ESA benefit to be stopped as early as April 2012
Government to impose time limit on Employment Support Allowance
Published date: 15 Sep 2011 at 2:39PM
ESA benefit to be stopped as early as April 2012
The Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) plans to introduce a time limit of one year for all but the most seriously ill people claiming ESA. The decision is likely to affected thousands of people with MS.
In a statement issued last week the Minister for Work & Pensions, Chris Grayling, stated the decision was part of the spending review announcement. Letters will be issued despite the proposal not yet being passed as law – it is still being considered by the House of Lords.
The Liberal Democrats are to debate a motion at their Party Conference that the policy is dropped, and that further sweeping reforms are made to the ESA assessment system.
Will this affect me?
The policy will apply to anyone claiming contributory ESA in the WRAG. The benefit will be stopped after a year for those who do not have low enough income to qualify for income-related ESA – this could include those who have a partner earning as little as £149 per week.
It is retrospective, so those people who’ve received ESA since April 2011 will be the first to lose their benefit in April 2012. People who started on ESA in May 2011 will stop receiving it in May 2012, June 2011 – June 2012 and so on.
Many people will be unsure of what group they’re currently in. Visit our ESA information pages to find out more.
What the MS Society says:
Laura Weir, Head of Policy & Campaigns at the MS Society, said: “The unpredictable and fluctuating nature of MS means the majority of people (41%) claiming ESA are placed into the work related activity group.
“We’re extremely concerned about the high volumes of people who’ll be left without the vital support they rightfully need. Many people with MS on ESA face enormous barriers preventing them from returning to work and they should receive support for as long as they need it – regardless of their financial circumstances.”
What you can do:
1. Write to your MP – it’s not too late for them to challenge this decision as part of the Welfare Reform Bill, which will be returning to the Commons to be debated by MPs in November. If your MP is a Liberal Democrat, take our action to encourage them to support the motion at their party conference.
Go to theyworkforyou.com for contact details of your local MP. Please send a copy of your letter to the MS Society’s Policy & Campaigns Team at campaigns@mssociety.org.uk.
2. If you think you are affected by this policy, or if you receive a letter next week, and you wish to raise awareness of the issue please contact our press office.
What the MS Society is doing:
We are lobbying MPs at the very top and spelling out exactly what this means to people with MS – your stories can help with this!
In partnership with other organisations, we’re challenging the policy to try to get it removed from the Welfare Reform Bill.
We’re part of the Hardest Hit campaign to highlight the impact of policies like this on disabled people. Join us in a protest near you on 22nd October: to find out more, visit www.hardesthit.org.uk
