Benefits Information

Hi Terry,

I have a contact from Dept of Works and Pensions and she has been giving me information on the changes to Incapacity Benefit, which I have been including in our support group newsletter. I just wondered if I could also put info on this forum, plus any other relevant information that comes to hand?

What are your thoughts.

Jo x

Hi Jo yes put what every information on that you find

thankyou

Terry

Forum Admin

Employment & Support Allowance

What is Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)?
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is the name of a new benefit which comes into force on 27 October 2008. It will replace both incapacity benefit and income support for people who are incapable of work.

What are the main differences between Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and current benefits?
The biggest difference is that claimants will be divided into three groups: an Assessment Group; a Work Related Activity Group and a Support Group.

Who will be in the Assessment Group?
All claimants who are eligible for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) will be in the Assessment Group for the first thirteen weeks of their claim. Eligibility for this group will be based on having sick notes and either having paid enough national insurance contributions or passing a means test similar to the current test for income support.

Who will be in the Work-Related Activity Group?
After the thirteen week assessment period the vast majority of claimants who pass the assessment will be placed in the Work-Related Activity Group and receive an additional amount of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) which should raise their income to above the current level of incapacity benefit. Members of this group will have to attend work-focused interviews and draw up an action plan setting out the steps they are willing to take towards moving into work. Failure to do so will result in cuts in their benefits.

Although actually undertaking work related activities and participating in condition management programmes will not be compulsory when Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is introduced, the government has indicated that it will consider making such activities compulsory in a few years' time.

Who will be in the Support Group?
A much smaller number of the most severely disabled claimants, perhaps 10%, will be put in the Support Group. Claimants in the Support Group will be paid at a higher rate than those in the Work-Related Activity Group and they will not have to do anything in return for their benefit.

Take the test
You can find out whether you think you will qualify for ESA and which group you should be in by taking our ESA Self-Assessment Test.

Is that the only major difference?
No, one other major change under Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is that the Personal Capability Assessment - the test of whether you are incapable of work - is to be renamed the Work Capability Assessment and made much harder to pass. The physical health test has been tightened up, with many fewer opportunities to score points. The mental health test has been rewritten completely and will also be very much harder to pass. There will be no exemptions from the test except for terminally ill people, some pregnant women and people receiving chemotherapy. (See Employment and Support Allowance medicals for more about this).

Will existing incapacity benefit claimants have to go on to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)?
The DWP have said that they intend to 'migrate' all existing claimants onto Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). Claimants under 25 may be migrated in 2009, with the majority of claimants being migrated between 2010 and 2013 .

Thanks Jo

For posting this

Terry

I@d really like to know more about this - everything I've looked at is so foggy!

Ross

Hi Ross

What information in particular are you looking for?

In the links section there's one for Benefits and Work, which are excellent and worth a look.

I can send you items privately if required.

Fibro Hugs

Struggling with this new design.

I want to know if I will keep my Incapacity Benefit under the new rules.

Ross

Hi Ross,

I know I don't like it either!!!!

Right on to Incapacity Benefit ...

The new benefit will be known as Employment and Support Allowance (ESA for short) and will come into force on 27 October 2008 and will replace both Income Support and Incapacity Benefit.

If you are currently receiving Incapacity Benefit you need not worry too much at the moment as it is new claimants only effected by the new arrangement. But DWP are hoping to migrate those currently getting it between 2010 and 2013.

New claimants will be divided into three groups: Assessment, Work Related Activity and Support Group.

After the the thirteen week assessment period the vast majority of claimants who pass the Assessment will be placed in the Work-related Activity Group and will also receive an additional amount of ESA.

I can let you have more information once you have had chance to digest the above.

Hope this helps.

Regards.