Employment Support Allowance (replacing IB from Oct 2008)

[curlysue]

Hi CS, the backpayment was regarding housing benefit. There is a section on that form that asks why you didn't apply sooner the council looks at the reason and decides whether to backdate it. I didn't realise that income based ESA means automatic entitlement to HB/CTB so hadn't reapplied for it as didn't think it would make any difference.

Yeah I know it was, sorry to be unclear - the same rule still applies though afaik - if you tell them you didn't know you were entitled, their attitude is usually 'tough' which is very unfair imo but that's unfortunately the way it is. I think they will only accept things like being so ill you couldn't physically fill in the housing benefit form, and so on. You should definitely try it though because you have nothing to lose! (And I could be wrong!)

CSx

[trekster]

To me the expression 'automatic entitlement to HB/CTB' would mean I didn't have to apply because it would automatically happen. Thats my literal ASD brain for you. Hope it went well today Sheppey.

[leashy11]

I don't know if this is the right thread but has anyone else been expecting an ESA payment today and not been paid? This is the first time they've not paid me and I didn't realise until they were closed because I'm ill with a chest infection right now. Does anyone know why this might have happened? I'm due an appointment with my advisor at the jobcentre next week so I haven't missed anything I'm supposed to attend, I'm baffled because the first payment of ESA instead of IB went through fine and now it's just stopped. Getting a bit of a panic on about how I'm going to pay anything!!

[star gazer]

Leashy, your claim wasnt due to end soon was it? if not hpefully its just a blip and will hit your account later today.
sg

[pen]

Hi leashy
My usual payment didn't go in this week either. I have had my quota now though due to the new rules but thought I was getting still up to end of April. Also, I still haven't received any notification of stopping or results of my recent medical. Hey ho! I am going to call my jobcentre advisor on Monday as she said she would help find out stuff for me.
Pen X

[leashy11]

No I only started on ESA on March 27th this year so unless one payment is all they'll give me that shouldn't be it!! I'll just have to try not to let it keep me awake at night until Monday.

[star gazer]

Hi leashy, definately worth a phone call to check what is happening. hope all is sorted quickly for you.x
pen I had also bee told mine was finishing on 30th April but as they are two weekly payments would that mean that the last payment might be before the 30th? (I thankfully dont have to worry about that as already had med resuls) Can you phone your job centre that is dealing with your claim (where your dm is) and find out if there is any info regarding your medical.
good luck with the results when they eventually get to you. As you know mine were super fast, I expected to wait weeks and weeks before I heard.
sg x

[leashy11]

Panic over it is now in my bank! Been ill in bed all weekend so it didn't keep me awake after all! Jobcentre interview on Tuesday, ridiculous as I'm already doing permitted work but the woman I spoke to at the jobcentre wouldn't delay it.

[leashy11]

I'm back from my jobcentre appointment and have a question for anyone who might know, apologies if this isn't in the right place but my search returned this section only. I've been doing some part time permitted work since August last year and hoped (rather optimistically! ) to be able to increase my hours up to 16 this year and claim Return to Work credit and maybe Tax Credits for another year but I'm definitely not in any fit state to do that right now and likely won't be, according to my physio, by August this year when my permitted work 52 weeks run out. I've run this by the personal advisor I see and she was mulling over could I get away with carrying on doing the same amount of hours for the forseeable future by doing "supported permitted work" but as it's very rare for anyone to do this type she didn't know much in the way of detail about who needs to be supporting me and how and if I could even transfer from one to the other. Anyway... she gave me a number to call but I don't want to blunder in there and say something I shouldn't if anyone knows any details about supported permitted work? It's really to keep my job while I continue with my new physio and hopefully get well enough to up my hours, the alternative seems to be to just lose my job if I can't increase to 16 hours a week or work and keep £20 of it and have the rest deducted from my benefits if that's even possible (she wasn't sure about that either). Anyone know anything about either of those options? I don't want to lose my job, I'm proud of myself for getting and keeping it and really enjoy it.

[star gazer]

sorry leashy, can't help with this one as I have no experience of the permitted to work rules etc. hopefully someone will pop alng who has some more knowledge.
sg x

[curlysue]

Hi all,

Am filling out my ESA50 form at the moment (am being transferred from IB), and just had to share my thoughts about this question:

"Can you stay in one place, either standing or sitting, for at least an hour without help from another person? This does not mean standing completely still. It includes being able to change position."

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but either you are staying in one place, or you are changing position, but you cannot be both at the same time, no? In other words this question is very misleading about what it is trying to assess. If I have to shift about because I am in pain or feeling faint, does this descriptor apply to me or not? It seems that they are trying to catch people out with questions like these.

I'm going to follow the advice of Benefits & Work and just describe how I am affected in the 'tell us more' box. But this makes me mad because Atos / the DWP are not being straightforward.

Btw Leashy - I understand your problems with permitted work because I am grappling with this myself atm. Afaik there is not much getting round the '52 week' rule but you could try the forum at www.benefitsandwork.co.uk because they are likely to know the answer!

CSx

[leashy11]

Thanks for that curlysue I'm a member of B&W so I'll have a look. Is it an option to keep £20 and have the rest of your earnings deducted from benefits then? I really can't manage a mortgage and everything else on ESA!!

[nemonie]

I take it you've applied for housing benefit? If you haven't you should.

[curlysue]

Thanks for that curlysue I'm a member of B&W so I'll have a look. Is it an option to keep £20 and have the rest of your earnings deducted from benefits then? I really can't manage a mortgage and everything else on ESA!!

Afaik you can earn £20/week on top of your benefits indefinitely - the '52 week' rule only applies to the upper limit of £97.50/week. B&W do a guide to permitted work and I'm sure it'll confirm that either way.

[leashy11]

I've been told Housing Benefit is only for rented properties and I don't qualify for any because I have a mortgage, does anyone know if that's true? I am applying for Council Tax Benefit once my ex takes his name off that and have been told even with ESA and a small part time wage I could probably get that paid but I was given a big no on the HB front when I asked about that.

As for the permitted work if there's no way round it I'll just have to take the £20 a week and lose the rest if I can't figure out what this supported permitted work is all about.

It's also just occurred to me the promised ESA3 form never arrived in April so I'll have to chase that up too. Why are benefits such a hassle??!