Has anyone received a letter yet saying that their ESA is going to stop?
Not yet, understand the intention is for those that are on contribution based ESA to only have this for 12 months, time to look into either the support group or income based esa! Dan
It is my understanding that the 12 month rule (just 12 months on contribution based ESA unless you are in the support group) does not kick off until April 2012. Jane
Source BBC on line Terminally ill people warned over possible benefit cut 21 September 2011 Last updated at 10:42 By Rebecca Keating BBC News, Lib Dem conference, Birmingham Thousands of terminally-ill people have begun receiving letters warning them their benefits could be cut in April even though Parliament has yet to approve the changes. Under proposals being scrutinised in the Lords, Contributory Employment Support Allowance (CESA) will be time-limited to 12 months from April 2012. The changes will be retrospective. So people on CESA for 12 months or more when the rule comes into force will have their benefit cut immediately. Earlier this week, delegates at the Liberal Democrat conference in Birmingham passed a motion calling on their MPs to oppose the “arbitrary” time limit, contained in the Welfare Bill, and the plans are likely to face stiff opposition in the Lords. ‘No win situation’ Neil Coyle, of the Disability Alliance, said that while it is uncertain whether the rule will be passed, it is premature for the Department for Work and Pensions to warn recipients of the changes. “The letters are now being sent at a cost of £2.7m, including letters to people who unaffected by the change but who will experience considerable anxiety,” he said. “The government has time to change plans before terminally-ill people and their families have this avoidable and quite nasty cut imposed.” The Department of Work and Pensions admits it is conceivable the legislation may not be approved but says it is better to warn people early. “It would be completely wrong not to alert people well in advance that there is a possibility that their benefit entitlement may change,” a spokesman said. Jenny Willott, Lib Dem backbench spokesman on welfare, says it is a “no-win situation for the DWP”. “If they don’t pre-judge the situation they could end up with thousands of people losing their benefits with little notice,” she said. Ms Willott says Lib Dem peers are working on the “issues to be ironed out” in the bill. Terminally-ill people with less than six months to live will not be affected by the changes.
Only one word for it DISGUSTING,knew it was coming,it was just a matter of WHEN.
a real ms’er wrote:
People who work with MS… are doing a disservice to those of us with MS that do not… To be honest… it you can work with MS… you have not really got it… People before profit…
To a real ms’er. Just what is your problem. How can you say that ‘People who work with MS… are doing a disservice to those of us with MS that do not… To be honest… it you can work with MS… you have not really got it…’ I have had ms for 9 years. It was diagnosed by a neurologist. I suffer lots of symptoms, take numerous drugs so manage the symptoms. I have had more relapses than I care to count, but as I work full-time according to you I must have been misdiagnosed from the outset. Personal attacks on people are not appreciated on this site and just because a person does not agree with you, you feel the need to attack them. Well you better start attacking me as well because I dont tend to agree with all you are saying. Please keep you views to yourself if you intend to attack thosewith different opinions. regards Neil
oinions. Neil ones not oinions (its the ms or maybe not) That was opinions Neil. Fixed it now. Liz
Hi, how can anyone say y ou do not really have ms if you work. My problems are limited to balance and walking. I claim dla too and I can barely walk but I just manage into the office by parking at the door. Colleagues help me by opening the door, helping me with my bag and come out to the car with me when I go home to make sure I get into my car ok. Luckily my colleagues are wonderful and my work place is brilliant, when I arrive home my mum (aged 68) is at my house (she drives and stays 5 mins away) to make sure I get out of the car and into the house ok. I have a lot of goodwill and wouldn’t manage without it but I do have ms and I do not see how I am doing you or anyone else a disservice by working. Cheryl:)
a real ms’er wrote:
Well when you have the most right wing govt ever known in the UK these are the results… Anyone not in the support group for ESA should be writing letters… hassling their MP’s… I am fortunately in the support group… but I still feel it is wrong to stop everyones ESA on the basis that they could do some work… Where… is my question… We will always have at least 3 million unemployed in the UK… Time to start supporting those unfortunates without jobs or in the case of us lot (genuine MS’ers)… I have seen misguided fools write on this forum before about how they support the govt over this… Step forward Chubbster…or Andy… I told you this would come back to haunt you… Time to listen boy… to those who know better… People who work with MS… are doing a disservice to those of us with MS that do not… To be honest… it you can work with MS… you have not really got it… People before profit…
How dare you? I worked for 10 so I did not really have MS :?: :?: :?: :?: What year did you qualify in Medicine :?: V What year did you qualify in Neurology :?: What year did you start to specialise in MS :?:
Steady on everyone. I think the sentiment should be not be people with ms working doing a disservice to others with MS who cant but a realisation by us all that the government are trying to divide and conquer by making out that working with MS is possible and therefore applying pressure to everyone regardless of other circumstances involved with having MS. Example if you were a builder and got MS and couldn’t do that work anymore its highly unlikely you will find any other work you could do. On the other hand if you were a computer programmer that got MS you could probably continue fairly easily with a bit of help. Thus they are shaking the tree hoping to find people that could go back to work but of course they do not want to provide any training. I worked for a large company and begged them to retrain me so I could continue to work but they weren’t having any of it and there were tons of jobs I could have done. But no I was put on an income protection scheme which, when it runs out will mean I will have to sign on.No company will want to employ me because jobs that I used to do required mobility. So the bottom line is its a training issue and that is where the government are being totally unfair. If they want the disabled in work then train them up or pick ones they think they can train and leave the others alone !! I bet the majority would love to work 1/ If they could and 2/ If it was worth it.
Hi, I will reply again. I can walk a few paces by holding on to things, that’s it, so I wouldnt call it that mild. My balance is terrible but that’s all. Ok, I was diagnosed in 1995, but had it since at least 1989. I work part time (the part time is due to me having children, not MS) . I struggle a bit and if I have a bad day at work someone brings the wheelchair out to the car when I arrive to help me in and then they take me back out in it when I go home. The toilet is very close to my seat so I can manage that (it is a disabled toilet). Yes, I am lucky I can work. Just as well, I have to fund sativex and FES myself. Cheryl:)
a real ms’er wrote:
Nice reply nw… I saw my MS nurse a few weeks ago… She said she went to some conference… there they had a lady with MS… who detailed all the wonderful things the council… her employer… had introduced to her work place to allow her to continue working… The bottom line was all the MS nurses came out scratching their heads… as this was totally different to the experiences their clients had experienced… If I was an employer… No way would I employ somebody with MS… and I have it… That is why I consider anyone who works with MS… must have a very mild strain… or be early days… I would love to know the statistics of people with MS… working 5 years on from dx… I suspect they would drop quite considerbly… I know this forum is designed to only show the positive sides to MS… are there any… but I much prefer realism… It not only shows newly dx types… what they will have to face… It is fairer to those… too disabled… to be able to participate… And believe me there are plenty of those… MS to me does not mean running marathons… or climbing mountains… A bit of realism please…
Indeed sad but true. The very problem with the disease is that it has so many levels ranging from the mild controllable to the agonising uncontrollable. Even my family don’t understand and think that MS is a one dimensional illness like having a broken leg. Very hard to explain to anyone that I have to plan everything in detail,that going to the shops envolves virtually military style planning. Work, O.K. first I need to get there, so no more than 3 steps and convenient parking. Tell me such a place !! I can think of one , the council offices, so train me to work there Mr Government, problem solved.
By the way “a real mser” I agree with you about not employing someone with ms, even if you are not supposed to do that. I was diagnosed at the end o f 1995 but had had problems since 1989. Over time it became apparent to me that I would eventually be diagnosed with ms even though no dr actually said that. I was a student during that time and hoped I would find a jo b before I was diagnosed because I didn’t think an ms diagnosis would help my job prospects. Fortunately I did and I am still at the same company today. Cheryl:)
a real ms’er wrote:
Well it did not take long… If someone who is not in the MS clique dares suggest anything that goes against the party line… they are castigated… I will say again… Anyone who works with MS is doing a disservice to all those… many of which cannot use these boards due to their severe disability… with MS who choose… quite sensibly… not to… People before profit…
HI again I am not really in a clique. Its just that I read the T&Cs about not verbally attacking someone. I have had to change jobs due to MS and been fortunate to have a good employer for the last 8 years who bear with me. I like to be polite and sensitive to all issues and will not take to any type of attacking those with different thoughts / ideas. Neil
a real ms’er wrote:
Well when you have the most right wing govt ever known in the UK these are the results… Anyone not in the support group for ESA should be writing letters… hassling their MP’s… I am fortunately in the support group… but I still feel it is wrong to stop everyones ESA on the basis that they could do some work… Where… is my question… We will always have at least 3 million unemployed in the UK… Time to start supporting those unfortunates without jobs or in the case of us lot (genuine MS’ers)… I have seen misguided fools write on this forum before about how they support the govt over this… Step forward Chubbster…or Andy… I told you this would come back to haunt you… Time to listen boy… to those who know better… People who work with MS… are doing a disservice to those of us with MS that do not… To be honest… it you can work with MS… you have not really got it… People before profit…
After working fulltime since I left school, MS has forced me to now work part time each day is like climbing mountains and walking through swamps but it helps me keep my sanity. Im sorry if this offends you but each to their own
I cant believe how many people have got the wrong end of the stick here. To those who are still working well done but I think you will agree you’re fortunate and not in the majority. All thats being said is that it doesn’t help those that cant for the sole reason is its used by the government as a stick to beat the rest of us. For someone that has MS to work it has to be a fairly unique situation and some are lucky to remain in the jobs they had when they were diagnosed as a way was found for them to be accomodated. That certainly doesn’t apply when your looking for a new job because it was impossible to continue in your old job. So its a disengenuous argument used by the government and like I said before if they want the unemployed disabled to work then train them to do so as they really are the only organisation that can. The rest being in commercial competition and therefore want the best people at the cheapest possible cost.
nw1 wrote:
I cant believe how many people have got the wrong end of the stick here. Not really the wrong end of the stick as I see it. What started as a query on the ESA letter that was sent on-mass to people on benefits was turned into a personal attack on one person and a suggestion that all working people with MS do not have it. The latter was then repeated for a second time by the same individual. I have reported the post to the mods as I feel it breaks the T&Cs “hateful, threatening or in violation of any laws or good morals or practice.” If it doesn’t then I apologise to the real ms’er and yourself for getting the wrong end of the stick. If it does then I have the right end of the stick. I do not want o argue with anyone but feel that as most msers are adults we should all act that way. Take care Neil
Wendels wrote:
It is my understanding that the 12 month rule (just 12 months on contribution based ESA unless you are in the support group) does not kick off until April 2012. Jane
If you have been on it for 12 months prior to april 2012 then it will stop in April 2012, that is the plan anyway, time to work things out now!
a real ms’er wrote:
Well when you have the most right wing govt ever known in the UK these are the results… Anyone not in the support group for ESA should be writing letters… hassling their MP’s… I am fortunately in the support group… but I still feel it is wrong to stop everyones ESA on the basis that they could do some work… Where… is my question… We will always have at least 3 million unemployed in the UK… Time to start supporting those unfortunates without jobs or in the case of us lot (genuine MS’ers)… I have seen misguided fools write on this forum before about how they support the govt over this… Step forward Chubbster…or Andy… I told you this would come back to haunt you… Time to listen boy… to those who know better… People who work with MS… are doing a disservice to those of us with MS that do not… To be honest… it you can work with MS… you have not really got it… People before profit…
Hi a real ms’er The tone of this post is inflammatory and in breach of rules on personal attacks. Tone it down. greg [admin]
Guest wrote:
Well when you have the most right wing govt ever known in the UK these are the results… Anyone not in the support group for ESA should be writing letters… hassling their MP’s… I am fortunately in the support group… but I still feel it is wrong to stop everyones ESA on the basis that they could do some work… Where… is my question… We will always have at least 3 million unemployed in the UK… Time to start supporting those unfortunates without jobs or in the case of us lot (genuine MS’ers)… I have seen misguided fools write on this forum before about how they support the govt over this…[names removed by Moderator]. I told you this would come back to haunt you… Time to listen boy… to those who know better… People who work with MS… are doing a disservice to those of us with MS that do not… To be honest… it you can work with MS… you have not really got it… People before profit…
What a ridiculous thing to say ’ that if you can work with Ms you have not really got it’ i dont work anymore, but i struggled to work for years , like a lot with MS still choose to do so, does it come natural being so arrogant, or do you have to practise it.