Compliance interview - in ESA Support Group

I am a 60yr old woman in the ESA support group on contributions-based benefit. I transferred from IB in 2011. I used to have Permanent Health Insurance, which terminated on my 60th birthday because I was already a claimant when my retirement age changed.

I was aware of this, and that I had a 5 (then 6) year gap to cover before my pension started. While I had my PHI, I saved and squirreled away every spare penny so I could support myself on ESA alone in that period. As a result, I have savings over £16,000. I am not, and have never, claimed any means-tested benefit and never will because of my savings.

In that context, I received a "Reviewing Your Benefits and Circumstances" letter from the DWP complaince dept (FESL2Tv2). I have to bring proof of who I am, which I fear will be difficult as the letter has my name mis-spelled. And I have to disclose my entire financial situation to them, even though I am not asking for means-tested benefits. I am also sick with anxiety and fear as well as furiously resentful as a private person who has always followed all the rules. I wonder if someone has accused me of swindling, though I'm too private to have told any except close family that I even am on ESA. I just can't sleep.

The obvious thing seemed to me to phone them up and ask about it. All you ever get is an answer machine that asks you to leave your name and number (and wisely doesn't say you'll get a call back). I've left 3 messages so far, no response. I'm still in the dark and really worried and feeling helpless and tearful.

I have to go to the interview (which I can manage with planning) as the letter tells me 3 times my benefit will be stopped otherwise.

I guess I just want some advice, or something. I'm considering taking enough statements simply to prove I have over £16k, rather than gathering all sorts of paperwork (I try and maximise returns on my little stash, so I move bits of money all over the place, being a fairly devote follower of Martin Lewis so it's a lot of paperwork). I am not a taxpayer as most of my money is in ISAs and my total income is well below the tax bracket. It can't be anything to do with HRMC, therefore. I'm very law-abiding and keep careful check on this stuff.

I'm sorry, I'm rambling now. I'm just so upset and stressed, and the letter is so aggressive in tone.

Yes they were - though that was right back in 1991. Nothing changed (except that they stopped on my 60th birthday, I guess) so I don't remember it ever coming up since. It never occurred to me to tell them it had stopped, since I knew I wasn't entitled to any means-tested benefits.

And browsing round the site, I also didn't realise I should have told them that I now have a small occupation pension (£37 a week) which started on my 60th birthday. Though I gather since it's less than £80 a week, that also won't affect my ESA.

I'm starting to feel like a bit of an idiot. I have been lucky enough not to need extra help beyond the basic invalidity/incapacity benefit/ESA support group money and I've been checked relatively infrequently (I was aware that I've been blessed in that latter sense). So I've just sailed on regardless, unconcerned. The only change in my condition is slow deterioration as I get older and (at this point) i still get lower rate DLA as I haven't been converted yet and had a Lifetime award. I thought I was doing everything right but now I'm wondering.

It's not like I haven't checked at times - I'm certain that my I checked my PHI status didn't impact when I was switched to ESA. I read your stuff and newsletter, but that's because I politically can't stomach how sick & disabled people are being treated - and been ever conscious that by the greatest good fortune, I've not needed anything means-tested and so I'm a lucky one. Also I've never been asked about income in any way until late last year when they wrote to me (after that court case about people switching from IB to ESA) asking me to fill out a financial form. However, because I had savings of more than £16k, I simply had to tick a box and send it back and was not required to complete the form. Which simply reinforced the impression that my income was not relevant for contribution-based ESA in the support group.

Am I an idiot? Feeling even more anxious now (and stupid too)!#

Oh, since my last post I'd rung about 5 times, obediently leaving my name and phone number. Then unexpectedly I got a call from "Penny" who was vague but said "it wasn't anything to worry about" and that I need only bring proof of identity, not that financial stuff.

Then Thursday afternoon I got another call from a chap (whose name I should have recorded, but didn't) who said my appointment yesterday morning was cancelled because the person was off sick. Then he changed it to "postponed" and I would hear at some unguessable time in the future. He also said "not to worry about it" and something vague about it being a look at my circumstances.

So now I'm just in the wind with no idea of what happens next, and when. And panicking ever so slightly because if they deny the appointment was cancelled they'll sanction my ESA. I can't believe I didn't focus on his name. Everything I've ever read about DWP leaves my trust at zero.