What on earth do I do now!: I have just had a letter... - NRAS

NRAS

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What on earth do I do now!

sparker profile image
12 Replies

I have just had a letter that tells me that my ESA (contributions based) is now over and will end in June! How on earth am I supposed to survive?

My husbands wage is not to bad but it does not cover all of our bills and provide for things like new uniforms for my daughter etc.

what am I expected to do now? Sell my family home, how much more can this horrible condition take from me! The way I feel today there does not seem to be any point in carrying on as it now seems that I will be responsible for further ruining my families life. I am sorry to carry on but I can't believe that I can take much more of this I couldn't feel more useless and a burden if I tried.

Steph

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sparker profile image
sparker
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12 Replies
earthwitch profile image
earthwitch

Got straight to CAB. Do not pass go. Do not collect £200. (sorry, bit of sick monopoly humour there.)

CAB disability welfare person will be able to give you all the advice you need to either fight this, or put in place alternative strategies. There may be other assistance that you can get that will cover some of those expenses, and they will know, and help you fill in the forms for them.

Don't try and deal with this on your own. Get on the phone asap to CAB and make that appointment. Make sure you tell them when the ESA finishes.

binlid profile image
binlid

esa wbsite states that esa can carry on in some circumstances hun ring em xxxxx

becky26 profile image
becky26

I agree go to the cab asap!!! Can I ask how long u have been on ESA?? X

sparker profile image
sparker in reply to becky26

I have been on ESA for 1 year, the only time I have ever claimed anything.

sheenerweener profile image
sheenerweener

Can hubby claim working tax credit? My benefits stopped this week so I in same situation. And hobbies wages not great all so unfair good luck xxx

it is very unfair, the whole system is wrong.. im going to work in agony, v part time cos I HAVE never got any benefits, IF my health stays this bad I WILL have to try and claim again, it is such a worry for us all, im currently still living on my own with small mortgage x

micky40 profile image
micky40

Hi, have you had a medical for your ESA as they can put you in a support group which will then let it continue and they will continue to pay you after that time.

when i first applied i was told i could only get it for a year then i was told i had to go for a medical after the medical i recieved a letter stating i was put into the support group stating i can not work and they will reassess in 2 years.

have you been for a medical with regards to your ESA?

sparker profile image
sparker in reply to micky40

I was assessed and the report said that I would probably not be fit for work for at least 5 years! They of course put me in the could work with support group! I attended my interview and the worker was really nice and said I should contest the result! Who has the strength to do that ? I didn't... Besides I do,want to,go back to work if they can ever get this stupid RA under control! So I stayed where I was. I have had no communication since and that was a year ago. So why this letter yesterday, and why do they always send them in a Friday when you can do nothing but worry all weekend!

allanah profile image
allanah

Get advice from cab but then contact the dwp and then appeal this decision. You should have been checked. I was also put in a support group which meant I didn't have to work for the money. I was then dismissed on ill health and got my NHS pension. I told them about the change, they reduced my ESA but I still get some. I would challenge this decision. Xxx

Vonnie55 profile image
Vonnie55

Hi, Yes you definately need to get some help on this, probably with the CAB. In the meantime have a look at the website benefitsandwork.co.uk

Nothing to do with DWP and have lots of really helpful info on how to retain, claim or appeal for ESA and DLA.

It helped me enormously.

Don't give up, sometimes we can use our frustration and anger at the system, to rightfully retain or get the benefits we are entitled to.

I did and was placed in the support group, thank goodness.

I think the government forget that lots of us have had to give up work through no fault of our own and we have worked and payed into the pot!!

If we could work, some of us wouldn't have had to take early retirement from our work because of ill-health and we would be working now, honestly they havn't got a clue!!

Stick in there, good luck x

Dogrose profile image
Dogrose

I have just been made redundant and I'm not even eligible for any contributions based ESA as I haven't paid enough stamp. My wages bought the food and paid the phone/internet bill. We have no spare money for these things! The only benefit we can get is working tax credits (my partner works but doesn't earn much) and we are going to apply for them next week. Because my partner will have to apply in his name the CSA will take some of it as they class it as income, just to add insult to injury. I tried DLA last year and failed and was told no one gets it these days so never tried again. There is very little in the way of benefits available if you live with a partner/spouse who works. I'm looking round at the few things I have with some small value with the hope I can sell them on ebay but it is a buyers market at the moment and things are worth a third they they were five years ago. xxx

earthwitch profile image
earthwitch

Whatever DWP say about benefits, if you are struggling to make ends meet, its still worth going to CAB and getting them to do a "benefits check" for you to make sure that you and your family are getting everything you are entitled to. We have had CAB regularly coming to our small community (600 people) and in the first year, they managed to get a total of more than £30,000 extra benefits claimed, just because folk didn't realise what they could get - that includes things like transport concessions, housing and council tax benefits, as well as all the DWP stuff.

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