Impact of Change of Address

Hi to everyone!
Well, it appears that the Labour Government are pushing on with the changes to WCA and targeting disabled people! Carrying on from where the Nasty Party left off!

I have just been reading an article by The Big Issue that comprehensively exploits the damage that such a policy will cause to thousands of disabled people. It is very worrying!

One of the issues highlighted is the fact that a change of address could trigger a new claim as a change of circumstances and therefore place an existing claimant at the mercy of the new WCA framework?

Is this true? What possible impact could a change of address have on a lifelong disability?

Can anyone shed any light on this particular issue?

Thanks in advance!

Good morning everyone!
Well, my notification of change of address to the Belfast Office that handles my New Style ESA benefit resulted in the generation of three letters prior to Christmas!

Each letter contained different information/calculations due to a review of the ‘change of money coming in’!

Two of the letters with latest dates advised of my weekly payment rate, which were consistent with each other and stated that this would be my payment with effect from 14/12/24.

This weekly rate is exactly the same rate that I have been receiving since April 2024!

However, the reality is somewhat different, with my weekly rate being paid into my Bank at £11 a week less!

Phone call number 1 to Belfast resulted in me being advised that there did appear to be a discrepancy and that a member of their management team will call me back within three working days!

Of course, this never happened!

Phone call number 2 provided a different explanation, being a change of money coming in!

The employee could not provide me with the source of this money, and went as far to advise me that I needed to contact HMRC to request figures to allow me to then provide them to DWP!

So, a change of address has resulted in a reduction of £22 a fortnight.

Should I push DWP for a copy of their calculations, given that my final letter from them advises what my weekly rate is, which is £11 a week more than I am receiving!

Sometimes I really feel that they do not know what they are doing!

Hi BIS
Thank you for the advice. I will put something together in writing to them!

Good morning,
I sent a letter to DWP by Guaranteed next day delivery on 23/01/25. It was signed for on the morning of 24/01/25.

However, my letter has been ignored, with no response to my query about my £11 per week ESA deduction!

Is there a formal complaint process that I can now pursue?

I think that DWP need taking to task!

Thanks in advance!