I don't want to put the wind up you but claim for ESA as soon as you can. I started my claim mid June and I've only just had my first payment (back dated) on the last week of August so effectively have had no income for all that time. I phoned them after 4 weeks as I thought I must have messed up my claim somehow but was assured I was in the system and there was a back log of around 10 weeks. I asked what do people do regarding income if they have no fallback and it's either qualify for UC or nothing. Very scary. I'm in the back to work group even though I'm providing fit notes as I haven't yet been medically assessed, so only receiving £92 per week. They are supposed to contact you within 10 working days, it took them until the 9th week of my claim for a confrontational call handler to phone me to tell me my back to work advisor would phone me on X date at Y time (11th week) and when I said let me check my calendar as I have some clinic appointments that week he said you have to be available or we will cancel your claim and he would not change the date. Back to work advisor was very pleasant and sympathetic, worked in the local job centre, but still had to go through making "work commitments" with me as I haven't yet been assessed medically by them, so regardless of existing fit notes he has made a face to face appointment in November now. I appreciate he is only doing his job and what the computer system is telling him to do. He said his report from our conversation goes to be assessed and then I heard nothing for a week or so. On the end of the 13th week a payment came through but I had no idea how it had been calculated and yesterday I received a letter saying I was being paid £92 a week and to await a medical assessment (can't remember the wording). I've heard the current waiting time for that is 6 weeks for a telephone medical assessment and I'm dreading it as they are supposedly two hours long and I know I will find it very tiring. But good luck with your claim, hopefully the back log will have cleared a little bit!
I'm doing okay, had great news in that the ribociclib is shrinking the tumours and some of the lymph nodes and my bone lesions appear to be healing although the bone is very painful still. Currently wearing the latest cancer fashions of compression garments with gloved sleeves for both hands/arms and my neck as lymphedema has flared up in the last month or so and have been told I have a suspicious growth in my liver that wasn't there before so "we" are keeping an eye on it for another month or so to see if the Ribo sweeps that up as well or is causing it??
You are right about cancer being an expensive illness, things needed to stay comfortable and pain free are so expensive on a limited income, the lymphedema nurse couldn't find a garment in her catalogue to exactly cover an area I'm having a particular problem with and suggested I buy an Under Armour compression top but sized down so it's even tighter. I asked her to show me and they were £30+ each and I was sat thinking there's no way I could manage that as I would need three (one on, one off and one in the wash?). I've bought one for now. The NHS also only allow you two compression garments every 6 months which obviously isn't really enough, given wear and tear and life dirt but they cost over £200 each if you want to buy more spare for yourself. The NHS is being well ripped off if they are paying that!
Rant over. Stay positive people!