IS to ESA then back to IS as a Carer ..............

**phaedra** · 02-28-2012 10:52 AM

Still not sorted after nearly 4 months.

Was told at the end of Nov/early Dec that I was being moved from IS to ESA, surprisingly the ESA came through as Work Realated group despite my disabilities and the fact I'm a full time carer for my Autistic 21yr old.

Of course I should have been told I could continue on IS by changing my claim from a medical need to being a full time carer but this was never mentioned and I only found out about it by accident. I rang the DWP several times and got conflicting advice/replies about it, went to see the CAB who had no idea then took 25mins to come back with a print out of the Direct.gov site showing the bit about being able to do it, which is what I'd shown them in the first place!.

Rang the National Autistic Society who got one of their legal team to phone me back and she confirmed that I can claim IS as a carer. So, back to DWP who were going to stop the changeover to ESA and keep me on IS. Didn't happen

4 weeks and about 20 phone calls later I still haven't got confirmation my IS has been re-started, only thing I got was a letter last week saying I'd cancelled my ESA claim!.

Now waiting for tomorrow morning to see if I get paid and if so, how much? They have no idea what they are doing, give out wrong or conflicting information or just downright lie to you to get you off the phon and cause more stress than anything else I can think of

**lorraine** · 02-28-2012 11:37 AM

I was benefit advisor until end 2009 so ESA is new to me but if your ESA claim is closed put Carer Claim in online ,they are usually very quick. Once carers is in pay you are then entiled to yous IS top up. I would be surprised if you get any payments once they close your ESA claim. You need to act quickly as it will affect other things such as housing/council tax. Hope I have understood your situation correctly, obviously you son has to have middle or high rate care in place.

**phaedra** · 02-28-2012 11:52 AM

Hi Lorraine

Yes, he gets middle rate care. I've been told since the end of last year that they would stop the transfer to ESA, then if it did go through they would automatically close it and rebuild the IS claim, then they didn't know how to, then I couldn't get IS unless I was pregnant or dying

I then got an "you must attend a job focussed interview session or else" letter so rang again and got a really nasty woman who demanded I had to close the ESA claim which I'd made and sort it out myself

Rang back after I cooled off and got someone totally nice, told me the ESA was closed (I got a P45 etc. a few days later) and that the IS would be rebuilt and I would be paid as normal but if there was a day or two missing they would write and let me know and pay it as well. Now over a week later and I've still not heard from them.

**Stepheninleeds** · 02-28-2012 04:38 PM

Sadly few know you can claim IS as a carer. Few know that the disabled person can under some circumstances also claim IS. We found out through CAB & had a hard time getting Benefits to accept this.

**phaedra** · 02-28-2012 04:48 PM

Hi Stephen

Also been told today that they expect him to pay £53 a week towards his Personal Assistant as being on ESA and living with me he has "no real financial outgoiings"!.

**lorraine** · 02-28-2012 06:53 PM

Do you know if your Carers Allowance claim is still live, it may well be if you were getting carer premium and received letter stating you have underlying entitlment from Carers. If it is open it would be fairly easy to reinstate IS

**phaedra** · 02-28-2012 07:16 PM

Hi

I'll find out in about 13hrs if I can get to the post office, I'll be able to tell from what's been paid if my IS is included. My next Carers payment isn't until March 21st but if the IS isn't in tomorrow I'll be making yet another phone call

**Stepheninleeds** · 02-28-2012 07:17 PM

That is rubbish. Of course he has outgoings. He has food, he has heating, he has clothing, the list goes on. he also has costs specific to his needs as an autistic person. You need proper advice on this, as they can go through your full circumstances & see what you can claim & what you can do about this, if anything.

And yes, you should be getting IS.

**phaedra** · 02-29-2012 10:01 AM

Big surprise ..... didn't get paid

Rang them straight away and I am going to get paid but they're busy processing it, might be in tomorrow or Friday or it could be Monday

Not great news but at least I am getting paid, also double checked it was the same as the previous amount and that my disability and carers premiums were on