Holiday abroad while on ESA (Conts)

Thanks for the responses folks! See the thread has taken on a bit of an alternative life however!

Have been looking online again myself, and am thinking that info from this link may well be relevant with regards to holidaying abroad:

www.dwp.gov.uk/international/benefits/employment-and-support/

In particular I notice the following, which I'm reading as relating to my own circumstances (ie. ESA (Conts), in Support group)

Temporary absences

If you are temporarily in another country, you can continue to receive either contribution-based or income-related ESA for the first four weeks of your absence, as long as you are unlikely to be away for more than 52 weeks.

I have previously made a point of notifying DWP in writing of when I'm going, how long for, and where to. Never had any problems previously, not even any letter saying something like 'we rec'd your letter'. Therefore, on this occasion, I'm just going to follow the same process I have in previous years

choogle wrote:

Thanks for the responses folks! See the thread has taken on a bit of an alternative life however!

Have been looking online again myself, and am thinking that info from this link may well be relevant with regards to holidaying abroad:

www.dwp.gov.uk/international/benefits/employment-and-support/

In particular I notice the following, which I'm reading as relating to my own circumstances (ie. ESA (Conts), in Support group)

Temporary absences

If you are temporarily in another country, you can continue to receive either contribution-based or income-related ESA for the first four weeks of your absence, as long as you are unlikely to be away for more than 52 weeks.

I have previously made a point of notifying DWP in writing of when I'm going, how long for, and where to. Never had any problems previously, not even any letter saying something like 'we rec'd your letter'. Therefore, on this occasion, I'm just going to follow the same process I have in previous years

Hi C,

I am aware about the rules regarding payment of ESA, whilst temporarily abroad, on holiday etc.

However, that does not detract from the point that a claimant is still supposed to inform the DWP, that they are going to be away from home.

The choice to inform the DWP or not, is obviously upto the individual.

Cheers

bro58

I am amazed by this! I haven't been sent this leaflet! It's totally shocking. If I leave the house, it is with support all around and people have to look after me. I've not been on a break for years, so what astounds me is that they say you're fit to work if you leave home, so they want you to be totally housebound, but then want to drag you out of your home to attend WFI's and work! It's all total rubbish and that's putting it mildly!

choogle wrote:

I will be going to Cyprus for one week shortly and am wondering if the regulations allowing for this have been changed recently?

On previous short breaks I have advised DWP when and where I am going, as well as checking the info available via direct.gov.uk

I am on ESA (conts) after being migrated from IB last year. Am just a bit worried that the goalposts have been shifted, since there seems to be a massive push to try to get people off benefits by hook or by crook. Anybody able to put my mind at rest re: this?

You still are required to tell them, but no one can be sure whether the ability to cope with a holiday will count against you later at a medical assessment. It would depend on a number of things, such as the nature of your problems, does the holiday show greater functioning than you claim, or they believe/understand to be the case. As with voluntary/permitted work, it is a balancin g decision the individual claimant has to make, and we must remember, we are recipients of disability benefits, and we should not be offended, or surprised, if the 'system' wishes to be sure we are really disabled enough within the rules, even if it seems petty or unfair

It is unfair. I rarely leave the house but have to attend the hospital, doctors, dentist etc and to do so I have to take very high levels of medication which I couldn't be on everyday as it would kill me. If I cannot see my family at Christmas it means I will not see them at all. I don't travel abroad and don't have a passport, but I can understand the need for families to go away. This is all about saving money and the people with disabilities are being attacked from all sides. I am offended and I think we are having our basic human rights eroded and no one seems to care!

Hi all!

I'm finding this thread on being away whilst receiving ESA really interesting because it shows how oppressive the ESA rules are.

Look, we are not on JSA where one represents to DWP that one is available for work 24/7. So what does one represent when one is on ESA: that one is unable for various verified reasons to work.

Does this mean that you need to be housebound 24/7? That if you go away to your brother's for a couple of days, that is suspicious?

And what happens if you 'fess up? Do they store this info for use at next assessment to harass you?

The weight of the state on one's shoulders!