Now ESA on my case too!

Why oh why won't the DWP leave me alone?

Since transferring from Incapacity Benefit to ESA I've had 2 f2f assessments, one in 2014 and the second in 2016. Each time the assessors have been amazed/confused that I'd even been called in for a f2f since what I'd written on my forms and the evidence I'd provided etc. would tell any sane human being that there would be no employer prepared to take on somebody who might be ok to go to a job one morning, fall asleep mid-morning then not be able to make it there for the rest of the week! You find such a job and I can guarantee there'd be a queue as long as the length of the UK willing to take it lol

In addition to this I've been through the traumatic business of making the transition from DLA to PIP. This involved 8 months of stress resulting in a tribunal who found in my favour and I wasn't only awarded the 2 extra points I'd been missing for my getting around section but an extra 12 for that section! The panel decided to leave my daily living as it stands because I'd already been awarded the enhanced rate for that.

Having won my tribunal only 5 weeks ago, I was soon able to go along and order my new Motability car and my husband and I breathed a sigh of relief that it was all over and wouldn't have anything to concern me until my PIP review in 2022. Ha!

Looks like the DWP have other ideas.......

I have now received a letter from the DWP re a Notification of Performance Measurement Visit!
The letter explains that the visit is to review my benefit and to check that the DWP/Local Authority is paying me the correct amount of ESA. Going on to say that it's based on the information I've already given them and how I have a responsibility to make sure all the information given during the visit is correct and complete. If it isn't and they pay me too much I may have to pay the money back and also risk being prosecuted or having to pay a financial penalty! Frightening the life out of any reader I think you'd agree? Albeit I know that my health conditions are real and have proof of it being seen as real by at least the 2 previous assessors I've had for my f2f!

Curious I'm thinking since it was only 5 weeks ago that a tribunal decided I was bad enough to be awarded the enhanced rate for both of the PIP and it's all under the DWP umbrella, but of course, one department doesn't communicate with another does it!

Now my last ESA assessment, (f2f), was only 15 months ago and I don't have any means tested benefits and certainly get diddly squat from my local authority! Don't even qualify for reduction in Council tax for heavens sake!

I, naturally panic when confronted with any official letters anyway and it takes me at least 3 readings before the relevant info sinks in courtesy of my cognitive problems caused by 3 of my conditions. My, level headed husband was able to explain to me exactly what this means but neither of us believe that I have been 'randomly selected for this review'! It's just too much of a coincidence that it should arrive so soon after winning my appeal. Call me cynical but I honestly do not believe it's random.

On my behalf, my husband had to ring to cancel the appointment on the letter anyway because we will not be here and guess what.......on answerphone. So, he then rang the other number on the enclosed leaflet entitled 'Benefit Review' to make sure that our cancellation would be recorded by a real person and not trust it to an answerphone message. Whilst on to this other chap, he thought he'd ask exactly why this review is happening so soon after having been to a tribunal re the state of my disabilities etc. where the DWP have no less than 152 pages explaining it all so anybody could see from that that I must be in the correct payment group re ESA?

Chap said that he would email the person on my letter and we were to watch this space to see if we would still be getting a revised date visit.........or not.

My husband will also be ringing the chap on my letter again on Monday so he will hopefully be able to speak to him and not his answerphone. Belt and braces job to make sure our cancellation is recorded.

Give me strength PLEASE!
Hippychick

Well, my husband did ring the chap who'd sent me the letter about this home visit and he will now be coming next week. He assured my husband that I have nothing to worry about since this was a performance monitoring to make sure that the DWP are doing THEIR job correctly! I'm still a bag of nerves even though my husband said that the chap sounded very nice....me....I'm thinking wolf in sheep's clothing lol

I keep seeing those words on my letter and the enclosed information leaflet where it puts the fear of God into the reader and says things like if you've been paid more than they think you should have, you will have to pay it back and could be liable for a criminal prosecution! Definitely nerve inducing those kind of words lol Even though, my husband and I know my health and mobility problems are genuine, it's still making me feel as though they're checking up on that.

Gordon, I know you kindly tried to put my fears at ease but I don't actually think there are any additional benefits we could be claiming apart from carers allowance which we don't want to apply for anyway.

Wish me luck peeps.

Hippychick

Thankfully, it was Gordon! All t's crossed and i's now dotted.

Thank heavens for that because I'd got myself in such a state leading up to this visit convinced that my ESA was means tested and it wasn't. I'm pleased to say that the chap who came was very nice and immediately told us that we had noting to worry about because my benefit was contributory and not means tested AND he was only here to monitor the performance of the DWP to make sure they were doing their job properly.

My head's still pounding mind you and all of my other symptoms had gone into hyper-drive for the past 3 days so now they'll all have a chance to settle back to their normal levels at last, hopefully.

Thanks again for your support peeps. We'd all be lost without you.
Kind regards,
Hippychick.