my head is completely mashed with other stuff at the moment, and im in trouble financially as a direct result of this. so obviously being the sole carer of a 3 year old i need to have money coming in.
anyway, i am in receipt of contribution based esa. i notice there are going to be some significant changes as of 30th april...but im a little unclear as to whats happening and was hoping someone could help me clarify this!
i fall into the category of people that has already been in receipt of this type of esa for longer than what will now be the maximum time scale come 30th april.
it says it will stop...does this mean they just stop payments and tough cookies, apply for something else?
i dont even know if i am eligible for this straight swap over to income based esa they mentioned...i will obviously be ringing them asap but i just wondered before i do, if anyone had any insight.
Without knowing your specific circumstances it wouldn't really be possible to say with any certainty. I'm not sure if the Directgov benefits calculator covers this, but might be worth a look just to see.
If you are a single parent, income based ESA might well work, but if you have an earning partner probably not.
JSA conditions aren't as horrible if you have a very young child, might be worth a try.
Definitely talk to CAB though, they will know more than me.
Spent most of the last year annoying my MP, protesting, writing, and generally trying to kick up a fuss about the benefits changes. Maybe if more people had they might have been less ****.
If so, so long as you don't have loads of savings you will be eligible for Income related ESA
If you aren't a single parent did you get a letter about the changes?
What group are you in? As the changes don't apply to those in the support group.
When we lose twenty pounds... we may be losing the twenty best pounds we have! We may be losing the pounds that contain our genius, our humanity, our love and honesty. ~Woody Allen
Is a chocolate muffin loving glitter ball
i am a single parent and i dont work. theres about £200 in my savings lol. so not a lot by a long shot! i was in support group but they have no moved me to that other one, the work related activity group or whatever it is.
well done for all the campaigning duck!
"When I want your opinion, I'll beat it out of you" - Dr Samuel Loomis
If your a single parent you should definately be eligible for income related esa if you have 200 pounds in your savings and you don't work or get any other income that isn't benefits like DLA.
When we lose twenty pounds... we may be losing the twenty best pounds we have! We may be losing the pounds that contain our genius, our humanity, our love and honesty. ~Woody Allen
Is a chocolate muffin loving glitter ball
If not you may already be on income based especially if you get free prescriptions etc?
When we lose twenty pounds... we may be losing the twenty best pounds we have! We may be losing the pounds that contain our genius, our humanity, our love and honesty. ~Woody Allen
Is a chocolate muffin loving glitter ball
nah i didnt get a letter, but im def on contributions based because i just got sent a letter from legal aid board saying im liable for contributions to court case, if it was income based id be automatically immune to those.
"When I want your opinion, I'll beat it out of you" - Dr Samuel Loomis
I'm on contribution based ESA at the moment. I was under that impression that the changes will make it like job seekers allowance, in that you would be on contribution based at first (providing you meet the criteria) but then after a set period of time will be put onto income based job seekers allowance. I believe it's the case with JSA that you are put from contribution to income based automatically, although it's a few years since I experienced that, but I'm thinking you'd be moved over like that, if it was the case.
Although I'm not saying that will definitely be the case, just that it was my understanding.
If you have been on contribution based esa for more than a year then yes this will stop.
But as you are a single parent, with no other income coming in you should be eligible for income based esa, which (at the minute at least) has no time limit, but you need to go to medicals etc.
Also just thought as you are a single parent with a child under 5 you would be eligible for income support. This would mean that you wouldn't have to go to medicals etc
This just sucks... my partner (I live with him) works... but he doesn't earn loads. Right so... When my contribution based benefits run out I'm on my own. Fab and it's ok going to CAB but the one around here shut
Syrup - it depends on how much your partner earns. If you are no longer eligible for contribution based ESA, then your partners income will be taken into account when assessing you for income based ESA.
Theres other options to consider such as DLA, its not a means tested benefit.
But there is a general expectation that couples are to support each other financially
Also just wanted to say that the year limit for contribution based ESA is only if you are in the Work Related Activity Group, it does not apply if you are in the Support Group.
If there has been a significant change in your condition since you first applied for ESA, you may be able to apply for a supercession, to apply to go into the Support Group. It may be worth googling the Support Group criteria to see if any of them fit. But it must be a significant difference from when you first claimed. (Plus, due to the amount of people trying to do this at the minute cos of the changes, it can take a long time to process)
i would hope to stay on esa for the moment as i am getting slightly more money than if i was on income support. this is apparently because i was in the support group at one stage, its like a little top up.
so maybe i wont be automatically taken off it...i think i was put into the work related group about 8 months ago or so. i would need to check it all over.
syrup, i dont know if it helps but i approached citizens advice direct the other day on an unrelated matter, they offer telephone advice. they phoned me back too. xx
"When I want your opinion, I'll beat it out of you" - Dr Samuel Loomis
I accept that couples are to support each other financially but my partner earns just enough for the bills, in other words there isn't much room for an increase in the bills
People not in the Support Group who have already been entitled to contribution-based ESA for 365 days or more will have their entitlement stopped when the change is introduced. Claimants with an underlying entitlement to income-related ESA will be automatically moved onto this benefit when their contribution-based ESA ends.
It would appear from reading through that (as far as I can see), that if you've not been contacted you'd be judged as having an underlying entitlement for income based ESA and so would be automatically switched over.
My partner and I are both on benefits, he's my full time carer due to my mental health conditions, I have not been contacted regarding any changes to my ESA so far. I am hoping this will mean I'll be transferred over automatically? I hope that's the case any way, I am due to be paid on Monday (16th) and have bills to sort out and things.
Last edited by BridgesAndBalloons : 13-04-2012 at 07:39 PM.
