just had to tell some one !!!! had a phone call today about my benefits the NICE man told me that from 30th April my ESA will stop just because my husband still works and we have managed to save some money for a rainy day i will not be able to claim any thing ! i have asked them to send me a GL24 form to appeal i want to see if i can get out this work related group then i might be able to claim something ?? i should of appealed when i first got ESA almost 3 years ago [my fault i felt it would be to stressful]
Your ESA is contribution based (on your N.I. contributions) rather than income based. It used to be payable indefintely, provided you continued to satisfy the medical requirement, but sadly that is changing w.e.f. April, when it will be limited to 12 months and this will be applied retrospectively.
I've had pretty much the same thing recently. I lost my tribunal hearing over the withdrawal of my ESA following the Atos medical assessment, so I applied for JSA. This claim was refused under the new rules on the basis that I'd already had more than 12 months ESA.
This leaves me in an extremely precarious financial situation and I fear that many more are doomed to suffer the same fate. My hatred for Cameron and his fellow bunch of Tory crooks has no bounds. I wish them all a slow and painful death and soon!
Your ESA is contribution based (on your N.I. contributions) rather than income based. It used to be payable indefintely, provided you continued to satisfy the medical requirement, but sadly that is changing w.e.f. April, when it will be limited to 12 months and this will be applied retrospectively.
Not strictly true, If you've been placed in the ESA support group then you continue to get financial support, even after the first year has lapsed. I assume you were placed in the WRAG group
Helen please don't give up. o/h was initially put in WRAG group and although it was a huge battle eventually after having to attend a tribunal he was placed in the support group.
It is difficult as when you attend to be assessed it depends what sort of day/hour you are having,
As a charity, Parkinson's UK campaigned against this change, which "cuts off" contribution based ESA for people after they have been in the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) for a year. The change was in the Welfare Reform Bill and despite winning our case in the Lords, the government overturned this in the Commons and the Bill has just become law.
We suggest anyone affected by the change, which will be introduced on 30 April, gets advice to see if you may be eligible for any other financial support. Call our helpline on 0808 800 0303 and speak to our benefits advisor or email 'hello at parkinsons.org.uk'. And the campaigns team really want to hear from you about how you will be affected as we want to continue to expose just what the government has done. If you want to contact us, please email 'campaigns at parkinsons.org.uk'.
(Pls excuse the the way the email addresses are shown; our system cancels out the @ symbol at the moment!)
Sorry to hear this but I was in the same boat, we saved ensuring we had a little put away. Not paid enough NI to claim for myself therefore got nothing despite only being a year short in NI and having paid more than enough over the years. they are only interested in what NI you have paid in the last three years. Could not work properly in the last three years to pay enough NI due to the PD. SHAFTED!!!
hi !!! does any one know what happens if i spend what money i have saved for that rainy day .... can i then claim a different benefit ??? bet i cant because my husband still works THIS GOVERMENT WINS ALL THE TIME
just because my husband still works and we have managed to save some money for a rainy day i will not be able to claim any thing !
Sorry to hear this but I was in the same boat, we saved ensuring we had a little put away. Not paid enough NI to claim for myself therefore got nothing despite only being a year short in NI and having paid more than enough over the years. they are only interested in what NI you have paid in the last three years. Could not work properly in the last three years to pay enough NI due to the PD. SHAFTED!!!