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CHANGES TO ESA RULES

Posted , 3 users are following.

janner
janner

Hi Everybody I'm back again, very ANGRY and very CONCERNED.

The proposed changes to the qualifying criteria for ALL claims, new and current, for ESA will signifcantly shift the goal posts in favour of the DWP and Chancelor of the Exchequer.

Will any person brainier than me please look into this in detail, the consultation report can be found as a pdf via the mentalhealthforum site.

The changes will effect all people with CS who claim or will try to claim ESA, this includes anyone still claiming IB.

In a nutshell:-

If you have limited use of your hands, arms or fingers for lifting, turning star-headed-taps (which includes bottle tops and jar lids), reaching or picking things up. You will no longer be awarded any points.

If you cannot, or have difficulty with, bending or kneeling. You will no longer be awarded any points.

This is because any person in a wheelchair cannot be expected to bend or kneel.

If you cannot walk 50 metres without pain or discomfort or (new) exhaustion even with a stick. You will no longer be awarded any points. Instead you are to be expected to use a manual wheelchair.

If you cannot remain sitting or standing for longer than ten minutes without having to move. You will no longer be awarded any points. You are now expected to be able to remain, that is sitting/standing, for 30mins - 1hr at a workplace before having to move away, that's assuming you have not collasped in a heap.

The emphasis now seems to be geared to mainly award those with mental or communication problems, so if you are a \"gibbering idiot\" you can either claim ESA or become an MP.

I ask again, please can others look into this as clearly all us scroungers who suffer from CS will be declared fit for work and kicked onto JSA.

However, There is one flaw the Government may rush to remove. If, due to your health condition, you are not fit to \"perform a task\" (in the workplace) \"continuosly or repeatedly\" you cannot be expected to be fit to do it at all. Again please check this one.

This is a very serious matter and concerns us all.

Janner

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • chris215a
    chris215a

    Posted

    please excuse my ignorance,, but what is esa?????. i am on ib and dla,, also i am waiting for a diagnosis of fibromyalgia,, what will that do to my claim. i have been claiming for a very long time as i have had this for over 19yrs now. i did hear that, they were messing about with the benefits. what are w supposed to do???? chris
  • janner
    janner

    Posted

    Hi Chris,

    ESA is Employment & Support Allowance, it replaces Incapacity Benefit as you will soon discover. The news is currently full of the Governments plan to get at least a third of IB claiments onto Job Seeker's Allowance. Those not kicked onto JSA will then claim ESA, either in the Work Related Activity Group or Support Group. All those claiming IB can expect a letter on their doormat about these changes.

    The whole purpose of this exercise is to save the Government, and therefore presumably the taxpayer, a lot of money. Yet the private firms, like ATOS, who will carry out the so-called medical assessments will be paid £14,000 for each IB claiment that they declare fit for work. Now, I am no mathematician but even I can see that it will take nine years to recover that sum through the saving in benefit. ( the difference between IB and JSA is about £30 a week, x52 = £1560 a year x9 = £14,040). So therefore the likes of ATOS are not going to declare many IB claiments unfit for work now are they. The more they declare fit for work the more money they get. Simples. Then there is the cost of all the appeals. How is this good for the economy when it will clearly cost more than it will save?

    Janner

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