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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

ESA and PIP

31 replies

Mollylegs · 23/03/2023 11:32

Hello, I'm sorry if this post is meant to be in a different place, if it is you can just ignore it. I was wondering if anyone can give me advice about something. I get PIP that just started in Jan 2023, At the same time that I posted the forms regarding the PIP I also sent the forms for ESA, They were both sent recorded delivery. I am in the process of buying my husband out of his half of the house.To be able to get a mortgage as well as getting PIP I also have to be getting ESA. I spent 1 hour 53 minutes yesterday to be told they don't have any forms and I will have to re apply. She then put the phone down straight away, before I could even say they had been signed for. I was just wondering if anyone has any idea about what I should do next. I don't have a direct phone number, Does anyone have any idea what I should do next. Thanks in advance.

OP posts:
RichTeaCheddars · 23/03/2023 21:23

Bump.

Sorry, I don't know. I hope someone more knowledgeable comes along.

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 23/03/2023 21:28

You could contact your local Citizens Advice and ask their assistance. They can even support you on the phone with your consent. I would try in the first instance calling back and trying again you might get a nicer call handler

Needwine999 · 23/03/2023 21:45

Interesting as we had the same issue today, applied for Esa (get pip) and apparently our forms have been lost on the way, was told claim closed and have to re apply! I could have cried in frustration, i might contact Citizens advice as doesn't seem right?

WoofWoofBeachLife · 24/03/2023 08:36

My forms were signed for on 25th January. I'm going to call today but I just know they will say something like they are lost etc. The DWP are a disgrace. I'm in Scotland and applied for ADP and what a difference in the application and updates compared to PIP, they also have a chat service instead of calling.

WoofWoofBeachLife · 24/03/2023 08:39

Ps sorry meant to add, I'm afraid you will just need to call back again and hopefully get someone more competent. Start off saying my application was signed for on xxxx can you update on the progress please. The benefit system is broken.

Needwine999 · 27/03/2023 22:03

have re applied now , they re sent forms, i hand delivered them today to the job centre with a covering letter, DWP? SHIT!!

Babyroobs · 27/03/2023 22:14

Sounds like you've sorted it now but you can make the initial application for new style ESA very easily via the Gov.UK site online.

Babyroobs · 27/03/2023 22:17

Needwine999 · 27/03/2023 22:03

have re applied now , they re sent forms, i hand delivered them today to the job centre with a covering letter, DWP? SHIT!!

ESA are absolutely the worst advisors. I have a client currently with severe mental health issues and their rude advisors have just about broken her to the point where she will no longer ring them again regarding her claim. I once asked a very rude advisor for her surname and she put the phone down on me. If you try to complain they protect their own. ESA and carers allowance are the absolute worst. most obstructive DWP departments. PIP and Attendance allowance are great and go out of their way mostly to help. Pension credit also very helpful. I think they reserve the meanest people for ESA.

Babyroobs · 27/03/2023 22:23

Mollylegs · 23/03/2023 11:32

Hello, I'm sorry if this post is meant to be in a different place, if it is you can just ignore it. I was wondering if anyone can give me advice about something. I get PIP that just started in Jan 2023, At the same time that I posted the forms regarding the PIP I also sent the forms for ESA, They were both sent recorded delivery. I am in the process of buying my husband out of his half of the house.To be able to get a mortgage as well as getting PIP I also have to be getting ESA. I spent 1 hour 53 minutes yesterday to be told they don't have any forms and I will have to re apply. She then put the phone down straight away, before I could even say they had been signed for. I was just wondering if anyone has any idea about what I should do next. I don't have a direct phone number, Does anyone have any idea what I should do next. Thanks in advance.

I'm really surprised at them giving you a mortgage based on PIP and ESA ? If only awarded WRAG then ESA would only be paid for 12 months? I wouldn't say you could depend on benefits continuing?

WoofWoofBeachLife · 28/03/2023 08:14

@Babyroobs I've found the DWP to be the most unhelpful and rude organisation, especially ESA. I waited nearly 2 hours on Friday on hold for someone to advise I had been added into the support group 2 weeks after my application was received. I didn't receive any correspondence. As I haven't paid enough NI for the relevant tax years relating to my claim I'm not due payment, he told me on the phone cancel and reapply in April. The letter he sent out dated the 31st of January is terrible, tells me nothing and doesn't mention the support group. 🙄 with PIP it was 2 years of lost forms, medical history and the worst assessment. I gave up at tribunal stage and applied for ADP which has gone smoothly. The system is broken.

MinnieGirl · 28/03/2023 08:37

Contact your MP. Things move very quickly once they get involved. The DWP actually told me to do this as my issue was taking so long. Resolved almost immediately.

WoofWoofBeachLife · 28/03/2023 08:52

@MinnieGirl just a local MP for my area? Sorry for hijacking your thread OP.

memesndmoreme · 28/03/2023 09:29

You can apply for ESA online not sure about PIP. I would have done this as they will have gotten it quicker and you would have a reference number when phoning up to enquire.

WoofWoofBeachLife · 28/03/2023 12:05

memesndmoreme · 28/03/2023 09:29

You can apply for ESA online not sure about PIP. I would have done this as they will have gotten it quicker and you would have a reference number when phoning up to enquire.

PIP is all online, esa is initially part one online and they send out a paper booklet to complete. I got sent a PDF form from a local charity and filled it in that way. I don't have a printer so I had to pay to get it printed off and then sent it recorded delivery. Its such a faff!

SweetCoriander · 28/03/2023 12:13

WoofWoofBeachLife · 28/03/2023 08:52

@MinnieGirl just a local MP for my area? Sorry for hijacking your thread OP.

Yes, it would be your own MP where you live. Their details will be online. You can google it if you don't know, 'who is my MP?' and enter your postcode.

Most MPs have office staff trained in benefit rules, but all the correspondence is regarded as from the MP as treated as 'VIP contact' by the DWP.

SerendipityJane · 28/03/2023 12:48

PIP is not online - you just request a form online that is sent to you to be filled out by hand.

When submitting ESA or PIP, you should have a copy yourself, make sure every page has your NI and DoB on it as well as "page x of y". You should also send a copy to the decision maker at the same time.

The key thing to bear in mind is that you aren't supposed to get PIP or ESA, so anywhere the system can be used to prevent it, it will.

Eightiesgirl · 28/03/2023 13:01

When my mentally ill dh originally applied for ESA and LCW in 2019 he received a home assessment. I'm still not sure if the home assessment was for ESA or was the work capability assessment but two very nice people visited the house, one was an assessor and one was a work coach but, due to his psychosis, he still felt stressed out during their visit. Weeks later we'd heard nothing and so I visited our local job centre, the lady I spoke to knew the assessor and she phoned him. He confirmed he'd emailed a report to the job centre weeks before. It turned out the person it was emailed to deleted it by accident and there was no copy. He then had to have another assessor visit him at home again to carry out yet another assessment. What an absolute waste of time and resources.

SerendipityJane · 28/03/2023 13:08

What an absolute waste of time and resources.

If it prevents just one claim being approved, it is an incredibly good use of resources.

Eightiesgirl · 28/03/2023 13:27

@SerendipityJane I don't understand what you mean? My dh was a genuine claim and was eventually put into the support group and has LCW. It was a waste of resources as, because of someone's carelessness at the job centre, we had to have three different people visit our house to assess my dh. A waste of time for DWP employees and even more stress for my poor dh. Or were you being sarcastic?

SerendipityJane · 28/03/2023 13:42

Eightiesgirl · 28/03/2023 13:27

@SerendipityJane I don't understand what you mean? My dh was a genuine claim and was eventually put into the support group and has LCW. It was a waste of resources as, because of someone's carelessness at the job centre, we had to have three different people visit our house to assess my dh. A waste of time for DWP employees and even more stress for my poor dh. Or were you being sarcastic?

I have helped with enough claims over the years to know some of the tricks.

Eightiesgirl · 28/03/2023 13:50

@SerendipityJane Sorry, I was a bit slow on the uptake but now I understand exactly what you meant. That's terrible if that's what was behind it. The DWP are shameful, putting ill and disabled people through all this stress and, with these new rules eventually coming in, it's just going to get worse.

MinnieGirl · 28/03/2023 14:07

WoofWoofBeachLife · 28/03/2023 08:52

@MinnieGirl just a local MP for my area? Sorry for hijacking your thread OP.

Yes, the MP who represents your area in Parliament.
send an email to his office and inform the DWP that you have done so. I was told they move like grease lightening when an MP gets involved, and it worked for me.

Needwine999 · 06/04/2023 20:51

i just emailed our local MP yesterday as the ESA system is just ridiculous, husband has 32 years of nic contributions yet the 2 tax years they are looking at he has none due to surgeries and not working! Finally was told can pay missing tax years, have done that and now waiting to re apply again, the system is shocking

WoofWoofBeachLife · 07/04/2023 12:35

@SerendipityJane I've also just realised what you meant there. I thought you were being unkind apologies. The DWP are disgusting, the PIP team anyway. Re ESA, because I didn't have 2 full years NI when I applied last year I wasn't paid anything. However now it's the new tax year, the last 2 years now they would look at do have full contributions. An advisor said to me last week to cancel the old claim and reapply on 6th April. Wtaf but I've cancelled it and applying again today. Such a bloody faff because I need to get someone to take a pen drive with my documents on and get them printed off as I dont have a printer. So another cost to me. It will be interesting to see if they put me in the support group as quickly now that I'm eligible for payments. Sorry that was a bit long. Xx

WoofWoofBeachLife · 07/04/2023 12:35

@Needwine999 wishing you luck for the new application. X