Esa, the best option

Hello there

I wonder if you could help me again please, regarding Esa and an unexpected change of circumstances due to receiving money which I have been notified about. Not to sound ungrateful but having to go through so much in the first place applying, filling out forms, getting turned down at medical, appealing etc, my first thoughts were to give this money away, as it were. Not to family or safekeeping or anything but permanently to say, an animal charity. However, from what I've searched online, it seems that someone might be taken as deliberately ridding themselves of it in order to continue receiving benefits, no matter the cause or recipient. I'm very scared about this and don't want to get in trouble so know I can't do this. So basically, I will notify Housing Benefit as soon as possible.

Re Esa however, I thought I was okay as on Contribution based and I have it on paperwork etc, however I have also now found a letter while trying to go through things that states something about income based too. (I used to work, though have been too ill the last few years, basically I had a breakdown am still trying to pick myself up).

I'm sorry about the longwinded account but i want to make sure I try to explain things properly. Basically, i have been too scared to telephone the Esa people to find out which is correct or am i on both. Scared is too small a word really. Basically im terrified. I know i have to do this though, or might make it worse for myself. I'm worried about making sure I put things in writing first and by me phoning, that they might record things incorrectly..

I have a Support Worker who I have discussed it with but she could not give any advice. She told me to contact Citizens Advice (not v.helpful in my area) or Welfare Benefits people. She said they also cannot contact people on my behalf, only be in the room etc as they want people to be able to do things for themselves (which is why 2 months after my Doctor suddenly dismissed me from their register, the complaints letter is still unsent and my repeat medication now cancelled).

I'm rather too paranoid to contact Welfare Benefits in the first instance..paranoia seems to be a constant theme with my illness, so I was really hoping you could please give me some advice...

So.. if you don't mind, my first question is, if i find out its part or full income based now and i no longer qualify for it (Esa), can i request to actually close the claim, as opposed to notifying a change of circumstances? My reason for this is simply because im guessing I would still have to undergo continuing medicals and reassessments, just to register for NI credits (and no payment) and i just cannot go through the stress of the whole procedure anymore, i really cant. I realise from what ive searched that this will affect a state pension but to be perfectly honest most days I dont want to be on this planet and not to sound too morbid but my feeling is that I just dont see myself make it to that age naturally anyway. I've had so much upset and upheaval the last few years, I just can't deal with anymore

My second question would be, should i explain this to the Dwp or just ask to close it or would they read something into it? I read someone else's post where they wanted to close it for education purposes and you said they didnt have to state a reason but that the Dwp would probably ask for one.

And third, would there be any other implications to my closing a claim, rather than reporting change of circumstances eg to do with my area moving to Universal Credit or something?

Thank you so much for your help, in advance and I hope ive explained things properly...

Thankyou for your reply. Unfortunately, a large part of my condition is that I get so overwhelmed with worry about things, that I leave them and then make a worse situation for myself and everything piles up, on top of each other but i know i need to sort this ASAP.

Sorry, I meant to say I am in Support Group but I was also in the work based group prior to that. I don't even know how long for as I couldn't understand if it was an award letter or just an annual update I received after the last assessment. I didnt call to ask then, as i get so scared and thought if it wasn't an award letter, it might bring it to their notice or something and I prefer as little contact as possible as some people there can be quite frosty. But I will call them re this latest development when they are open and find out..

I've tried but I can't really understand about Universal Credit. I thought people were just transferred over but after clicking on your links in the news section, it looks like people actually have to apply for it.

Again, I couldn't understand if reporting a change like money meant you moved to Universal Credit or stayed on Esa.

If you don't mind, can I ask again if I decided to just close the claim, rather than report a change of circumstances, so as to not have to deal with the recurrent stress of the forms and medicals (and therefore forego the NI credits), should I tell them this reason or would it be sufficient to just say I wish to close my claim? Will this be acceptable or will it look strange? I just don't want it hanging over my head, so to speak and I think I would feel better with a clean break.

Yes, I understand, that is probably the only bit i do understand to be honest, its my worry constantly about the future/long term..

My hope is always to be able to get back to work eventually so i dont have to rely on them and go through assessments etc but every sleepless night I have through ongoing insomnia makes that seem less and less likely as it affects you so badly that you just cant function, on top of the depression and worry. It's like a vicious cycle.

I am currently on Pip but only for 1 component. I did go to appeal regarding it, which has taken a long time to come up but I don't hold out much hope, not least because my lovely Doctor decided to suddenly take me and other (costly) patients off her register, just after I asked for a copy of my medical records to help...

I just don't know what to do, very often I feel I'd rather be out of this world completely than have to deal with it, the worry is so great.

I just don't want any more reassessments or paperwork from the dwp which I am bound to do/get if I stay claiming (Esa) for the NI credits.

There's never anyone to help you understand or fill in the forms, citizens advice are too busy, 'Mind' aren't in my area and won't help out of borough people and the other disability organisation locally, lost their funding..

Even support worker sessions are limited and you need to keep getting re referred by a psychiatrist and go back on a waiting list.

Everything seems such a struggle but anyway, thank you again for your help, i appreciate it. I understand you can only give limited advice but you have been a help, as always.

I will contact Esa and Welfare bens in my area but can I just ask what you meant by I would have fewer options available to me in the future/longer term? Do you mean because it will all be Universal credit and they are saying other components wouldn't be payable, like if I reapplied from scratch and was put in the work based group? Thankyou