Stay on ESA!

We want to share this news from the Benefits Training Company about someone who was told to claim Universal Credit (UC) but should have stayed on Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). As far as we understand it, the Benefits Training Company is saying that although Mr B split up from his partner, his ill-health remained … Read more

PIP reviews — press your case!

Reviews are happening now of people’s PIP claims.  This follows several legal wins challenging benefits discrimination, including Ms R F, whom we supported at court in 2017 (see the report by Public Law Project).  Because of these successes, the government had to agree to check 1.6m PIP claims on whether we are getting our full entitlements. But … Read more

“Thanks for giving me hope”

We got this message about our self-help information on exemption from face-to-face benefit interviews: “Hi, I’m emailing about the story you have online from June 2017 about the guidelines protecting people with severe mental illness getting a face to face assessment when applying for PIP. I’m from Northern Ireland and have a 20-year severe mental … Read more

‘I won PIP on paper despite horrible Atos experience’

Women battling for paper-based assessment have won PIP, including Mrs X.  Here is her story and how she won: My horrible PIP experience and 16 letters of complaint!  “I am a 65-year old woman who lives in Essex.  In 2012 I had a stroke caused by excessively high blood pressure (I had no idea).  That … Read more

Costs of disability

Scope’s report ‘The Disability Price Tag 2019‘ shows how disability benefits are much too low to live on (as well as the DWP cutting off and sanctioning people like Jodey Whiting). At the same time, councils and other authorities are wildly undercounting people’s disability expenses, and making people pay more charges for homecare and support services from … Read more

Scrap the Letters — Z2k petition

We’re supporting the petition to Amber Rudd to STOP the DWP telling GPs not to issue sick notes for patients who are wrongly found fit for work.  Sign the petition here.  See petition updates from Zacchaeus 2000 here. Sick and disabled people are being deprived of vital benefit while they appeal, leaving them destitute and risking their … Read more

Woman helps win £1.67 billion ESA for 180,000 people!

Several legal challenges at tribunal and then High Court have forced the government to repay around £1.67bn in benefits  to an estimated 180,000 low-income sick and disabled people, which they were wrongly denied since 2011. Well done to Ms H, a woman who was wrongly found fit for work, one of those who went to tribunal.  She challenged being … Read more

Universal Credit self-help info

This page covers: Response to Universal Credit (UC) What is UC? When will I be affected? ESA claimants ‘Transitional Protection’ Before starting your UC claim Ways to start your UC claim Getting paid immediately Vulnerable claimants and first interview (claimant commitment) Other reasons why you should be exempted from work conditions Work Capability Assessment interview … Read more

Entitled to free support services under aftercare?

  A volunteer writes: “If you have ever been sectioned on a section 3 of the Mental Health Act (and other sections below) once you are discharged back to the community and have needs relating to healthcare, social care or supported accommodation, then these should be provided by what is called Section 117 aftercare. A … Read more

Freedom Pass

Info about the rules for getting a Freedom Pass, and how to apply, is here. Disabled asylum seekers and other immigrant disabled people ARE entitled to the Freedom Pass.  When they talk about resident, this means living in the borough.  You do not have to have won your right to stay in the UK to … Read more