Not put in the contribution esa support group years ago

HI David,

I haven't replied yet because I was waiting for my MP to get back to me. Confusing, even though I received a letter giving me a month to migrate to universal credit, the MP have been in touch with DWP who has said 'your next ESA review is not until 2026 and you do not have a Universal Credit claim'. DWP are asking me 'to confirm if you are asking to not be migrated to Universal Credit'.
I am confused because I am challenging why I was not initially put into the contributions ESA because I can still have savings and then migrate to universal credit.
Am I right to think that if I wait until 2026, my benefits, such as housing benefit, will stop because I have not migrated to Universal Credit?

Please assist me. I suffer from refractory epilepsy and the stress is having a massive impact on my health.

Many thanks
Danielle

Hi…
David, is it possible that Danielle has a similar situation as I had last week…where she was put on contribution based esa from the start, with a top up of income based. My experience was that I was never told this, and every letter always made it look like it was income based only.
I don’t know what the solution is, but just wondered if that was a possibility?

Hi David,

I have the email from my MP explaining what the DWP said to them. Which was that my they are not looking into my esa until 2026 and asking if I do not want to claim Universal credit. I can ask them for their detail copies as some type of evidence. I have contact citizen advice on many occasions. I actually spent 4 hours on the phone with them yesterday only to be told they had to pass me on to another department, who then tried to pass me on to another. Finally I was given a new phone number for a different department that was for migration for universal credit and the only option available to me was a voice message that said there was no help at this moment. It seems to me that I am such a difficult case that they do not know how to advise me.

In the mean time I did manage to find out from DWP that I was put in both income related and contributions groups from the beginning. I was later put into the support group which is when they back dated me £14,200. I suffer from extreme short term memory due to my brain damage and I have no memory of any of this happening which my neurology doctors can confirm. I just need someone to sit me down and explain my options. I did call a local advisor and they said they would get back to me. I do not hold much hope in this happening. I live in Haringey in London do you or anyone else know who I can get in touch with?

Many thanks

Danielle

HI,

Yes I thought I was in the contributory group but only now have I realised that I was put in the income related group as well. I was then put in the support group

I am going insane.