very confused about transferring from SDA to ESA!

Good Morning!
I am in the process of completing the ESA50 form, and am in need of some advice please?!

For many years I have been in receipt of SDA, I didn't qualify for IB as I hadn't paid enough contributions. I had up till I had my children, took 8 years off then returned for a few years part time before becoming sick.

I am now thinking that if I didn't pay enough NI to qualify then for IB, I wont get ESA contribution based. If I am assessed as qualifying for ESA income related I doubt I would get anything as my husband works full time,.
I have to say I think it would be a little unfair if that happened!

Have I understood that right? Can someone explain it to me please, as the more I try to read about this, the more I am confusing myself!

Many Thanks in advance

newfiegirl wrote: Good Morning!
I am in the process of completing the ESA50 form, and am in need of some advice please?!

For many years I have been in receipt of SDA, I didn't qualify for IB as I hadn't paid enough contributions. I had up till I had my children, took 8 years off then returned for a few years part time before becoming sick.

I am now thinking that if I didn't pay enough NI to qualify then for IB, I wont get ESA contribution based. If I am assessed as qualifying for ESA income related I doubt I would get anything as my husband works full time,.
I have to say I think it would be a little unfair if that happened!

Have I understood that right? Can someone explain it to me please, as the more I try to read about this, the more I am confusing myself!

Many Thanks in advance

Hi nfg,

Welcome to Benefits and Work

The DWP have agreed that any existing SDA recipients who are successfully transferred to ESA will be entitled to payment of Contribution Based (CB) ESA.

As your Husband/Partner works more than 24 hours/week, you are right in assuming that you would not be entitled to payment of any IR ESA :

24 hour work rule for payment of IR ESA

As you may know receipt of CB ESA in non means tested, so your Husband working would have no adverse effect on you receiving that.

See : What will I be transferred to? and What will I be paid? from our : IB, IS, SDA, Migration to ESA FAQ’s

See also : ESA FAQ’s

You might want to consider : Using The PDF Version Of The ESA50 Questionnaire

Whilst referring to the guides on this page, 2nd & 3rd links down :

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 Maximus. (CHDA)

Please pose any further queries that you have by replying to this topic which you may want to Bookmark/Favourite in your Browser.

bro58

Hi bro58
Thank you so much for making that a whole lot clearer for me to understand, I appreciate the help very much.

I am going to do this form using the PDF version, will be quicker and a whole lot less painful for me.

I also would like to thank you all for your help, I got my PIP award through in November and had used your guides. Previously I had only ever been successful with DLA at Tribunal, but this time I got PIP first time, I feel that was mainly in part to using your guides. So a massive thank you from me!

Good Morning,
Just wondering how long people have had to wait to hear about ESA claims.
I am migrating from SDA. I sent back the form 16/01/16, and spoke to the Medical Assessors on 15/02/16 who said they had requested evidence from the GP which they had received, and they had made a decision and sent the file back to the DWP on 10/02/16.

Ii spoke to DWP this morning, and they cant give me any idea how long it will be, I am still getting some money from the old SDA, so there doesn't appear to be any hurry. It could be they are trying to organise the payment dates to coincide with SDA, so I don't miss any payments.
Not quite sure who the mysterious "they" are, the person I spoke to didn't quite explain, and I would of found it more helpful to speak to whoever it is, as they might of had more info to give me!!

Can anyone give me any ideas as to how long they normally take please? she also kept saying they hadn't started "building my case" not sure what that meant as she then said they haven't requested any further medical evidence from the assessors, a medical in other words.
So surely that means they are "building my case"??
Think its a bit early in the morning for me!
Thanks in advance

newfiegirl wrote: Good Morning,
Just wondering how long people have had to wait to hear about ESA claims.
I am migrating from SDA. I sent back the form 16/01/16, and spoke to the Medical Assessors on 15/02/16 who said they had requested evidence from the GP which they had received, and they had made a decision and sent the file back to the DWP on 10/02/16.

Ii spoke to DWP this morning, and they cant give me any idea how long it will be, I am still getting some money from the old SDA, so there doesn't appear to be any hurry. It could be they are trying to organise the payment dates to coincide with SDA, so I don't miss any payments.
Not quite sure who the mysterious "they" are, the person I spoke to didn't quite explain, and I would of found it more helpful to speak to whoever it is, as they might of had more info to give me!!

Can anyone give me any ideas as to how long they normally take please? she also kept saying they hadn't started "building my case" not sure what that meant as she then said they haven't requested any further medical evidence from the assessors, a medical in other words.
So surely that means they are "building my case"??
Think its a bit early in the morning for me!
Thanks in advance

Hi ng,

The time taken to make a decision would be variable, dependent on the case load of the office dealing with your transfer to ESA.

You only options are to keep ringing for an update, or await the Decision Notice letter.

THE ESA PHONE NUMBER DWP : 0345 608 8545 (Open 8AM-6PM. Mon-Fri.)

The positive news is that if they have made a paper based assessment with no F2F, you cannot be found fit for work, so it is WRAG or SG !!

"building my case" = constructing your new ESA Case File electronically !!

bro58

Hi bro
Thanks for your response, always quick, and always very much appreciated!

Gosh their computer system must be very slow if it takes sometime to electronically build a case!!

I was feeling quietly confident that they hadn't called me for a F2F, but could they still put me in WRAG without a medical? I thought you had to have a medical to be declared fit to work, and that the WRAG was for people who could actively look for work, or have I got confused?

Thanks again