I had one last week, it says the same and that I will receive a phone call within two weeks. Im currently on the old incapacity benefit which doesn’t exist now we are being migrated onto ESA. Get help filling it in , I hope to get welfare rights to at least look over it.
I got a similar letter on Saturday and when I read it I thought “this will get people worried”
DLA is changing to Personal Independence Payment but the timescales given on your letter are misleading. If you have an indefinite DLA award the changeover will not take place until 201, not Sept 2013 as indicated.
Incapacity Benefit is also changing to Employment Support Allowance but if you are due to reach pension age by March 2014 you will not be asked to change over. You said that you were 60 now so it’s possible that you will have to change over to ESA sometime in the next year.
I agree that all these changes are unsettling but it’s best to be prepared. Many of us on here swear by a website www.benefitsandwork.co.uk It costs about £20.00 a year to join and they have really good guides for filling in the forms and what to do if the DWP do not give you the award you think you should have.
Just got my letter out and re read it, mine says you currently receive incapacity benefit, severe disablement or in come support benefit, these are being phased out. So for me it is the incapacity and moving over to ESA as I’m not in receipt of the other two. Whichever benefit it is I think it’s wise to get help filling the form in.
Hi. Recieved mine friday. Mine says I wont be notified until 2015 or later. How confusing!! I live in North Wales, dont know if this has any bearing on this? I dont get incapacity but we do recieve some carers allowence. Im worried too! seems everyone is getting different info. Tracey xx
I got a letter on Saturday mentioning the change from DLA to PIP but I’m not too worried about that just yet because it’s way off in 2015.
Then this morning came the one I’ve been dreading for months. The change from IB to ESA.
I knew it was coming. I didn’t imagine that I would be the only person on the planet claiming Incapacity Benefit but it’s still ruined my day. I’m so looking forward to filling in the form
so if a person has dla as a indefinate award do i have to worry as it will stop in sept this year? or will it stop in 2015? i keep hearing different dates and now im really worried
great thanx, with all these changes i get confused, i dont trust the government to not change it last minute and not tell anyone, atleast i dont have to worry for a while
They ring you to confirm your identity! I had my Atos assessment on friday. I walked in with my 2 elbow crutches, there were 2 chairs about 3 feet away from the desk. I sat down on one of the chairs and she “smilingly” asked me to pull the chair closer to her!!! She was very pleasant and friendly and if I didn’t know better I’d think it went well. Unfortunately I know that they are the smiling assassin and are more than happy to stab you in the back.
You did not tell us how you responded. For the benefit of anyone else who is confronted by this sort of trick - and, yes, it was a trick - there is a very good tactic.
Sit in one of the chairs and say “I’m sorry. I need that much space in front of me to stand up again” and then put your crutches or sticks on the other chair. If you have a companion, they sit in the other chair and hold the crutches.
Another version of the same trick is when the interviewer lowers their voice to get you to move nearer to them - and then lowers it again … “I’m sorry, I think my hearing must be going, could you please repeat that” kills that one stone dead.
Deanne This is one that has confused me too, I filled in the form sent supporting documents from my GP &. Neuro and got placed in the WRAG? I appealed this decision along with yet more letters of support from GP & Neuro. Had my interview at JCP to see what work I was capable of?? Haha if only I was capable Two weeks after that I got a call to say I’d been moved to Support Group (still no medical assesment?) When my letter came to confirm this it said in 2 yrs i would have to have a Work Capability Assesment?? I just hope someone turns this total shambles of s*** upside down by then, and they realise that we are not lying theiving b******* as they labelled us that can’t work on the recent documentary, I’d like nothing better than to work, but struggle to function day to day around the home. It stinks. X
Like you Bambi, what I wouldant give to go back to work!! If they only Knew! Used to be important (to some people) now, well I feel useless. Anymore they can throw at us? Sure they,l think of something!! Tracey xx
Tracey I’m sure your far from useless. I bet if you really thought about it you’d have your own unique uses for something. Keep battling on & don’t let the monster get you down. Sue xx
Received my phone call today, woman from JCP just asked re identity and whether I had any questions, I asked if everyone had an assessment and she said it depended on the outcome of questionnaire, some people might just be transferred without assessment others would be contacted by letter with appointment. She said everyone will be transferred over to ESA by 2014, my form should be with me within 2 weeks and ie got a month to return it.