Can anyone advise please.

[fee]

I am looking for some help. I have just been moved onto income based ESA from contribution based ESA, and after 4 years of fighting I have been awarded DLA lower rate for care highest rate for mobility. Not only is my mobility poor I suffer from mental health problems and can't relate to people well. This is due to enduring 5 years solid of bullying from my previous employment. I went to counceling and they have talked me into doing a HNC college course. So I applied for the course, and to SAAS to pay my college fees.

I have just had a phone call from the DWP who asked was there no loan available to fund me for this course, I replied I don't know. I have to provide a letter from the authorities confirming that there is no funding. I have found out that there may be funding available, which would mean my ESA could be affected.

Does anyone know how much someone can receive before their ESA is affected. I receive £99.15 per week in ESA and I have not received my award letter from the DLA so I don't know how much this will be.

I had to fight long and hard to get on ESA, 4 medical assessments all of which had me in tears, and I cannot face the thought of losing the ESA and having to go through all the assessments again.

They want you to go out there and get a job, but without paper qualifications no one wants you especially with health problems, yet when you try to get the qualifications they penalise you.

[davewhit]

you need to get advise from an expert you would have to tell dwp your doing a course and for all you know that might cause you to get another esa50

even without thinking of doing a course you will be called soon rather later for another medical or sent an esa50 as the new way is test more often than was done under IB

[fee]

Thanks Davewhit

I was called into the Job Centre+ on Monday it was something to do with that type of review. My advisor did not know why I had been called in asked me if I'd had another review at York Place - answere - no.

I have phoned the CAB and I hope to get a call back for an appointment, I will call SAAS tomorrow and ask their advice. It just seems so strange that one second you are told that you can do a college course if you are on ESA and DLA, if it's part-time and is not a university course, but then the people at the DWP say that you have to come off ESA if there is a loan available and it does not matter if you take the loan or not it's just the fact it is available!

Took a lot for me to be talked into this, and now I am sitting here crying.

[Duncan]

Thanks Davewhit

I was called into the Job Centre+ on Monday it was something to do with that type of review. My advisor did not know why I had been called in asked me if I'd had another review at York Place - answere - no.

I have phoned the CAB and I hope to get a call back for an appointment, I will call SAAS tomorrow and ask their advice. It just seems so strange that one second you are told that you can do a college course if you are on ESA and DLA, if it's part-time and is not a university course, but then the people at the DWP say that you have to come off ESA if there is a loan available and it does not matter if you take the loan or not it's just the fact it is available!

Took a lot for me to be talked into this, and now I am sitting here crying.

If you get help to pay the College course fee only then your ESA is not affected.

It is only if you also get any student loan or grant while on the course that ESA is affected.