ESA50 form

I've just been sent an ESA50 form relating to an income support claim that lapsed.
I thought I was exempt because I get higher rate DLA.
Have the rules changed from what used to apply to the old IB50?

TwoJaguar wrote: I've just been sent an ESA50 form relating to an income support claim that lapsed.
I thought I was exempt because I get higher rate DLA.
Have the rules changed from what used to apply to the old IB50?

Hi TJ,

Welcome to Benefits and Work

It looks like we starting from scratch then.

All recipients of Incapacity Benefit, (IB) Income Support (IS) (On grounds of incapacity for work) or Severe Disability Allowance (SDA) are being transferred over to ESA. (Without exception) This has been going on since March 2011, and it should have been completed by Spring 2014.

However, as The DWP/ATOS have huge backlogs, they have not yet completed the national transfer of all claimants over to ESA.

Some of the recipients above may have been PCA Exempt due to being in receipt of Care Component DLA, or for other reasons.

There are no such exemptions with ESA, and all of the above will have to be assessed under The ESA Work Capability Assessment. (WCA)

Have a read through this document :

"Being transferred from incapacity benefit to employment and support allowance. A 22 page guide to the transfer process."

At the top of this page :

ESA Claims Guides

As you will see you should first receive a letter, then a phone call, (which you don't have to take) then the ESA50 Questionnaire.

As it seems that you have received the ESA50 Questionnaire, you must fill it in and return it to ATOS by the deadline given.

You may wish to consider :

Using The PDF Version Of The ESA50 Questionnaire

Whilst referring to the ESA Claims Guides 3rd and 4th links down on the same page as above :

ESA Claims Guides

See also :

How long do I have to complete the ESA50?

ESA50 too big for the envelope

&

Sending Documents to the DWP or ATOS

It may also help, if you read through our :

IB, IS, SDA, Migration to ESA FAQ’s

And our :

ESA FAQ’s

It may seem a lot to take in, so you might wish to Favourite/Bookmark this page, so that you can revisit it easily.

You can then pose any further queries, as and when they crop up by replying to this topic.

bro58