Urgently seeking ESA claimant in Bournemouth area who has been underpaid for interview

[Paul_Howard]

Hi everyone,

It has been revealed that around 70,000 people in the UK have not been receiving their full entitlement for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) - theguardian.com/society/201...

A journalist from Bournemouth (George Sharpe who used to work for LUPUS UK - for those who have been a member here for a while) is seeking somebody in the area who has been affected for an interview.

If you have been underpaid and would be happy to do an interview, please contact me at your earliest convenience by emailing [e-mail] or phoning 01708 731251.

[Buffy14]

I wasn't receiving my full amount of esa and would not have known about it if they hadn't tried to stop my esa 2 years ago , I went to welfare rights to appeal that decision and welfare rights lady told me I should have been getting an extra payment because I live alone . She wrote to them and I got 3 years back pay of this payment which was really nice and made up for the 3 months stress I had appealing the decision , I got my esa reinstated at the higher amount . The annoying thing is I had to sell my bungalow after losing my job as I couldn't afford the mortgage , you get help with interest but my mortgage was 2 thirds capital and it was impossible trying to pay it , if I had been getting the correct amount of esa I would probably have been able to pay the mortgage and stay in my bungalow , now I live in a tiny one bed house with stairs which is the only thing I could afford , I hate having to struggle with stairs again when I had previously lived in a bungalow . Sorry I can't help you Paul as I live in Manchester but good luck with it all , I would tell everyone who lives alone to check if they are receiving the correct amount .

[Paul_Howard Partner LUPUS UK in reply to Buffy14]

Thank you for sharing your experiences Buffy14 . I'm sorry to hear that you had these problems with your ESA and as a result you had to move out of your bungalow.

[Cal66 in reply to Buffy14]

Hi

That is terrible, I thought that with a mortgage you paid an insurance to cover situations such as yours.

Even though you own your house the council can help you to get a stairlift & anything else you need.

I have noticed now that my esa now consists of contribution & the other, but I don't know if I'm owed any money or not.

[Buffy14 in reply to Cal66]

If you ring welfare rights and ask them to check your benefits they will do , they are very good , don't know why I didn't have insurance maybe I couldn't get it because of my health or I couldn't afford it , I think if you have it they would only pay your mortgage for a few months anyway that happened to my brother when he was made redundant . My house is very small and the landing upstairs is tiny I don't think a stair lift would fit unfortunately .

[Cal66 in reply to Buffy14]

Thanks I may do that, I'm always worried in case they want to interview & question me to take me off it.

I don't really know much about mortgages as I still live with my mu. My parents were given their house as a gift, what I know is what I have learned from the tv.

[Buffy14 in reply to Cal66]

Welfare rights work for the council in the town hall they are not the dwp they help people with benefits and if you ever get your benefits stopped they will help you get it back if you are entitled to it . I don't know how esa works if you live with your parents , you can speak to welfare rights on the phone .

[Cal66 in reply to Buffy14]

Thank you I might to do that