RECEIVED LETTER TODAY ADVISING INCAPACITY BENEFIT STOPPED FROM 22ND FEB --- HELP

[jayjayboy]

Hi everyone, I filled in the ESA50 form in January as I was on incapacity benefit and I was due to be changed over. I have not had any letters advising me if I am in ESA SUPPORT group or ESA wrag,but today I received a letter from Jobcentre plus, advising that my Incapacity Benefit has been stopped from 22nd February!!!but no mention if it has been changed over to ESA . I was due to get my incapacity benefit next week 8th March. Does any-one know if this means I have been changed over automatically even although I have not received anything in writing. Or should I be worried that there may be no money in my post office account on 8th March. I am very worried now.

[Hidden]

Hi

Not sure what is going on but unless you have been called to a face to face assessment (or medical as they are laughingly called) you cannot be found fit for work and your benefits stopped. I would contact the DWP office where the letter you received came from and see if you can find out what is going on.

[secretldy in reply to Hidden]

i have an appointment with ATOS march 27th. i have olny just won my appeal, and they want to see if anything has changed. when i rang them and told them i have no transport, ,they informed me that i need to get a letter from my doctor telling them i cannot travel on my own means.

do they realise they are not understanding peoples needs? if i was not ok just before xmas i don;t if it would change that quick.

if i was you i would ring the DWP and ask them what is going on, mind you half the time the job centre do not know whats happening either.

Wish you luck

[ladymoth]

Hi jayjay,

I think your best bet is probably to call the Jobcentre Plus helpline and ask them what's going on.

You may be worrying unnecessarily, but at least they will tell you what's going on.

Once you have contacted them, if there is till a problem, we may be able to help you,

You may have been swapped over automatically, and will probably hear from ESA very soon, but I agree that this sort of thing is very unsettling!

Phone them up and see what happens - we are here if you run into difficulties!

Moffy x

[jayjayboy in reply to ladymoth]

I feel a wee bit better now. Ive looked out all my paperwork as I had copied everything and as I sent all the documents recorded delivery. I have managed to trace it on-line and it was signed for on 16th January. The date I was to return it by was the 21st January. I have printed this of for my records just in case they say they didnt receive my forms. I am on the highest rate of DLA and was on longterm incapacity so fingers crossed I have been automatically transferred. Still phoning them first thing in the morning to put my mind at ease (hopefully)

[jayjayboy in reply to ladymoth]

Hi there, I phoned the job centre plus this morning as soon as it opened ( this was the department that sent me the letter about my incapacity benefit being stopped) I was advised that they have to stop one benefit before they can give you another one, And he said that it is showing on the system that they are processing my ESA ,but that is all he can see and I will just have to wait until I receive a letter from them advising the outcome. When I told him I was worried that I wont have any money next Friday he didnt seem to care, he said he cannot promise that my ESA will be processed by then ( or he would be lying) said theres nothing further he can tell me. I asked for a number to phone whoever is dealing with my claim, and he said I have to go through him as they dont take incoming calls as they are dealing with THOUSANDS of claims at the moment. I told him that I have to feed myself have bills to pay and I depend on my fortnightly money and asked what I do if it is not processed by then, Again he said he cannot give me any more information as all it is showing on the system is that it is being processed, and I just have to wait. So I just have to hope that it is sorted and I receive a letter within the next few days. He also said that once it is sorted if it takes longer the money will be backdated, but that no good to me just now. If I dont get any money my direct debits will be declined and I will then get bank charges. I really dont understand how they can stop a benefit before the files have been processed. I just have to hope that it will all work out.

[jayjayboy]

Thanks. I have been looking on the internet and some people have been saying they received a similar letter and had there money stopped as they said they had not returned the ESA50 form. I sent it in recorded delivery a week before the date it was due. I am stressing now as I get housing benefit as well as I am in a private rented flat. so I am now worried that this wont be paid. I will phone them first thing in the morning.

[jayjayboy]

Hi Silverstar, I have not been to any assesment, havent had any correspondence at all until today, I just assumed I;d automatically been transferred to ESA, but my sister had said she thought it was a bit worrying that they have stopped my incapacity benefit, and no mention of ESA. I wont sleep tonight (well dont sleep well anyway).But will phone them in the morning. Will let you know how I get on. Away to look out all my paperwork as I photocopied everything

[fairycazzie]

Hi there,

i was just going to suggest as all above have by calling dont wait.

You should beable to get answers on the phone and if it is a phone call ask them to ring you straight back as you cannot afford the phone bill either

Please do it first thing tomoro form your letter and see what they have to say and tell them you really do not understand whats happening to explain it to you .

let us know what they say i dont mind any inboxes but please post and let us all know .

xxxxx good luck and hope that there is nothing too much to worry about xxx caroline xxx

[jayjayboy in reply to fairycazzie]

Thanks for your advice,I will definately be phoning them first thing in the morning. Up most of the night anyway.

[Hidden]

Im not sure but my sons on Incapacity benifit, all he's ahd come is a letter advising his payments will increase 70p per week from April, no mention of any changes. Although we have been expecting it?

[Hidden]

Theybtook me offvesa and put me in support group eith out s med I recvd letter saying so then in jan all benefits except dla stopped I found out by trial and error that I had to apply for pension pension credit etc was terrifying know how you feel

[ginge]

my cousin was put over from income surport and incapacity. to e.s.a. he got the surport group for just 3 months. we also had a leter saying all his benifits have stoped . after making about 5 fone calls to esa and the job center aparently when it get swoped over they stop one to start the other, i had to ring the council to explain about the rent thats direct debit and they were very good and kept it as it was and not the 300 and odd quid they said we had to pay cause he been kicked off the e.s.a.. and incapacity......got sorted in the end....BUT CAUSE IT WAS FOR ONLY 3 MNTHs THE E.S.A. IN SURPORT GROUP. hes had to claim yet again and been witing since december. for the outcome....

[jayjayboy]

Thanks. I am now so worried that my housing benefit will also be stopped, I am in a private rented flat and if the payment is late even by a day I get charged £30, this is such a worry,especially when no-one will let me know if I will get a payment this week. I was told that ESA do not take calls to dicuss this but I think I will try phoning them id I dont get a letter in the next few days.