Hi All I initially claimed ESA contribution and income based in October 2014....went for my medical for this in February 2015 and was told I was being awarded ESA and placed in WRAG Group in April 2015...Letter states that I was entitled to both contribution and income based due to lack of savings but as I have always worked I was being given contribution based...fair enough.... I recently applied for a budgeting loan and was point blank refused as they say I am not receiving ESA income based....I was under the impression that ESA contribution based only lasted for 365 days and that from October 2015 (one year from initial claim) I had been switched to income based as I continued to receive ESA though no letters were sent notifying me of any change over.... I called into the Job Centre to ask them what benefit I am actually on and they have told me that I am still on ESA Contribution based with an Income based element (though this element could be as little as 10p per week)...I asked how is this possible as I have now been on ESA for 19 months and I thought contribution based only lasted for a year? All she said was that this is the way the system is set up...I asked how long my contribution based would last for and she said it could be indefinitely!!!! I have tried googleing this for hours but the only thing I see that could cause ESA contribution based to be paid indefinitely is being placed into the Support Group which I definitely wasn't.... Could someone explain this to me? It just seems that I am being penalised for always having worked ... Thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope its not too long winded lol Alison

Hi Catchacod, what other benefits would I be entitled to?

Thank you Honeybee and Antone for taking the time to reply... Antone ..yes I applied for both originally, just incase I wasnt eligible for either... Was just worried in case it came to next week and ESA was just stopped without any warning.. I thought I might have to apply all over again, ie fit notes (which I haven't had to send in from August), assessment phase, doctors visit etc... First time I have ever had to claim a benefit and none of the Government sites seem to give straight answers lol Thanks Trinity

Hi all Thanks for taking the time to read this.. I have been on ESA Contribution based since 13th October last year...seen their Doctor in January of this year and was placed in WRAG in March of this year.... At the time of applying for ESA I received a reply stating that I was entitled to both Contribution based and Income based but as I have always worked I was entitled to the Contribution based... I know you can only receive this for a year and my question is will I automatically transfer over to income based or should I ring them on Monday? I hate the thoughts of ringing them as I always feel like a beggar when I am having to deal with them and really only want to ring if I really really have to lol (honest to god, I go from a 46 year old fully competent person to a nervous wreck when I have to deal with them) As my contribution based is due to run out next week, if there is something to be reapplied for should they have not sent me a something in the post before this? I have tried googling this but cant seem to find the answer anywhere... I live in Northern Ireland just incase that makes a difference.. Thanks for reading this far.. Cheers Trinity....