IB to ESA switch over?

Martin
Shaw wrote:

Hi,

I Think you may find that the date is March 2014 as according to the news section:-

Claimants who reach pensionable age before the end of March 2014 will not be migrated to ESA, they will stay on their current benefits. The DWP say this is to avoid people having to make two changes of benefit in a short period of time.

Unless that has changed?

Zuxo

I fully expect, apart from those mentioned above, all those currently exempt from the PCA, as well as IB claimants who are not, will all transfer to ESA. Thats not really the point I'm trying to clarify. Am curious to find out if those who are currently exempt from PCA on IB will be 'tested' and attend medicals as part of the migration process. Or, if those currently exempt will be assessed for ESA purely on the basis of information held on them by the DWP. I am not nearing pensionable age.

Page 33 of this tory policy document 'Work for Welfare' says this with respect to incapacity Benefit claimants.

Here

5.4 Tackling long-term dependence on Incapacity Benefit

We want support for those who are incapacitated in some way to be designed around what someone can do rather than what they cannot. Our aim is to help as many as possible of those who have incapacities, but who are capable of at least some work, into jobs.

We will require all current recipients of Incapacity Benefit to go through a thorough Work Capability Assessment as soon as is practicable.
People whose disabilities make it impossible for them to work will continue to receive unconditional support, but will be able to access support services on a voluntary basis.

People with a non-permanent condition will be asked to repeat the Work
Capability Assessment at regular intervals.

Those who are found to be fully capable of working will be transferred
immediately onto Jobseeker’s Allowance and will be required to seek work
in the normal way. For those making inappropriate use of Incapacity Benefit, this will lead to a benefit cut of around £20 a week.

Recipients of Incapacity Benefit who are found to be partially incapacitated but capable of preparation for work will be referred to welfare-to-work providers, but with additional support to reflect their conditions.


As it says that "We will require all current recipients of Incapacity Benefit to go through a thorough Work Capability Assessment as soon as is practicable.".........

so unless something has changed since this document was published then I assume that irrespective if you're PCA exempt now you may still be subject to the WCA to determine which group you're placed in. It should be remembered that there are very few exemptions from the WCA compared to the PCA.

thank you

Gareth wrote:

As it says that "We will require all current recipients of Incapacity Benefit to go through a thorough Work Capability Assessment as soon as is practicable.".........

so unless something has changed since this document was published then I assume that irrespective if you're PCA exempt now you may still be subject to the WCA to determine which group you're placed in. It should be remembered that there are very few exemptions from the WCA compared to the PCA.

I am starting to lose the will to live about this.
Since that the ConDems have made it quite clear they will be following the NewLabour policy on the migration from IB to ESA which means some 1.5 million IB Claimants will be retested NOT ALL OF THEM.
Chris Grayling was interviewed in the last few days and stated the same thing.

Hmmm, never such a thing as a simple answer eh?

At this point in time I feel like throwing the towel in, writing to them to say I no longer wish to claim IB. I have a variable condition, characterised by severe episodes, interspersed with (by comparison) periods of stability - but are still not completely free of 'symptoms'. When the time comes to be assessed I could appear perfectly normal or be psychotic and paranoid or suicidally depressed. Episodes in my case are triggered by stress so just the thought of going through this process is enough to make me extremely anxious and at risk of a severe relapse. For the DWP we are just statistics, they don't see the effects the beaurocracy and it's negative consequences.