Employment Support Allowance

[Sade]

Mine has suddenly stopped and I wondered if anyone else had had this. I have read that they only give you ESA for a year (contributions based) but I have had no letter to say they are stopping mine. I have tried to phone them but was cut off twice due to call volumes. Anyone got any ideas?

[bednobs]

well have you been having it for a year?

[Sade]

I probably have, Bednobs, but my advisor, who I see every month, did not tell me it would just stop. he said it would be reviewed in April, I think.

[THECORBYLOON]

The legislation introducing the twelve-month time limit for some folk in receipt of contributions based ESA is working its way through Parliament still. The earliest it will take effect is April 2012. There could be a number of reasons for the ESA stopping, no current medical cerificate, failure to return the WCA questionnaire, failure to attend the WCA, it's been stopped to prompt you to make contact, it's a mistake etc. etc. The best thing to do is continue trying to contact the Benefit Centre paying the ESA, they'll be the ones who will know for sure, not us. If you can't get through, go to the Jobcentre and ask them to email the Benefit Centre and ask that they call you back within three hours.

[rozia]

it does just stop after the year is up, mine did.

[THECORBYLOON]

Sorry but that is not correct. At the moment, there is no limit as long as you have Limited Capability for Work (LCW), the proposal is to limit those not in the Support Group to a maximum of twelve months' ESA if it's contributions based.

[DrFilth]

Don't know if these rules are for just tameside but the dwp will not ring you back.
one lady near me had a lot of trouble and every time they said they would ring they never did

then one nice person at the dwp explained they had been told not to phone back
and when they said to her that they would it was just to get her off the phone

[Sade]

I thought that they would at least write to me and say that it is stopping from x date and why. I can't think of a reason why they would just stop it. I will try and get through again tomorrow. I will let you know what happens, in case it is useful to anyone else on here! Thanks for your replies.

[THECORBYLOON]

Did you find out?

[Sade]

I have spent ages on various 0845 numbers over the past few days and nobody picks up, and then I am cut off. I even went to the Job Centre yesterday (or rather my friend did as I can't walk) and they said they couldn't answer the phone because they were so short staffed. So, basically I can't do anything til January 3rd. It's completely crap!

[Sade]

As far as I know, (still no letter) my contribution-based ESA ran out (after a year) and now I have to re-apply for income-based ESA from scratch. Meanwhile no benefits to live on. This current system really is completely dreadful.