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SSP to ESA

  • Chrissy
  • Topic Author
12 years 4 months ago #74130 by Chrissy
SSP to ESA was created by Chrissy
Hi,
I've just reached my 28 week point of being on sick leave and have been receiving SSP from my employer.

I have the Form SSP1 completed and signed by him and when I went to the benefits office to book an appointment about getting ESA now (I believe it used to be Incapacity Benefit?) I was told to either call the freephone number and complete the form over the phone or go online and complete the form.

Firstly, there is no way I will complete it over the phone as I want time to gather names and dates of doctors and specialists I've seen over the last six months, so I will complete it online in a few days however; I'm curious and rather concerned......

This appears to be a complete "start from scratch" claim application and therefore, maybe subject to refusal and may also take several weeks before anything is decided leaving me without any money at all.

According to the DWP site, preliminary payments of up to £67 per week will be paid up to week 14 and then once moved the the "main phase" it will increase to £94 or £99. How on earth is anyone supposed to live on £67 per week? I've been finding it impossible on the £81.60 SSP and have racked up arrears on council tax and rent along with other things like car insurance etc. :(

I don't really know what I'm asking here to be honest but I am confused now as to whether I will even get ESA and if so, how long a procedure is it when moving over from SSP - I can't seem to find anything about that either on their site or this site here?

Any help or advice you can offer would be extremely welcomed.

Thank you so much :)

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  • bro58
12 years 4 months ago #74132 by bro58
Replied by bro58 on topic Re:SSP to ESA
Chrissy wrote:

Hi,
I've just reached my 28 week point of being on sick leave and have been receiving SSP from my employer.

I have the Form SSP1 completed and signed by him and when I went to the benefits office to book an appointment about getting ESA now (I believe it used to be Incapacity Benefit?) I was told to either call the freephone number and complete the form over the phone or go online and complete the form.

Firstly, there is no way I will complete it over the phone as I want time to gather names and dates of doctors and specialists I've seen over the last six months, so I will complete it online in a few days however; I'm curious and rather concerned......

This appears to be a complete "start from scratch" claim application and therefore, maybe subject to refusal and may also take several weeks before anything is decided leaving me without any money at all.

According to the DWP site, preliminary payments of up to £67 per week will be paid up to week 14 and then once moved the the "main phase" it will increase to £94 or £99. How on earth is anyone supposed to live on £67 per week? I've been finding it impossible on the £81.60 SSP and have racked up arrears on council tax and rent along with other things like car insurance etc. :(

I don't really know what I'm asking here to be honest but I am confused now as to whether I will even get ESA and if so, how long a procedure is it when moving over from SSP - I can't seem to find anything about that either on their site or this site here?

Any help or advice you can offer would be extremely welcomed.

Thank you so much :)


Hi C,

As a starting point, you may wish to read our "Understanding Employment and Support Allowance" guide from this link. :

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/esa

You may also like to read the other ESA guides from the same link.

You may also find it usful to read the FAQ's thread from here:

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/forum?func=vie...id=10&id=70444#70444

There is a link on this thread to download the ESA1 claim form also.

cheers

bro58

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  • bro58
12 years 4 months ago #74134 by bro58
Replied by bro58 on topic Re:SSP to ESA
Hi C,

Further to your post, and with regards to this extract:

"I've been finding it impossible on the £81.60 SSP and have racked up arrears on council tax and rent"

Have you enquired with the DWP as to whether you are entitled to any help with CT and rent?

bro58

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  • Chrissy
  • Topic Author
12 years 4 months ago #74135 by Chrissy
Replied by Chrissy on topic Re:SSP to ESA
Sorry, I should have mentioned that I've been reading all of the forms, FAQs and guides on here for the last couple of weeks and I've also downloaded the ESA1 claim form in readiness but I'm still confused.

In everything I've read, nowhere do I see mention of people who have already been claiming SSP for 28 weeks already, it always seems to be for people who are just applying straight for ESA for some other reason (as was the case with my son last year - straight from school and onto the ESA application process (we just had the decision for his appeal overturned by the Tribunal now, which was a huge success and a weight lifted for both him and me!!))

I guess I'm just going to have to complete the form and send it in to them and just hope and pray that it doesn't take six weeks to get a decision because by then, I will be facing homelessness!

I'm sorry, I shouldn't have bothered asking..... just being sent links to more pages is frazzling my already confused brain and doing my anxiety no good whatsoever.

Thanks anyway.

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  • Chrissy
  • Topic Author
12 years 4 months ago #74136 by Chrissy
Replied by Chrissy on topic Re:SSP to ESA
I already get HB but it is HEAVILY reduced due to an overpayment made early in 2010 (which, should have been written off in my bankruptcy in Sept 2010, but they refuse to do so!!)

I still have £40 per week to pay for rent and £55 per month for CT..... which so far, I'm not making (the CT that is!)

Sorry...... the last two years have been hell and that's all part of why I've been off work sick :(

Chrissy

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  • bro58
12 years 4 months ago - 12 years 4 months ago #74137 by bro58
Replied by bro58 on topic Re:SSP to ESA
Chrissy wrote:

Sorry, I should have mentioned that I've been reading all of the forms, FAQs and guides on here for the last couple of weeks and I've also downloaded the ESA1 claim form in readiness but I'm still confused.

In everything I've read, nowhere do I see mention of people who have already been claiming SSP for 28 weeks already, it always seems to be for people who are just applying straight for ESA for some other reason (as was the case with my son last year - straight from school and onto the ESA application process (we just had the decision for his appeal overturned by the Tribunal now, which was a huge success and a weight lifted for both him and me!!))

I guess I'm just going to have to complete the form and send it in to them and just hope and pray that it doesn't take six weeks to get a decision because by then, I will be facing homelessness!

I'm sorry, I shouldn't have bothered asking..... just being sent links to more pages is frazzling my already confused brain and doing my anxiety no good whatsoever.

Thanks anyway.


Hi C,

For someone who has been in receipt of SSP, and has exhausted their entitlement to SSP, it is just like an ESA claim from scratch.

In fact someone who is entitled to SSP cannot claim ESA until the SSP entitlement is exhausted.

bro58
Last edit: 12 years 4 months ago by bro58.

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