# Employment Support Allowance: Benefits re-test for chronically ill to be axed



## Northerner (Oct 1, 2016)

Sickness benefits claimants will no longer have to go through reassessments to keep their payments if they suffer from chronic illnesses, the work and pensions secretary is to announce.

The Employment Support Allowance (ESA) will continue automatically for those who have life-long, severe health conditions, Damian Green said.

He said it will help end the anxiety that claimants may have felt.

The reform will be unveiled at the Conservative Party conference.

The four-day gathering begins in Birmingham on Sunday.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37526324

Dressing this up as though this is some sort of concession when it should never have happened in the first place


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## mikeyB (Oct 1, 2016)

Aye, Northerner, it should never have happened in the first place. But let us celebrate that they have realised this.


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## Ljc (Oct 1, 2016)

About bloomin time. On another forum I used to go on people had a terrible time with these reassessments


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## mikeyB (Oct 1, 2016)

I wonder if this will include those folk on DLA higher rate mobility, with motability cars, who migrate to PIP. Maybe that's a concession too far for this heartless government.


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## Redkite (Oct 1, 2016)

Well this is good news and common sense for once!


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## AlisonM (Oct 1, 2016)

Hmm, I wonder if that's why my latest journey through the hall of horrors is taking so long. They're trying to decide if I'm chronic or not.

I saw the report on Aunty earlier and was quite shocked that someone from Westmonster actually used common sense for once. It's about blimmin time.


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## mikeyB (Oct 3, 2016)

AlisonM said:


> Hmm, I wonder if that's why my latest journey through the hall of horrors is taking so long. They're trying to decide if I'm chronic or not.
> 
> I saw the report on Aunty earlier and was quite shocked that someone from Westmonster actually used common sense for once. It's about blimmin time.


Are you on DLA or PIP Alison, or ESA?


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## AlisonM (Oct 3, 2016)

mikeyB said:


> Are you on DLA or PIP Alison, or ESA?


ESA and PIP.


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## Pumper_Sue (Oct 3, 2016)

What they are doing in a sneaky way is finding a few conditions for people in the support group which means they are not required to look for a job or as they phrase it prepare to return to work. Thus anyone else who is assessed is automatically placed in WRAG and from April next year the benefit drops down to £73 a week for new claimants.
The appeals system is also changing which means the claimant hasn't a cats chance in hell of succeeding. So it's not smelling of roses that's for sure.


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## Mark Parrott (Oct 4, 2016)

My wife has her first ESA assessment on Friday.  Her condition is much more severe now than when she first claimed ESA.  I will be attending with her as there is no way she can get there alone. Will be interesting to see what they come up with.  If they decide she is able to work, I don't think anyone would want to employ someone to can't stand or sit for long periods, needs to sleep in the afternoon & has the memory of a goldfish. She has also started her PIP application.


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## Owen (Oct 4, 2016)

Mark Parrott said:


> My wife has her first ESA assessment on Friday.  Her condition is much more severe now than when she first claimed ESA.  I will be attending with her as there is no way she can get there alone. Will be interesting to see what they come up with.  If they decide she is able to work, I don't think anyone would want to employ someone to can't stand or sit for long periods, needs to sleep in the afternoon & has the memory of a goldfish. She has also started her PIP application.


I can relate to those symptoms. I have found a job where I can hide my issues from view, just hope I can continue with this masquerade. Or I will also have to suffer the indignation of this process that allows thespians to get what they want and honest people nothing.


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## Mark Parrott (Oct 4, 2016)

She loves drawing & painting & is very good at it. I think she could become a professional artist.


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## Owen (Oct 4, 2016)

Mark Parrott said:


> She loves drawing & painting & is very good at it. I think she could become a professional artist.


A friend of mine started converting pets photo's into artwork, started as a time filler. She now makes a lot of cash doing it.


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## Pumper_Sue (Oct 4, 2016)

Mark Parrott said:


> She loves drawing & painting & is very good at it. I think she could become a professional artist.


what ever you do do not tell the assessor that as it will be interpreted as can sit for long periods thus can do an office job same as TV can't watch TV as can't sit there or concentrate. Be very careful how the questions are answered as always a double meaning to them.


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## Mark Parrott (Oct 4, 2016)

Pumper_Sue said:


> what ever you do do not tell the assessor that as it will be interpreted as can sit for long periods thus can do an office job same as TV can't watch TV as can't sit there or concentrate. Be very careful how the questions are answered as always a double meaning to them.


Thanks, Pumper Sue. Don't worry, won't be telling them. We know that they do try to twist things.


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