ESA 50 FORM LATE RETURN

Hi bro58,
Thank you for your patience, I've never claimed any benefits before so it's all new and confusing to me.
I wasn't sure of the exact amount of benefit I've been receiving because I've had different amounts, each fortnight eg: £125.32, £146.20, £146.20. £10.45 (because of a change?) £135.76, £146.20.the payment is EESA.

When I first applied for ESA I applied by phone and this was followed up by the DWP sending me a letter to let me know I was able to claim ESA.
Then because they said I hadn't returned the ESA50 form in time they said I wasn't entitled to ESA anymore and the payment stopped,
I sent them a letter with my proof of posting and that I had returned the form in time, the DWP sent me a letter about a week later to say I was entitled to ESA. and the benefit resumed.

I was asked to a work-focused interview at the jobcentre and i attended.
I think this is what's confusing me.
Does that mean I'm in the work-based group? or are they still deciding what group to put me in?
If they haven't seen my esa50 form and I've not had a face to face assessment how do they decide what group to put me in?
I first applied for ESA on 8th May so am I still in the assessment phase?
with thanks,
Moggy

MOGGY wrote: Hi bro58,
Thank you for your patience, I've never claimed any benefits before so it's all new and confusing to me.
I wasn't sure of the exact amount of benefit I've been receiving because I've had different amounts, each fortnight eg: £125.32, £146.20, £146.20. £10.45 (because of a change?) £135.76, £146.20.the payment is EESA.

When I first applied for ESA I applied by phone and this was followed up by the DWP sending me a letter to let me know I was able to claim ESA.
Then because they said I hadn't returned the ESA50 form in time they said I wasn't entitled to ESA anymore and the payment stopped,
I sent them a letter with my proof of posting and that I had returned the form in time, the DWP sent me a letter about a week later to say I was entitled to ESA. and the benefit resumed.

I was asked to a work-focused interview at the jobcentre and i attended.
I think this is what's confusing me.
Does that mean I'm in the work-based group? or are they still deciding what group to put me in?
If they haven't seen my esa50 form and I've not had a face to face assessment how do they decide what group to put me in?
I first applied for ESA on 8th May so am I still in the assessment phase?
with thanks,
Moggy

Hi M,

No worries !

It is just that if you don't know what benefit you are receiving, how much and why, it is very hard for us to help you.

Besides, it is totally wrong that you are in that situation.

The fact that your payment reference is EESA tells us that you are being paid ESA rather than JSA.

This means that they have not classed you as fit for work due to you not returning your ESA50.

However, none of the fortnightly amounts that you are quoting relate to you having been placed into The WRAG or The Support Group (SG) on the paper evidence alone without needing to have a face to face assessment.

The 3 amounts of £146.20 that you are quoting relate to the fortnightly amount of ESA Personal Allowance that you would receive in The Assessment Phase before you had been assessed to see which "group" you should be in.

i.e. ESA Personal Allowance for a singe over 25 year old = £73.10/Week (£146.20/Fortnight)

See : Benefit Rates 2015/16

JSA for a single is also £73.10/Week, however the fact that the payee reference is EESA rather than JSA indicates that the payments are ESA.

Regarding, the WFI that you were required to attend, sometimes they ask you to one interview whilst you are still in The Assessment Phase.

Still only guesswork to some extent, but it looks very much like you are currently not classed as fit for work due to non return of your ESA50 and are still being paid ESA at The Assessment Rate.

You still need to contact ESA to clarify this, and you need to find out where your ESA50 is ?

Do Maximus have it ?

If so , when are they going to assess you ?

If not, are they going to issue you with a new ESA50 ?

Please keep us updated.

bro58

Hi M,

By the way, if you add the £10.45 to the £135.76 that you quote, that adds up to £146.21, which is more or less a fortnight of £73.10/Week (£146.20) bar a penny.

So maybe the £10.45 was an adjustment to ensure that you received the full amount.

If the the £125.32 was your first ESA payment, that may have been due to the date of your initial claim. (i.e. not a full fortnight) ESA is always paid a fortnight in arrears.

bro58

Hi M,

For future reference, if you were placed into The WRAG, you would receive :

ESA Personal Allowance for a singe over 25 year old = £73.10/Week + WRA Component Addition = £29.05/Week = £102.15/Week. (£204.30/Fortnight)

If you were placed into The SG you would receive :

ESA Personal Allowance for a singe over 25 year old = £73.10/Week + SG Component Addition = £36.20/Week = £109.30/Week. (£218.60/Fortnight)

Being placed into The SG may also entitle you to The Enhanced Disability Premium. (EDP) if you are entitled to IR ESA. (currently £15.75/Week) which would be paid on top of the £109. 30/Week.

See : ESA Premiums

If you are eventually placed into The WRAG or The SG, the extra WRA or SG Component Addition would be backdated to the start of week 14 of your claim.

bro58