Thank you for this reply.

They sent a letter yesterday saying I have an interview and I have to attend, but I don't want to go. If I ring the Jobcentre and say I don't feel comfortable going, will they accept that?

No worries, just reply when you can.

 

If you don't attend the interviews, you'll lose the extra £20 or so. Well, at first you'd lose half of it, then after 4 weeks you'd lose it all. It would be reinstated if you started attending. If you don't want to go and don't mind the sanction, then you could call them to let them know (out of courtesy, I guess) or simply don't show up. Bear in mind that it's not like JSA - they can't force you to do anything like training or work or whatever.

 

As to your question about whether it's per year or total, I'm actually not 100% sure - I did process ESA, but wasn't much involved in that aspect of things. I'll try to find out for you.

Thanks a lot mate. I'm not that bothered about losing the 20 quid, would rather keep it but not for going to interviews.

Only the extra money will be stopped. ESA interviews of this type (Work Focused Interviews, or WFIs) are annoying but: you can only be asked to attend six of them, no more frequently than once per month, and they can't force you to apply for jobs or training. The only way you can be sanctioned (lose money) is if you don't show up. Well, you also have to "participate", but that provision is there to make sure you don't just turn up at the office and sit there in sullen silence.

Apologies for not replying, I did not receive an email notification.

Does that mean 6 interviews total or 6 every year? And if I don't want to go, do I just let them know I don't want to go and they only stop my 20 quid?

Thanks for the reply.

Just going to donate now.

Does anyone know what happens if I don't attend work related interviews?

Will they completely stop my ESA or just the extra 20-odd quid? Attending interviews makes me feel anxious just hinking about it to be honest.

i've just received my cheque in the post with a letter too. i think it's all sorted now.

i'll get it cashed asap then donate.

thanks everyone.

The only other thing that occurs to me is that if you were getting contribution- based ESA it would run-out after 12 months.

 

Then you need to claim income-based ESA after that.

 

I am sketchy on the details of this though.

 

- dj

I first made my ESA claim in around October last year, so I'm not sure if it's because of that.

I just got off the phone to the Jobcentre and they said when someone wins their appeal, the tribunal are supposed to send a letter to them as well as the appellant and they didn't get a letter. She said the tribunal will ring me before quarter to four today to discuss my benefits or something.

She said the reason they didn't have a current claim is because they stopped my claim in April because I failed the assessment and they haven't been notified that I won my appeal, thus it was still stopped.

Hope it's all sorted soon.

Yes, you need to keep ringing and writing until they pay up and explain themselves to you.

 

You should have all your back-pay within 2 or 3 weeks of winning the appeal.

 

- dj

Thank you for your help.

I'm guessing no-one knows the answer to this because it must be another incredibly stupid and damaging mistake by the DWP.

 

They have lost your claim somehow.

 

I would be angry too.

 

- dj

Thank you mate. I've definitely not done anything wrong though have I, as in, I'm not the one at fault here? If I phone them and explain I should still get my ESA?

Sorry to keep bumping the thread but the basic gist is although I won my appeal, the Jobcentre/Benefit Centre are saying they do not have a current claim for ESA from me and they sent me the doctor's notes back in the post. I wasn't told at any point that I needed to make a new claim. I was told that if I got doctor's notes I will be paid up until the date of my appeal, I have been unfit for work throughout the whole duration of this and have proof. Why then would they refuse to give me my ESA after I WON my appeal. If I lost, then that's understandable, but I won?

I will ring them in the morning and explain this to them. Also they stamped my doctor's notes, does this mean that I will have to get new ones if I eventually do have to make a new claim? Them saying they don't have a claim for ESA from me has made me so angry.

Is anyone available to help?

Hello, I just have received a letter saying 'we do not appear to have a current claim for ESA from you' and to make a new one.

What happens to all the ESA since April? Does this mean I'll have to make a new claim and miss out on all the ESA from April to now?

Thank you guys, do you have the address of the Benefit Centre?

And will I need to write a letter with it or anything at all does it only have to be the two doctor's notes?

So does this mean if I send my certificates to the Benefit Centre they will take care of the ESA? And the money will end up in my bank account?

I am very thankful to everyone who has helped me on this forum, I mean that from the bottom of my heart, I am just words on a screen to everyone here but without your knowledge and help I would not have even appealed because when they sent me the letter that they were stopping my ESA it was just before my birthday and I had already accepted defeat, it felt horrible and I accepted that I was going to struggle for a long time. My dream is to go to university and become a nutritionist and I am a long way off from that but this has lifted such a big weight off my shoulders especially at this time of year, I can buy things I need and I will be able to repay my parents who are poor but have helped me all the way through this.. I am so very thankful for your advice, I really am.

Don't post the certificates to the jobcentre - send them to the Benefit Centre. The address will be on letters from them about your ESA. .

So does this mean if I send my certificates to the Benefit Centre they will take care of the ESA? And the money will end up in my bank account?

I am very thankful to everyone who has helped me on this forum, I am just words on a screen to everyone here but without your knowledge and help I would not have even appealed. I am so very thankful for your advice.

Hello everyone, I have been in hospital recently for minor surgery and not on the computer much, but the appeal was supposed to be decided in the New Year, I received a letter in the post a couple of weeks ago saying the following:

'The appellant is entitled to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) with the word related activity component.''

It then noted two of the regulations and said I got a total of 15 points, the tribunal decided on the basis of documentary evidence as I requested the decision to be made in my absence. I have just returned from my doctor and he gave me notes from April to currently, and a 3 months one to expire in February. I'm guessing the next step would be to post them with a letter to the Jobcentre? From looking at the letter it says I'm entitled to ESA but I feel like something is going to go wrong or I'm reading it wrong because they stopped my benefit before.

I would also like to make a donation to the forum as a thank you for your help if and when I receive my ESA if that is possible?

Thanks mate, I'll put nothing there then.

Thank you.

I have a quick question, I have to fill in the form and send it back but it asks if I have any representatives (off the top of my head, the form isn't with me right now), so should I put my doctor on there? I'm not entirely sure he will 'support' me because if he refuses the notes he might refuse this? And also I was receiving therapy at home and I'm pretty sure they would confirm I have anxiety so should I put their details on the form? I'm not receiving therapy from them any more.

hi hun, i too suffer from anxiety and depression and have just my appeal on those points (check my thread for details) and it is worth sticking with it! i understand how stressful it is, but it does help if you get representation. have you been to wefare rights or cab? good luck!

Thank you I will check your thread in a sec.

I have got a letter from HM Courts & Tribunals Service, it says:

I am writing about your appeal, which has been forwarded to us, the HM Courts & Tribunals Service. It is our job to make the arrangements for your appeal to be heard by an independent Tribunal.

 

Your appeal is with the HM Courts & Tribunals Service office shown at the top of this leter. Please contact this office if you have any queries regarding your appeal.

 

We enclose:

 

An enquiry form

An information leaflet about appeals

Information about when you can expect your appeal to be heard

A prepaid envelope

So I now have to fill in the form and return it. Am I still in the position where if I can get my doctor's letters they will pay me my ESA until the appeal?

1st off could you please clarify what's gone on and what's happened.

 

Did you actually appeal or did you just ask for a reconsideration?

 

Have they not accepted the late appeal?

 

Have they accepted the late appeal but not changed the original decision?

 

Sorry I'm a bit confused on where you're at so...

 

I got awarded ESA thanks to a reconsideration just before it got to tribunal (took 6 months but hey).

 

I was told by the welfare rights bloke who did mine "new places" was out because I'd made it to the welfare rights office He then used the fact I was off my nut there and that it took me 4 weeks before I could get there to score me points across 3 other questions

This.

I sent a letter instead of a form (which I couldn't print) and they said:

'About your appeal

I enclose a copy of the appeal papaers with this letter. These papers give the reasons for our decision.

We have sent a copy of the same information and your appeal letter to the Tribunals Service. They will get in touch with you to explain what happens next with your appeal.

If you want more information get in touch with us'.

Currently I am receiving nothing, no ESA at all. I sent a doctors note just as the decision to stop my ESA was made in April, it was a 3-month letter and I didn't get any ESA for that period. Since April I've had no money.

Since they made the decision not to overturn the original decision I haven't contacted them, do I just wait? And after 6 months to 1 year they look at the decision themselves? I'm confused.

Thanks for your help.

So what is the next step? A re-appeal and to get doctor's notes?

I got a letter in the post today, the decision has not been changed, the letter included photocopies of my form and letter that I sent to appeal, the bit about the decision said:

Mug of Coffe has appealed against the decision dated 18.4.11. I have looked again to reconsider the decision under appeal, and cannot see any reason to change the original decision given.

 

Mug of Coffee has not provided any additional evidence to enable me to change the decision, and I can find no error in law in the original decision given.

Firstly, there is a box on the assessment thing that says 'Normal activities, for example, visiting new places or engaging in social contact, are precluded because of overwhelming fear or anxiety', this applies to me and is worth 15 points yet I only scored 12 on my original assessment?

And also, what extra evidence was I supposed to provide in my appeal? I wasn't asked to provide anything. I literally never leave my house and yet they are saying the decision is correct, I don't get it?

Thread update!

I received a phone call today from a woman from the Jobcentre, she just asked for some basic details for the appeal and said if I can get a doctor's note for 15th March until currently there's a chance I'll get ESA for then until now. I got a doctor's note previously just before they decided to cancel my ESA in April, it was a brand new 3 month note and I received no ESA for this, will I have to get another one for the same time period even though I already gave them one for this time period?

And also, is there a chance my doctor could say he won't give me a note for any time previous to the day I go to him because he can't say for definite whether I needed one? I'm worried he might do, if so is there anything I can say?

Thank you for all your replies and help so far, hopefully I will get the ESA I'm entitled to and also win the appeal.

This will be a long post, but I will try to present it as coherently and easy to read as possible.

- On the 18th of March this year, I ordered three CD's in two separate transactions from this site: ukrecordshop dot com (it won't let me post the link). - They are a well-known legitimate music retailer. Two of the three CD's were delivered, a little late but they did turn up, one however did not, and on the invoice I received with the delivery, they had put a cross next to the name of the CD, i.e. order not picked.

- I phoned them up and they said this CD was being re-pressed as they had a load of damaged ones and needed to replace them. They said 1-2 weeks for my Cd to be delivered. This went back and forth (me phoning, them saying next week) until the 15th of April, when I asked for a refund instead, which they accepted.

- Since I asked for the refund on the 15th of April, I have had to phone them twice to chase it up, they said they needed to contact their bank to process it and I got an email on the 9th of June saying:

We have contacted our bank and they have processed your refund as you have requested and it will take 7-10 working days to appear on your statement. If you have any queries you can contact us on 0844 8110 455.

They have a history of fraudulent trading, CD's not turning up, CD's being damaged, so on and so forth. They have stolen my money and I am very angry. It has cost me a lot of money in phone bills to chase it up and they don't reply to emails.

I have all of my invoices, proof of transaction, dates, everything. So what can I do? Although the cost of the CD wasn't ridiculous, the cost of chasing it up has been and it is the principle of it, I can not put into words how furious I am.

Can anyone help?

I was unable to get the form off the website so I'm writing a letter and will post it today. I will update the thread.