Telephone call re pension

I'm on ESA in the support group having been transferred from IB which I have been on since approximately 1999 also DLA

Was half asleep and dozy on painkillers when I received a phone call from a woman re ESA & private pension ( ill health civil service) . To be honest I wasn't with it at all but she kept asking me how long I had been getting my pension saying they hadn't been told I had one ... She then said 'was it prior to 2013' I said yes and she asked me the same question three times .

Now I'm up and awake I'm feeling sick worrying what the call was about , any ideas? I have tried ringing back but cannot find the person I spoke to or anyone to tell me why they rang ...

Many thanks

Thank you

Oh wonderful , I have no idea when I would have notified them it's so long ago now, more stress

My partner also has a ill health retirement pension ex civil service, she was transferred from IB to ESA in support group and every year at the end of March start of April they send a letter asking how much the pension increase has been. Not that it has increased at all in several years but they always ask and set a unrealistic timescale for an update letter as they aren't issued till end April/May.

Guessing your ill health retirement was granted by Capita? the thing is the civil service staff are assessed by capita in the event of any sickness absence and they know just how horrific they can be. Always makes me wonder why they don't sympathise with people being incorrectly assessed when making benefit claims.

Also just ranting here but the government are the ones who ill health retired you, the criteria being that your incapacity is permanent, that there is no medical intervention possible, no reasonable adjustments can be made, no transfers to the numerous government jobs available. Fighting capita for ill health retirement is a major battle, what happens if someone in that boat fails to qualify for any of the dwp benefits? I mean it's the government who ill health retired them!

Rant over sorry!

Yes I think it is Capita , all this just makes me feel sick with worry . Also I sent in my form for Pip assessment changing from DLA (not my request !) They received it on the 22 December and I still haven't heard anything , so when the phone all came and I was in bed I assumed it was over that , mid went in to overdrive

My guess would be that you were put in the ESA support group in 2013, hence why she's asking if the pension was in payment prior to 2013. They will want to know if your IB should have been reduced due to your ill health pension. Cant recall the figures but sure IB was only reduced if the pension was over a certain figure, £85/90 per week if I remember right.

In the support group do you know when your case is to be reviewed? my partner was moved from IB to ESA support group in 2013, she was given a 3 year award, which I believe is/was about the maximum time for an award without further review.

Anyway try and not worry about it, stick to your guns that you previously notified IB about your ill health retirement pension. Having worked in the civil service you will know what a disgrace it is with post going missing etc.

If you are on income based esa, you will be getting the disability premiums, maybe help with mortgage interest then then will deduct money for your private pension but the thing you need to consider is you were moved from IB and there were safeguards in place that meant under ESA you could not receive less money that you did on IB. You basically stay on the same IB rate until the ESA payments get to the same figure. I cant recall the name of it, sure Gordon or Bro will know what I mean.

The pip wait is a nightmare, we are going out our mind waiting for a reply and it's only been 5 weeks since we sent the form in.

Good luck