Still waiting for ESA assessment — Scope | Disability forum
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Still waiting for ESA assessment

emacov
emacov Community member Posts: 2 Listener
I don't know if you can help me?
I was receiving carers allowance and income support until August when Dad went into care. In October I was given £73 a week which is half of what I previously received and I am very close to losing the house
I did go to Cab 2 months ago and they advised me to write a letter of complaint as they are supposed to move me to a group after 3 months?
But I still have heard nothing. I have also applied for PIP and had an assessment about 2 months ago but not heard about that either
What can I do? Really don't want to be on the streets as with ny illness I don't think I will cope with that

Comments

  • wildlife
    wildlife Community member Posts: 1,293 Pioneering
    @emacov Rather than just waiting to hear I would ring DWP you'll find the number on any of their letters and find out why you're having to wait so long. If it's the assessments you're waiting for ring the assessment company ATOS/CAPITA according to where you live and again find out why you've not heard anything. You can't afford to just sit back and wait for them to contact you. Having just been through the PIP process I know from experience that you need to be proactive to end up with the money you need to live on. You don't say what your illness is but if the roof over your head is dependant on success with getting both these benefits in place and you can't ring yourself do you have any family or a friend you can trust to help you do this ?   
  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
    @emacov ,

    Unfortunately it's very unusual for people to get their ESA assessments within 3 months, but you have definitely been waiting for too long and I agree with wildlife that it's time to hassle them. You can also consider complaining to the DWP and/or the relevant assessment company. Also as wildlife suggests, it's fine to get someone else to do this for you (but helps if they do it when you are around so that the agency they are ringing can confirm you've given them permission).

    As for PIP, if you have had your assessment then that delay is quite unusual and I'd have expected you to get a decision within at least 6 weeks. So again, I would ring up and/or complain. 

    Here's a link to the DWP complaints procedure.

    For ESA, it's Maximus who do the assessments, operating as the Health Assessment Advisory Service/Centre for Health and Disability Assessments. You can contact them here

    You say you are close to losing the house - if it is rented, have you claimed Housing Benefit from your local authority? If it is a mortgaged house, then you  get some help with the mortgage interest. There's a 9 month waiting period before the help can be included but it sounds as if you already had some of that when you were on Income Support. I'm not sure from what you say whether there was a gap inbetween when you weren't on benefit? Even if there was a gap, if it was less than 12 weeks the time should still count towards the waiting period.

    Or it may be that you are already getting this help (it goes straight to the mortgage lender) but it's not enough to make your payments.

    If you haven't already asked the CAB about this, I'd suggest getting them to look into it in case you are missing out on any help with your housing costs.

    Will
    The Benefits Training Co:

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