Moving to Different Area

[bogwoppit99]

Hi All

I am currently in receipt of ESA at the assessment rate having appealled the decision regarding my medical for the 2nd time, the first appeall took a year to be heard.

At present my payment centre is Bolton but i am in a very difficult situation my Mother has cancer of the pancreas and the prognosis is very poor and she is not exspected to go beyond 5 to 8 months. She lives in Weymouth which is on the South Coast some 300 miles away and obviously i wish to be closer and help both my mother and father through a very difficult time (My Father is also in poor health)

My question is that having been through one appeal and now awaitng another having been on ESA since August 2009 signed off as unfit for work if i move to the South will i have to repeat the whole process again or can everything which currently exists for my current ESA/Appeal be transferred to the relevant payment office.

Any advice would be most appreciated.

Many Thanks

Steve R.

[ErikaPNP]

You should be able to have both the appeal and your current claim transferred to the offices which deal with your new area. You will need to inform DWP and the Tribunals Service that you are changing address, for them to both transfer your cases and send you relevant correspondance to the correct address.

 

Once you have an address to move to, if you will be claiming Housing benefit in respect of that address, you can submit a claim to the new area up to 13 weeks in advance - but they won't actually pay any benefit until you have moved. Handy to know as they can have the claim up and running in time for moving.

 

You may also be able to claim a budgeting loan for moving costs if your income related ESA has been in payment for 26 weeks or more.

[bogwoppit99]

Many Thanks for your very prompt and most helpfull reply it has put my mind at ease, Thanks