Moving from Incapacity to ESA
Moving from Incapacity to ESA – Getting the Best Results from ‘Migration’
Before October 2008, people claiming benefits because they were too sick or disabled to hold down a full time job claimed a combination of payments from Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance and Income Support. Since October 2008 almost all new claimants have claimed Employment and Support Allowance instead. The two systems have been running in parallel, with pre-2008 claimants still getting the old system benefits.
People claiming ESA have found it to be much harsher than the old system with many claimants being told that they are well enough to hold down a full time job, despite their health difficulties.
From 2011, the Department for Work and Pensions will begin a process known as migration, reassessing all old system claims and moving claimants into ESA or Jobseeker’s Allowance.
This one-day course prepares support workers and advisers to help service users through the transition.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course participants will:
• Understand the rules and rates of benefit for the old system and for ESA.
• Understand the pitfalls involved in the migration process.
• Understand the permitted work route from benefits to full-time employment.
• Be able to support service users as they go through the process of reassessment.
• Be able to support service users in making appeals if the reassessment is unfavourable .