I'm new to this

Hello,
I have just joined your website and forum. I had filled a form in respect of Incapacity changing over to ESA two years ago in July 2013. I heard nothing from them until July this year (2015) and was asked to attend interview in August. I was told there were a lot of steps but also a lift. I phoned 3 days before apt to ask if lift was working. Then I was told she would cancel it because of health and safety. If there was a fire and I can't walk down a flight of stairs then I couldn't go. She told me that they would contact me again with a possibility of them coming to my home for assessment. But I have heard nothing since.

When I had my last assessment in 2004 the Dr put me in a special pool of people that wouldn't be able to work again and should not be contacted. This has been the case until the changes came in. But the new people seem to think I need a face to face assessment.

thanks, Firecracker

Hi Firecracker, this link will help you find where things are on the site.

Welcome to Benefits and Work

The switch from IB to ESA has been anything but smooth for many people, it seems that you are one of them

IB/IS/SDA transfer FAQs

The whole thrust of the new benefit is that claimants will be subjected to assessments and reassessments, anything that was agreed previously has been superseded by this. Not everyone will have a face 2 face assessment but this will depend on whether the assessing Healthcare Professional feels that they have enough information, from your ESA50 form, to make a decision without. If you filled in your form 2 years ago it is entirely likely that your situation has changed in this time! If you feel that it has, you can fill in a PDF version of the form, with the help of our ESA guides, and submit that for the HCP to read before you are seen.

Using The PDF Version Of The ESA50 Questionnaire

ESA claims and appeals

The qualifying criteria for ESA are different from those of IB. Again, this is a deliberate move to reduce the number of people who are entitled to the benefit. Make sure you fill out the form in detail, don't just assume that you will automatically be awarded the benefit because of your history with IB.

If/when you have further questions, please come back and reply to this message, you will find it easily in future if you bookmark/favourite it on your web browser now