New Style ESA Claim

Hello

I am just following up on a reply from David with regard to an ESA application.
I submitted a claim 4 weeks ago, on behalf of my husband. And received a call earlier this week from an agent to ask if I have appointee ship. I mentioned that I have an LPA for my husband. I also mentioned this to the original agent when we logged application. The agent was unclear and said he wasn't familiar with LPA so would check with his manger and come back to me. However, as of yet, they have not asked me to provide any proof of this or any LPA access codes.

I called a helpline number this morning and the agent said the notes show the call was actually regarding completing a claimant commitment form. She said they would get back to me, but was unsure as to when that would be.

On the B+W website David previously mentioned that as I have an LPA my husband will not be required to sign this.

Not sure if there are any further steps i need to take or just wait to hear back from them.... I just want to ensure that application is fully in place before the end of the tax year as application is for contributory ESA.

Appreciate any advice. Many thanks.

Thanks for your reply David, much appreciated.

Today my husband received a letter in the post for a telephone interview with a work coach in connection with ESA. This will take place this Thursday 13 March. My husband has a progressive degenerative brain disease and this impacts his hearing and word finding ability. I am not sure how they are going to conduct the interview via the phone or how successful that will be.

The letter says it is to speak with the life coach to talk about options to prepare for work in the future. He has not been able to work for over the past year, and we have only apply now as he has received a diagnosis.

Please can you give any advice as to how to approach this. As mentioned I have an LPA but they have not asked me to register this with them or provide any codes. Yet, I did inform this of this at the time of the application. If they ask my husband to sign a claimant commitment, do I simply explain we have an LPA. Will they allow me to join the call if my husband gives permission?

I am sorry if I am repeating myself, but this letter was unexpected with just two days notice. My husband is not applying for UC just ESA and we have sent medical letters explaining his condition.

Many thanks in advance for any help.

Hi all

David just following on from your previous note, we had the call with work coach. She asked my husband to agree to a claimant commitment, I explained that I have an LPA for him and understand that he is not required to sign the commitment. However, I am not listed as his appointee or the LPA is not shown on his file so she said he would have to agree verbally on the phone. Also the agent did not know what an LPA was.

Made several statements that seem to be misleading to me, one being that if there are lots of changes taking place and if my husband changed his address, one of the things you have to notify them of, if you sign the claimant form, he would be place on UC. I said I did not understand that to be the case, as he is not applying for UC. In fact I think there were quite a inaccuracies mentioned during the call.

In the end my husband agreed to the claimant commitment verbally, to try and move this process on, we were told a medical form would be send to complete to decide which group he would be assigned to.

Very confusing experience. I asked if I could visit the job centre to register the LPA she said, they don't meet people in person and to ring the ESA help line number or look on line to apply to be an appointee.

Bit frustrating.... to be honest.