Brilliant letter received from ESA - complete twaddle!

Utterly brilliant letter received from benefits, they have awesomely failed - what a load of twaddle, the whole letter contradicts itself so I don’t know where we are at all !!! Look below for a copy of what it said, go on, give yourself a laugh. So now I’m going to spend all weekend worrying about whether we can still claim benefits or not now. Cheers once again government department for your additional stress.

YOUR CLAIM FOR EMPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT ALLOWANCE

A CHANGE IN THE ESA RATE PAYABLE

From 26th May your ESA will be £99.85 a week, this is because of:

a decision on your capability for work. You have been placed in the Support Group.

You are not getting any more ESA.

We cannot pay you as your partner is working for 24 hours a week or more. If your partner is working for 24 hours a week or more you are not entitled to ESA as your partner is treated as ebing in full time employment.

You meet or are treated as meeting, the eligibility criteria for ESA work related activity group/support group.

Your circumstances mean you will qualify for a christmas bonus payment of £10.00 (my god, I’ll be able to buy all my family and friends all the latest things!)

Your partner may be required to take part in a work focused interview once you ahve been claiming benefit for more than 26 weeks, your partner will be notified if they are required to attend.

THEN - the amounys from 26 May 11 - 1 June 11


So, I am getting money but I’m not.

They acknowledge my OH has a job now and say he is working full time so we can’t claim ESA, then they say he might need to go to a work focused interview to find a job.

Then they say I’m entitled to £x for a week.

TOTALLY contradicts itself in each paragraph - I am now NONE THE BLOODY EFFING WISER.

This stress is doing me loads of good - Cheers for that.
And my OH is only earning £15k too, so to me that’s a low income when you have a mortgage and bills to pay, He’s not even getting £1k in his pocket every month!!! And if this is the case we cannot even feed ourselves. Great.

Hi El Katrano - I am no expert but reading what they have sent you it would appear that they have sent you every option available on a multiple choice computerised letter format (if you know what I mean). In other words someone has made a mistake. Could be wrong but it just makes no sense otherwise! Good luck.
PS my ESA was stopped because I only scored 0/15 at medical.
Marilx

I’ve been sat crying with sheer frustration,anger,upset and everything. If this is someones mistake they have potentially ruined my weekend because of it - why do they not read what it says before it gets sent out, it’s insane. Especially when dealing with vulnerable people, in any other organisation they’d be hauled through the wringer!!!

You were saying that they have given you 0 on a medical - you shouldn’t BE getting medicals if you have cancer, I won on that!!
Apparently, or maybe I haven’t and they’ve effed that up as well.
Those medicals are a JOKE and do not cover conditions like cancer.
Every sympathy.

I am going to try and enjoy this sunshine and have a much needed glass or 2 of wine today and try put it to the back of my mind until I need to deal with on Monday.

I have found the benefits system to be absolutely shocking and no wonder they are wasting money left, right and centre.

If I’m not entitled to anything, I think I may rally some troops up and go and occupy the local Jobcentre and tell them we’re not moving until they can find us a job that will accept someone with cancer going through treatment with no idea of how they will be but fairly sure it’s not a walk in the park, and invite some tv crews.
Ps. My mother was an activist, looks like it’s getting to be genetic.

why do these letters drop on the door mat at the weekend when you cant do anything about them until Monday. Thoughtless beaurocrats. I hope all works out for you.

The reason nobody read it before it went out was because it wasn’t generated by a person, so there’s nobody who would take responsibility for it.

:smiley: Then when I call them they’ll say “Oh, we don’t know, we’re just the advice line”. Well, earlier I thought stuff it, have a few drinks, enjoy the sunshine and don’t think about it & guess what, I did, so stuff them :wink: xx

Attagirl!!!

Hi El Katrano,

Sorry about your wasted weekend due to your recent letter received regarding your ESA Benefit.

In my experience the Benefit’s Agency are a bunch of unsympathetic, useless So & So’s!!

I have worked since I was 15yrs old (Now 44), until March last year when I was diagnosed with BC (Paid a lot of taxes). I found the whole Benefit’s system very daunting & was made to feel like a scrounger. Having had a very good salary I was suddenly left with £65pw to live on (impossible)& was penalised because I had always worked. WHERE’S THE JUSTICE IN THAT…THE SYSTEM SUCKS!!!

I also suffer from Bi-Polar Disorder and am awaiting DIEP Recon, which according to hospital guidelines, should be carried out within 12wks.

I was horrified to be sent for a Medical a few weeks ago. I know people who have never worked a day in their lives and have been told they don’t need to attend Medical’s!

Try not to let it get you down (easier said than done). I know how frustrating and stressful these things can be but try to keep busy and it will take your mind off things!

I hope you get it sorted out soon, maybe you can let us know how you get on.

Mo x

Hi El Katrano,

Did you claim Income based ESA or Contribution based.?
If you claimed Income based then they do take your OH’s income into account and that could give you nil entitlement. If you have worked it may be better to claim the contribution based ESA instead. This will at least just give you money for yourself.
It may be worth speaking to the Housing benefits/council tax bods to see if you would qualify for any help there.

Is there any local places to you that offer support, like the Macmillan nurses, law centre’s CAB??

I hope this all gets sorted soon for you.

If you need to vent or chat just send me a message.

Take care of you

Jo aka Gremlin xoxo

PS I don’t work for the benefits agency I just know some things!

Hi Mo. I am also diagnosed with BiPolar though lucky enough to have had only a few acute episodes and therefore saved too many dealings with the benefits agency as I work. Like others, when I have had to deal with the Benefits Agency it has been like banging my head against a brick wall, but many local authorities have a benefits advice line, and the Citizens Advice Bureau are excellent if you are having difficulties.

Hi Just wanted to add a comment about esa. I work for the benefits agency not on esa though and i was told i would qualify guess what… i don’t ha ha what a joke. You are right we deal with people everyday who have never worked and they claim for cookers, fridges etc because they have run out of money and don’t have to attend medicals but get cancer oh no that doesn’t qualify you for help. I got turned down for blue badge and dla but at least i had a laugh on the days i recd those letters. My son left college for a few months and i lost my child tax credit now he wants to return and is 18 and will have to pay £1250 for his course and guess what … yes thats right i’m not entitiled to it. I’m sick of being turned down and i am going back to work but may have to go back sooner than anticipated. Its’ bad enough being diagnosed and going through treatment but then to be turned down every time you ask for help is a joke. I wrote to my local MP and shoud said there were “policies and guidelines” ok …

It sounds like we’ve all been having fun then with benefits/finances. REALLY wish I’d had BUPA cover and an insurance policy covering cancer - oh well.

Thanks for everyones comments,it’s a big help, looks like the bloody battle will go on, easier to claim JSA !!!

I’ve had a fab weekend and only just remembered all the cancer stuff. What glorious weather we’ve had, been sat out (sensibly with factor 20 on, have to be careful now - wouldn’t want to get cancer would I :wink: - on our decking, with my 11yr old stepdaughter, reading magazines, eating ice cream and talking about boys(I also may have had a glass or 2 of vino over the weekend and some Magners) - she has come to the conclusion that boys are idiots and silly and she wants nothing do with them - my OH is ecstatic about this :smiley:

I’ve got a little bit of a tan, thinking when I go for my first chemo that I’m going to look bloody healthy!

Hope you’ve all had a good one! xxx

CONCLUSION!!

Spoke with ESA today about the letter. It was a mistake, I complained to say that it is totally confusing and she agreed and that I told them it had me in tears and caused me quite a lot of unnecessary stress when I’m feeling vulnerable.

HOWEVER - good news. I am not entitled to income based ESA but am entitled to contribution based ESA and this doesn’t have a time limit in one claim, so I’ll be reassesed for capability to work in October. As from 26th May i’ll be on the higher amount of £99.85 a week. I don’t have to attend any medicals and I don’t have to get further sick notes from my doctor.

I said are they sure about medicals as I’ve heard of people in far worse situations with secondaries that have had to go and she said no medicals.

I’m thinking that when I filled in my form for medical assessment at each opportunity I pointed out that cancer is a progressive disease and adjuvant treatment is unpredictbale but here are the potential side effects. I also pointed them to the Macmillan website to look at the fact that cancer patients should not have to attend medicals for ESA.

Feel v relieved now.

So pleased for you - glad that you were able to speak to someone who was able to sort it out and let you know what is really happening! Just a pity that they are incompetent enough to send out such worrying rubbish in the first place (and yes I know it is system generated, but someone is responsible for setting the system requirements and parameters in the first place).
xx

Yes it was a relief and system generated letters should be quality checked before they go out when dealing with people will illness in particular.

Found out though today that we have to reapply for council tax benefit because the benefits agency haven’t informed them yet. Grrrrr more forms !!! I so wish I’d had insurance for illness, if we’d had a lump sum avaiable then the immdeiacy wouldn’t be so acute! But when we’re financially struggling and then benefits keep getting things wrong or you have yet more thing to fill out that take forever to sort out from their side, it’s really stressful.

Glad you managed to get it all sorted out although you shouldn’t have to go through that in he first place!

Was trying to find the section on the MacMillan Cancer website about people with Cancer not needing Medical’s. Can’t find it anywhere, do you know which section it’s under?

I know what you mean about finances being a nightmare, just something else to woory about at an already stressful time!!

Hope you’re feeling bit better.
Mo x

hi Mobil - PM me your email address and I’ll send you a PDF because I can’t find exactly where I found it, It was quite a while ago.
Anyone else who wants it mail me :slight_smile:

I highlighted this part:

Certain groups of people automatically qualify
for ESA (are found to have limited capacity for
work) without having to satisfy the work capability
assessment. This includes:
• the terminally ill5,
• anyone receiving non-oral (intravenous,
intraperitoneal or inthrathecal) chemotherapy6
or recovering from that treatment,
• an inpatient in hospital or recovering from
treatment as an inpatient,
• anyone receiving radiotherapy or recovering
from that treatment7
• and those who put at risk their or anyone
else’s mental or physical health by working8.

In the workrelated
activity group claimants are required to
attend work-focused interviews and take part in
the government’s Pathways to Work programme.
Those claimants who have been found to have
limited capability for work-related activity are
assigned into the support group. In this group
claimants are not required to attend work-focused
interviews or undertake work-related activity.
Anyone who is terminally ill (and who could be
‘reasonably expected’ to die within the next six
months) should be automatically fast tracked
into the support group without having to wait out
an assessment period of 13 weeks. In addition
other criteria mean that those claiming ESA
automatically qualify for the support group
without having to undergo a work capability
assessment; eg anyone receiving intravenous,
intraperitoneal or inthrathecal chemotherapy or
recovering from that treatment.
5 This means the claimant is suffering from a progressive disease and death in consequence of that disease can reasonably be expected
within six months
6 This does not include those receiving oral chemotherapy.
7 The claimant must be undergoing at least two days of treatment per week, recovering from that treatment for at least two days of treatment
per week or undergoing one day of treatment and one day of recovery per week. The two days need not be consecutive.
8 This

Thanks El Katrano,

The only thing is I (thankfully) didn’t need any treatment other than Tamoxifen so not sure if this really applies to me or not!

Hi. thank goodness I had read this thread a few days ago. I rang jobcentre plus on Mon to claim ESA contribution based - 40 mins phone call. They wanted the exact dates of my 3 surgeries last year so popped into docs and a very patient receptionist trailed through my notes to look for them.Yesterday rang Job centre plus with the updated info to be told " oh we don’t need that info any more but it hasn’t filtered down to the people taking the details"!! BUT - they had already (Tues) paid some into my account and today -Wed have like El Katrano received two letters. First one i opened said I wasn’t entitled to anything as not paid enough N.I. The second one laid out how much I will be paid and how often. So another phone call to ask which letter is true. Yes I am getting the £67 a week and “So sorry about the letter - its automatically sent by management”!!! Couldn’t rant too much as i can’t believe it was sorted in 3 days! But just really glad I was aware of this thread. Many thanks for posting! x
P.S Mobil -I had mastectomy and on tamoxifen but no rads or chemo. SSP had run out but GP not letting me back to work yet.So do try to get it. x