Stressed by ESA

[tinacarroll27]

Hi all, I need to vent over ESA. I have just gone through the stress of the work capability assessment, which made my health much worse but after weeks of waiting to find out I was placed into the support group on the 26th of September. Great I thought!!Then today I get a letter about housing benefit from the council telling me my housing benefit has been suspended because of a change of circumstances. The council have been told by the DWP that my ESA has stopped. Now when I saw the letter I thought, no it hasn't I've just been put into the support group. I am thinking it's got to be an error unless there is something I am not aware of but I can't imagine what it could be? Either way it's stressing me out and I now have the whole weekend to wait to find out. I am trying to keep calm but all sorts of scenarios keep coming into my head, including me having to reapply and have another medical!!!!!Nooooooooooo!!!

 

[Invisible Woman]

Cripes!

I really hope it's a clerical error on the part of the council or the DWP in notifying the council.

There's just no end to the nightmare, is there?

I've been waiting for several months for the outcome of my ESA review. They're still paying me but these things really hang over you.

 

[Esther12]

Sounds like it is just an administrative error. Fingers crossed it will all get sorted out easily on Monday. Sometimes these things do turn out to be no problem, and nothing to worry about. The system includes so many nightmarish aspects that it's hard to not find it all super stressful though. Best wishes with it, and 'congrats' on getting into the support group - at least that should mean you get left alone for a while.

 

[Wonko]

You got a letter to say you were being put in the support group? The only way I've ever been informed was on the annual uprating letter (when they still did them) where it was listed as a premium.

Given you were in receipt of a qualifying benefit continuously, and that any disability payments do not, from a housing benefit perspective, count as income, the council, if they decide to be awkward, do not have a leg to stand on, legally. This however doesn't make it any less awkward/inconvenient/annoying for you. My money would be on admin error as well.

But, just to be safe, jump up and down as much as needed, at your earliest opportunity.

 

[tinacarroll27]

You got a letter to say you were being put in the support group?

Yes I got a letter saying I had been placed into the support group on the 26th of September. So I can't imagine why they would suddenly stop it, when I have only just been put into the support group? An error is all I can think of.

 

[Wonko]

Yes I got a letter saying I had been placed into the support group on the 26th of September. So I can't imagine why they would suddenly stop it, when I have only just been put into the support group? An error is all I can think of.

The thing to watch out for is council tax benefit, if your housing benefit is stopped, for any reason, then your entitlement to CTB stops as well. And whilst the council may reinstate your HB, without you losing any money, the rules for CTB are slightly different (or were) and you can end up losing entitlement for a day or 3, no matter that you were not at fault they will still send out nasty letters for a couple of days of council tax

I got caught out by this several years ago and, as it's always in their favour, I can't see the policies will have changed.

Just something to ask/check with them when you're getting this sorted out.

 

[tinacarroll27]

The thing to watch out for is council tax benefit, if your housing benefit is stopped, for any reason, then your entitlement to CTB stops as well. And whilst the council may reinstate your HB, without you losing any money, the rules for CTB are slightly different (or were) and you can end up losing entitlement for a day or 3, no matter that you were not at fault they will still send out nasty letters for a couple of days of council tax

Thanks I will watch out for that!!

 

[tinacarroll27]

Hi all!! Just to update! My ESA has not been stopped by the DWP. I phoned them today and all is as it should be. I am still in the support group. The council were a bit more difficult and insisted they have been told be DWP my ESA was cancelled. So I told them what the DWP said to me over the phone and I have sent the letter from the DWP to them confirming I am in the support group. It seems someone has made a mistake somewhere. I think it will be alright in the long run but what a mess!!!

 

[Invisible Woman]

Great news!