You prove the DWP wrong and still lose. — Scope | Disability forum
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You prove the DWP wrong and still lose.

Dorothy3107
Dorothy3107 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
I was in receipt of E.S.A as I suffer from sever depression acute anxiety and various other illnesses and was placed in the support group I  also received the care component at the highest rate of P.I.P. in July and September of 2015 I had a review assessment for both allowances, my first assessment was for E.S.A. on the 24th August I received a phone call from the DWP informing me that the assessment had decided I was fit for work so I had to make a new claim for Universal Credit. 
I lodged an appeal against the decision and 
I made the claim for Universal Credit and took a fit note to my first appointment which was in the october, my fit note stated the same illness as I had been receiving ESA.
My appeal ( through all stages took until May 2017 as my hearing at the tribunal didn't take place till early January 2017 the tribunal stated they upheld the DWP decision. and during the whole time from 2015 I furnished Universal Credit with the fit notes and received £317 per calendar month.
Normally after providing fit notes for 12 weeks you attend an assessment but because I had an appeal in place my assessment took place in July 2017 the assessment placed me in the Limited capability for work group from the January which would of been the 12 weeks from making my new claim.
Just to add that my PIP assessment just weeks after the one that said I was fit for work was granted for a further 3 years.
So basically I suffered over 18 months and I'm still a lot worse off as universal credit payments are so much lower than the allowance I received on EDS, as well as when the DWP and tribunal were making their decision which they decided I was not entitled to I in effect receiving the benefit they said I wasn't entitled to even though it was via a back dated payment.
So I  proved them wrong yet I'm the only one to lose out both financially and medically.

Comments

  • Benistmonk
    Benistmonk Community member Posts: 343 Pioneering
    There is no doubt about it, the DWP uses peoples lack of knowledge of the system against them. I think where it went wrong is, you claimed UC, that ended your ESA claim. 
    I am surprised they allowed your ESA appeal to run its course even though you had made a new claim for UC. Or have I got that wrong.
  • teejays1617
    teejays1617 Community member Posts: 92 Courageous
    Hi Dorothy,
                       Seems like you've been to hell and back. To be totally honest the architect of this Universal Credit  ,Iain Duncan Smith must of been HELL BENT
    on making the lives of  Disabled people a life of misery and poverty.
    The Universal Credit benefits are much much LOWER than the ESA rates
    Here is a comparison ,some Disabled people receive £390 @ FORTNIGHT
    totalling £780 @ month. Maximun equivalent benefit on Universal Credit £364 @ month. Ive argued with many people but the facts speak for themselves.
    The government says no one will be worse off under the new benefit system
    LIES LIES LIES and the government faces up to the fact they have been found out 
    and TRANSITIONAL COVER will compensate for a few people and again the government says this TRANSITIONAL COVER  will cover any losses incurred by
    going over to Universal Credit until the current benefits reach the same level as the old legacy benefits which could easily take 10 to 15 years.
    I'M AFRAID TO SAY OUR BENEFIT SYSTEM HAS BEEN SLAUGHTERED,its like
    Iain Duncan Smith wants us to struggle,beg and die in poverty.
    NO WONDER THE UNITED NATIONS says our Human Rights records is
    going downhill fast
  • Dorothy3107
    Dorothy3107 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
    Unfortunately I didn't have any other option I was told over the phone on the 24th August that my claim with ESA was over I either make a claim with universal credit or get nothing and those were the exact words and as I said I provided fit notes from my very first interview for the claim. Had I not been in a rollout catchment area for Universal Credit then when my ESA stopped they would of placed me on JSA without having to make the new claim so I suppose I lost out twice really 
  • Dorothy3107
    Dorothy3107 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
    And sorry me claiming universal credit didn't stop my ESA the DWP stopped my ESA and told me I couldn't claim JSA and had to claim universal credit 
  • teejays1617
    teejays1617 Community member Posts: 92 Courageous
    Apologies Maximum Universal Credit Rate for a single person over 25 on Limited Work RELATED Benefit  £317   A MONTH  ( YES  A  MONTH )
    Apologies I said £364 in my last blog ,it really is £317 @ month
  • Dorothy3107
    Dorothy3107 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
    edited February 2019
    that's right in so much worse off   I get £317 universal credit plus £318 for being in the Limited capability for work group 
  • April2018mom
    April2018mom Posts: 2,882 Disability Gamechanger
    That sucks 

    But I’m not surprised. After our bombshell last summer I decided that nothing can surprise me anymore. We applied for DLA back in May of 2018. Then we went on a weeklong trip to France as a family.
    On the day we returned I saw a letter from them. I was certainly disappointed given all my personal effort to send as much as possible with my claim form. I thought I had attempted to answer every single question as best as I possibly could and describe their disabilities. I outlined the impact. It was only after a mandatory reconsideration that they changed their minds. My son’s social worker was amazing. She kept me sane as I completed the application form and poured me cups of strong coffee. 
    Eventually we were awarded middle rate care and high rate mobility. Good luck. 

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