This blog might prove useful to those of you out there who need a helping hand when it comes to finding the relevant information about your welfare rights, benefits, etc....
I used to spend many wasted hours trawling the internet for the correct information about what rights and benefits I was entitled to, as the dot.gov sites gave little or no information about what I needed to know. Well, that was then, and this is now. There's nothing more frustrating than being kept in the dark, so hopefully you'll discover what you need to know by visiting the following link: welfarerights.net
PS. Don't forget to add the link to your Favourites!
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i put in my claim for ESA this morning and was shocked how its done!!!
no forms to fill in, no signature needed, just and hour on the phone ( if i wasn't coughing would have been less!)
Apparently, you can claim jobseekers allowance online - no wonder there are so many false claims, you dont need to attend the benefits office(unless its for ATOS !!!!!) and the money is paid into the bank so no post office visit.
Would love to know how you would know if someone is claiming when they are not entitled - its not like you will see them at the DWP office or at the post office cashing the giro.
Thanks for leaving a comment, appreciated! Yes, ESA is easy to claim, though I would rather fill in any forms myself to prevent unexpected errors creeping in: I'm sure the DWP staff are honest folk and wouldn't slip in any falsehoods, would they?
But, after saying that, the ATOS doctor who assessed me back in May this year did appear to be assessing someone other than me personally at the time because the final report read as though I was an entirely different person - with no mention of my illnesses [Cervical Spondylosis and Emphysema - to name but two!] And to make matters worse, it took the DWP 3-months to decide if I had scored 15 points or not, and not the usual 2-weeks! Of course, I was awarded zero points, which is quite strange as my previous assessment in 2006 awarded the 15 points - which means that both my degenerative illnesses got better with time, and not worse! I reckon somebody, either the ATOS doctor or the DWP is fiddling the books somewhere.
As for claimants of Job Seekers Allowance, well it's a fact that it's possible to fiddle because no-one at the benefits centres bothers to check - as shown on C4 some weeks back. As for the ATOS doctors - they're TOLD to FAIL a high percentage of claimants - another fact uncovered by C4!
Anyhow, you have a great week ahead. Warmest regards.
I applied for JSA on the phone last year, when I lost my job. It seems that we, the public, are not able to fill in the forms properly so they now take all your details over the phone so one of their people can do it for you. For JSA you then get a letter for your first appointment, where someone goes over all your details to check that they are right... You still have to go and sign on too.
ESA also requires an application form to be filled in, and the phone service does this for you. Either the DWP is very much a growth industry that is taking on more and more people to do silly jobs like this, or they think it's better this way.
Actually, it's probably more tricky of them to do it this way as they will catch some people out who are not giving the correct information. The end result is that some benefits assessor or other will get a case to decide upon, whether you wrote it yourself or not. The DWP will claim they've made it easier.
It does appear to be easier for benefit claimants these days, though there's always a catch somewhere. To prevent benefit fraud the DWP insists a claimant must sign on different days each week - has it prevented fraud? Nope! [See my reply to krazylady1961 above]
To save money, the entitlement to ESA lasts for only 1-year and then a claimant must apply for Social Security - means tested of course. If a claimant's partner is employed, then it could mean the claimant isn't entitled to any benefit as a couple would have enough to live on, according the DWP. See the catch in this scenario? Fair enough, the government would save millions in the long run, but at the same time increase the amount of poverty throughout the U.K. This new benefits system is flawed, and it's just a question of time before this, or another government, feels the impact of what they've created. Take the train franchise for instance ...
Righto, have a great week ahead and look after your health.
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You still have to go and sign on too. 
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