Employment Support Allowance (replacing IB from Oct 2008)

[RiffRaff]

Curlysue, I'm really pleased for you that you didn't have to have a face-to-face assessment and you're pleased with the result.

All the best.

[curlysue]

Thanks RiffRaff!

I'm now waiting for them to contact me regarding 'work-focused interviews' and the rather long-winded 'work-focused health-related assessment'. No idea what to expect!

CSx

[star gazer]

Hi curleysue, I went to work focus interviews last year and they weren't too bad, my advisor at the JC+ was lovely and very sympathetic, and in the pathways group at the one to one he decided that at that point i was not well enough for work related activity so I attended the mandatoory sessions and then that was that. later had Phone catch ups with the advisor. Not as scary as they might seem and the peopl who i dealt with were lovely. they will probably give you a ring over the next month to arrange a date to go in.
good news about your award.
best wishes
sg

[RiffRaff]

Did anyone see the BBC Panorama program called Disabled or Faking It? It was pretty good, I thought. Thank God someone's covering this, though obviously we need much more prominent good coverage in the media that just this program. There was a woman on it who had been diagnosed with Fibro, which was described as meaning she dislocated a lot. Sounded a lot like undiagnosed HEDS/HMS to me...

I hope people's claims are going well, all the best.

[curlysue]

Yeah I did see it, thought it was a good programme - there was also a Dispatches on Channel 4 beforehand, about the same subject! Should be on 4od if you missed it.

CSx

[RiffRaff]

Thanks, curlysue, I'll check the C4 one out. You wait for a bus then two come at once...

[mazza111]

Both had some shocking elements in them. Really saddened and angry at the same time by both programmes.

[Rosie]

Hi all

Please can we keep posts on this thread on topic. There is a thread in the 'HMS in the media' section to discuss the programs. Any further off topic posts will be deleted from this thread.

Rosie

[FIN1]

Hi

I have today received a letter saying I'm being moved from work related group to support group. I wrote letter in may disputing them stopping my money(a year had passed and they stopped it end of April?

I sent away the questionnaire 2 weeks ago, I'm extremely shocked(but very happy) they have put me into the support group without me having to go to a face to face medical assessment. The letter says they will assess the case again in 6 months at the end of January 2013. Do you think the only reason I'm in support group is because I'm 6mths pregnant just now? Is that why they want to reassess me so soon? I know for sure I'll be worse state by then anyway.

[curlysue]

Hi,

I received my P45 from the DWP today and am a bit puzzled as to why... I had a letter a while back confirming that I had been transferred from IB to ESA (WRAG), but I am yet to received my first ESA payment and I'm worried that the P45 means they are stopping my benefit altogether.

Has anyone else had this?

CSx

[sheppeyescapee]

I would phone them to clarify what is going on especially as you haven't had a payment yet. They might have mucked something up on the system (not unheard of!)

[curlysue]

I did phone them in the end, apparently it happened because I migrated from one benefit onto another, they sent the P45 out because my Incapacity Benefit claim ended, in order for the ESA one to start. It's just for my records and doesn't mean my benefit has been stopped. Phew!!

So if any peeps get your P45 after migrating benefits, you know what it is!

CSx

[cracker]

hiya guys i dont know if is the rite topic...................................... rite ok hear goes.............................. i was put onto ESA from JSA the jobcenter wrote to me accuseing me of not sighning on when i was tranferred to ESA. i had no money for nearly 4 weeks (thank god i still at home) i tired foning the blimon benifite enqierline atfer the first ''seutry chek'' then the next one you know u gave the rite details then they have the booody cheek to say the secu=rty chek has failed. ypu wait.......... wait ............ then blimmin wait forthem to ring you back. no call you have to do the same thing agin to do the same thing.......... then u just burst into tears.........
my mum & dad helped me
there been a massive c***k up some where. when they do that we are up the creek without a paddle.

has this happend to anyone? pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease help i feel like giving up.

[sheppeyescapee]

Please don't give up. Yes I have had a lot of problems with ESA, we went quite a few weeks with no money because they supposedly lost some vital paperwork. It is very frustrating when it appears that the people on the other end of the phoneline don't know what they are talking about! They have probably mucked something up along the way because I don't think you need to sign on with ESA but if you are in the work related activity group there are still some things that you need to do. I'm not sure what to suggest next but I would definitely not give up, it is money you are entitled to so make sure you get it.

[cracker]

thanks sheppey you're a star