ESA advice please

Everyday living
1

I hope someone can help me. I was on contribution based ESA which finished at the end of last month. I then received a letter from atos telling me to go for a medical. Anyway I have been passed around from pillar to post and am totally confused. I was told I may be able to claim contribution jsa but I was also told that if my condition has worsened (which it has) then they may put me in the support group. Is this right since my wrag ESA has come to an end?

2

Lots of people are finding that contribution based ESA is coming to an end from April 30th. This is when the new rule about only being able to claim for 12 months came into effect. Other people seem to have been rung up or written to and told that contribution based ESA is ending and that they could apply for income based ESA if they were eligible.

Your situation seems slightly different as this seems to have coincided with a review of your ESA (Did you recently fill in an ESA50?) You are now faced with a medical which could have 3 outcomes.

  1. You get 15 points and remain in the WRAG but because you have already claimed for 12 months you wouldn’t be paid anything if you have a working partner.
  2. You get fewer than 15 points and have to sign on for JSA as available for work
  3. You meet the criteria for the support group and will continue to get ESA as time limits do not apply to the support group.

You will not be eligible for JSA if your medical scores 15 or more points because you would be classed as unfit for work.

I would second Phil’s advise about Benefits and Work

Jane

3

Thanks Phil and Jane

Before I claimed and got into wrag my GP, consultant and specialist nurse all said I should go in the support group but good old atos didn’t agree. I was going to appeal but I just couldn’t face it, I just didn’t have the energy for it and I was kind of hoping I would befine after a year and bouncing off to work.

Atos told me that the medical is to ensure my ni contributions will carry on being paid, I haven’t filled in any forms recently.

Things have got a lot worse now and no one would employ me.