ESA - going abroad

Hi,
A friend has recently been awarded ESA support group (with thanks to your guides) due to Crohn's disease. Please can you help with a query about going abroad on holiday or for other reasons e.g. Family visit or for dental treatment. I understand he must notify DWP on each occasion but what are the limits. my friend may need to make several visits to Italy for ongoing dental treatment. he is from Italy originally.

Gordon wrote: CG

There's no specific requirement to inform the DWP if a claimant goes abroad, but it may be in their interest to do so if they are, for example; expecting a reassessment of their claim or any other activity which might require am immediate response.

They can go away for periods of up to 4 weeks, multiple times a year, see the following

www.gov.uk/claim-benefits-abroad/illness-injury-benefits

Gordon

Thanks for the link Gordon.
since it says;
Going abroad for more than a year You can get contribution-based ESA in the EEA or Switzerland if you’re eligible and if you’ve paid enough National Insurance contributions.
Does that mean there is no limit on time spent in the EEA or Switzerland for those on contribution based ESA Support group?

Hi James,

At the moment claimants are able to export Contributory ESA although they will still be subject to regular reassessments (the protocol for which does not seem to me to be straightforward!). However, no-one can say how things will be affected by Brexit.

Does this mean contribution based ESA Support Group claimants are exempt from the 28 day (excluding travel days) limit discussed in earlier threads eg:
we have heard from members who's ESA payments have been stopped for going abroad for more than the 28 days allowed, www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/forum?view=top...=10&id=107183#148066