days what amount I will get before its paid. I am also told ESA will disappear... anybody else have any experience of this ?

Comments

  • steve51
    steve51 Community member Posts: 7,153 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @stephen1960.

    It's to meet you I hope that we can help you ???

     Please please have a good look at our home page where you can find a "Benefit Calculator" this will let you know what you can be able to get !!!!

    We also have a lot off info for you to browse through.

    There is also a "Benefit Advisor" to help you through what benefits are available.

     Please please let me know if I can help you further ???
  • MikeBroderick
    MikeBroderick Community member Posts: 235 Pioneering
    Hi @stephen1960:

    Welcome!

    I am sorry to hear about the stress you are under.

    I am moving your discussion into our Ask a Benefits Advisor section to see if our Benefits Advisor colleagues can advise further.

    @BenefitsTrainingCo Could you please advise Stephen?

    Thank you.


  • stephen1960
    stephen1960 Community member Posts: 3 Listener
    I have been awarded universal credit and have received an e-mail asking ME to call ESA department and cancel my claim for ESA., surely this isnt my responsibility ? also, if my ESA stops I have calculated I could be over £400 a month worse off as the top up available on universal credit for a person who is disabled and cant work hasnt been included in the award... what can I do ?
  • Liam_Alumni
    Liam_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 1,101 Pioneering
    Hi @stephen1960,

    I'm sorry to hear about the problems you're having with ESA, and that you are yet to receive a response.

    @BenefitsTrainingCo, can you help?
    Liam
  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
    Hello Stephen1960

    Unfortunately, if you live in a Universal Credit 'full service area', you cannot claim Income Related ESA and must claim Universal Credit to get means-tested help while you are sick. Contributory based ESA will still however be payable. So my first question is, do you receive income related or contributory based ESA?.

    Any ESA award letter should say which type of ESA you receive, but sometimes these letters can also be confusing and refer to you receiving both types of ESA.  If you telephone ESA they should be able to confirm over the phone which type of ESA you receive.

    Even if you are able to continue to claim ESA as it is contributory based, you will may still have to apply for Universal Credit if you need benefit to help with rent payments. But, the first step is to see what type of ESA you are currently claiming, and then please post again.

    Maria Solomon
     


    The Benefits Training Co:

  • stephen1960
    stephen1960 Community member Posts: 3 Listener
    Hi, It looks like its income related ESA. I moved from Slough in June where I was claiming housing benefit and assumed this would be the same in Lowestoft but UC was rolled out on the 25th May. I was told by UC that ESA was running alongside UC has it had not been linked. I have posted a message on my journal asking why it should be my responsibility to cancel the ESA and if by cancelling would the £188 I receive every week be included in the UC. I have also received a letter from UC stating that I have been awarded limited capability for work and work related activity and goes on to say I will be placed in the no work requirement group. Does this mean I no longer have to make commitments etc with the job centre. Sorry to ask so many questions but I am struggling to understand all whats going on .. Thanks
  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
    Hi stephen1960,

    You have done the right thing to ask in your journal if you have to cancel the ESA yourself, but if the reply is that you need to you might want to do so or you might be billed with an overpayment.
    If you have "no work-related requirements" imposed on you this means that you meet the criteria for the support group and you won't have to fulfill the commitments previously imposed on you as they have decided that you are not fit enough to do so. Your Universal Credit should also be increased to reflect this decision.

    Lee
    The Benefits Training Co:

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