antone is correct. This confused me for a bit. The idea was that the WFC would have been done before the WFI's kicked off. If the WCA is delayed it doesn't stop the WFI process - it was a bit of a boo boo by not linking them. If you do a bit of googling there's complaints not just by claimants but also by the DWP staff conducting the WFIs. The staff are saying they have no information on the claimant (which the WCA would have given them) so can not offer them help or advice. They are also not happy about seeing people who are clearly too ill to be there. Dito from the claimant point of view so it's basically a waste of both parties time in most cases.

For tenancy landlord stuff have a shufty here Rental Property Knowledge - LandlordZONE Their forums are quite good. Taught me a thing or two Mainly that my landlord was right and I was wrong Dam You!!! Have you spoken to CAB/welfare Rights/SHELTER yet? You really need an independent view on all this. Not saying the council are wrong but there may be a better/cheaper/easier way available to you.

Puts on Bob Geldof/Simon Cowell hat We need a new campaign based on song I vote for a rework on this tune YouTube - Lovin' Spoonful - Summer In The City It'ss short and catchy and city rhymes with ESA * inserts Delia Smith "Where are you?" pic *

Well if you hadn't noticed yet the Governments propaganda machine is on full tilt atm. Although the BBC is perceived as an independent news organisation. It is controlled via Government policy and paid for by a non negotiable TAX with prison sanctions for non payment. Imagine if SKY said pay your fees or go to jail? As soon as ESA/Sickness benefit became an issue. The we get £1000 a week benefit family gets paraded on the tele for the outrage. Of course it focuses on the fact he doesn't work nor does his wife and they have no intention of working. Scroungers the lot of them. Except for the fact they are both now full time carers for their disabled child and over 50% of their benefit is received for the childs care. Didn't mention or focus on this at all and all footage was edited to give the scrounger picture. I was extremely shocked this week when the BBCs Watchdog had Anne Robinson going just before the end and in one statement "Tesco are the only supermarket not in favour of the governments minimum pricing for alcohol" I had to double take and go eh? Although their piece (the week before) on a free Delia Smith Waitrose recipe for fish risotto that had 27 complaints about it tasting fishy & was worthy of 20 minute segment, full investigation, a poll, a phone in and getting the managing director in to defend a fish tasting fish risotto was enlightening. If that wasn't pushing government propaganda what was? How many sane people would complain about cheep booze? Mary Whitehouse devotees granted but the Uk population Tell people enough times eventually they'll perceive that it's true. As perception lags behind reality it gives you breathing space to put in place the next misdirection. I think I'm paranoid

Unfortunately its a very old civil service trick about manipulating budgets and expenditure to appear as something they're not. I keep employment costs down by hiding the figure as a project cost. e.g. instead of employing a permanent staff member (as I'm being measured on this cost) I'll employ 3 agency staff at X times the cost but hide that in a specific budget (which isn't measured or can be written off until it's measured then I move it again). Short term it all looks rosy on paper and although costing significantly more when I give out my figures I've made the saving in the area I wanted. Same happened with PFI and is now happening with Stage 4 JSA claimants and New Deal, also with IB claimants. The figures for unemployment have stabilised only because everybody everybody @ stage 4 is now classed as in training (so after a year no one is unemployed and counted in the statistics). They will be back on JSA at the end of their courses briefly before being referred again. As for work for benefits and non paid internships the lunacy of creating a free work force is mind boggling! As these are jobs which would have been done by temporay workers etc! It's hardly rocket science to say I can pay for this or get it for free which will business chose and abuse at every given opportunity. Same with ESA & IB although they're failing people all it does is delay the real figure which will rise up again as soon as the whole process for claiming is figured out.

Well at least now you've admitted you've got a problem you can start to do things which will hopefully stop it getting any worse. That's the important bit as if you fail to deal with it head on now and pronto it will just keep escalating. I can only give you an opinion on how I would handle it; it may not be correct although somebody usually pops their head into the thread and corrects me. The obvious contact here would be SHELTER have a look on their website as they have some excellent guides. They are guides though so you would need to contact them to get advice specific to your situation. I'd advise you before visiting the council offices to look for local advice centres or at a bare minimum contact a SHELTER advisor. Just what ever you do don't put it off. Time is of the essence here and if you want to nip it in the bud you have to it hard and fast Basically search online for your local Welfare Rights &/or CAB offices and try to find one open Monday morning and running drop in sessions. Even if they're not call them and explain the situation they're nice folks who'll try to get the best outcome no matter how a bad a mess you're in. If there is one get their well before it opens (we're talking an hour here as most run 1st come 1st served sessions) so that you can be seen. Erica has given good advice as usual but I'll add to it that councils are often reluctant to back date except when pushed which is why getting assistance from the above may help. There's no guarantee on any of this I'm afraid as it will be down to a lot of things. Just keep at it and don't give up as although it seams bad now ignoring it will certainly be a whole lot worse.

Did the call start "Hello Mr/Mrs X, I'm calling from your XP service provider" Also did they try to get you to use the "logmein" or another remote management website to allow them remote control over your PC? Sounds like a new variation on type in "/prefetch virus" in the run command [problem]. I kept the guy who tried this on the line for an hour going it's not working how do I do that again? Could you explain this that? Then unleashed a torrent of unbridled verbal abuse that he was spluttering so much he couldn't end the call for 5 mins Dangerous as you don't know exactly what they are doing after you give them control.

Me too HE I came across it by accident when having a look at the problems solved part of the Guardians health/lifestyle pages Problem solved | Life and style | The Guardian

Employment and Support Allowance | Rethink, The Leading Severe Mental Illness Charity May be I should have explained this better. They're collecting data on how people with mental health problems and their carers are finding the whole ESA process. Hopefully if enough people see and respond to it, it will be another chink in the armour and add further weight for the need for change.

Now before you get yourself into more of a tizz about things which may or may not happen! I suggest you contact a local SHELTER/CAB advisor and explain to them exactly what's happened and ask for their assistance and advice. The interviewers job is to find out the facts and as is reported here most people find their attitude towards them and the interview process quite scary and intimidating. Their job is to get you to admit to any wrong doing they think you may/could be doing. They are always suspicious when close family members rent to one and another and will normally investigate to make sure that everything is above board. The non disclosure that your mum was the landlord was very silly as it will increase their suspicions, but it's not the end of the world. Nor does it prove that you are not eligible for/entitled to that benefit or any other benefit now or in the future. The SHELTER link I have provided clearly states that as long as your mum doesn't live there and everything is above board then you should be fine. Have you read it & does your situation fall into any of the categories where by you would not be entitled to the benefit? If it doesn't then you should be ok. Now give an advisor a call and keep us all up dated on what they say.

Interesting 3rd post Chubba have you tried looking on the shelter website for advice? Failing that google your local welfare rights/CAB office and ask them. Someone here might know but that depends who's on really.

From what little I know it all depends on if she lives there with you i.e. 'living with and paying rent' too any sort of close relative is a big no no. As long as you've got a tenancy agreement and she doesn't you should be ok. I remember looking at this a while back not sure if it was on here? 1st off have a look at the guides on the shelter website to see what you can find as really it depends on how they view your tenancy and relationship and I'm not 100% sure?! or even this Shelter England - Housing benefit if renting from family Have a look to see if you can find something like this on your council webby Benefits - North West Leicestershire District Council

Not to busy for corrections thank god. Council Tax and Housing benefit payments will be suspended until you get in touch with them. You do not need to be on any benefits or appealing to be paid it. Please read this post (click on link bellow) which covers what happens and why and also what you may need to do in order for them to resume payments again. Act promptly and there should be no missed/delayed payments. http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/benefits-tax-credits-minimum/260705-employment-support-allowance-stopped-2.html#post2946124

If you fail the medical yes the ESA benefit is stopped. If you appeal it will be reinstated and paid at the same rate. No you will not be thrown on to JSA. JSA is one of many benefits you can apply for if you choose not to appeal. Have read through this http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/gl24dwp.pdf it's the form you request to appeal. I'm busy atm so I'll quote my post off another board (this is for mental health hence DIAL)

So there's a history but the family member decided that they would leave them alone eh? And you have done what to help them or support them? Sounds all fine and dandy to me!!!

Congratulations you have passed ESA Now if you'd bothered to read up on it you'd know that the next medical is to determine support group or work group. There's some useful links and info in the sticky at top of page I suggest you read em

Excellent news Joe Good luck with that and please do keep us informed Since I'm about to go through all this interview and medical shenanigans in the next few months your experience here has made me a little less terrified Have you been advised to look at applying DLA too? If not ask about it It may not be around for too much longer but the extra income could be used for a carer or a private therapist.

1st thing I'd do is get an itemised copy of your telephone bill for the time which proves you made the call then work from there. Did they give you an indication of when they think this "fraud" started, what period is involved and how much they think you own them? If it's from Feb 2010 they can only be after 3-4 months worth? Plus if they haven't sent you a bill or reminder for this years can they claim that? Can't really help here but someone else will more than likely will be able to.

Well the BBC (the Government funded propaganda machine) has just been rolling out the man on the estate with a broken back saying it easier for people to cheat the system and claim sickness benefits. All interviews are along the lines of "we need to get people back to work and simplify the benefit system (ESA is go)! There's a lot of very subtile inference that all benefit claiments are scroungers/layabouts/cheets" and no mention whatsoever of how this new all in one benefit isn't working. I also think that the whole ATOS thing is a bit of a read herring being used by the DWP as a convenient scape goat to deflect attention. i.e. you don't beat the monkey turning the handle if you don't like the tune. As it can not change it! You need to beat the person who owns the organ and loaded the song role in the first place. Not going to be popular view on here atm but think about this. Who have changed the criteria and the fundamental process of claiming (without making anyone aware)? Who initiated this? Who signs off and commissioned the lima system and the rules that govern it? Who now uses this as a basis and refuses to contact doctors anymore for information? Who loaded the dice? DWP or ATOS ATOS are employed to collect information for the DWP. The DWP not ATOS decide what and how that is collected and used. What needs to be challenged is the fact DWP is not obtaining evidence from Doctors and specialists and even when it's provided their blatent disregard for it. As the way ESA is working at the minute is that it is up to the claiment to prove their ilness by obtaining their own reports from their carers to backup their claims. Since neither the claiments or their carers understand what is required by the DWP this is near on impossible to get right. There's also no obligation for carers to provide this info (as requests rise for it they will start to refuse) add to that the removal of funding for welfare rights and it's not looking good.

Ok unless you have an award letter stating otherwise then I'd expect it to be the Limited Capacity for Work one where the claim for ESA is decided. (See the Useful links sticky @ top is this page if you need more info on the process and how it works) If they think it's required they may carry out the the second assessment the one for which group they should go into after a short break. They will inform you of this at the time at the end of the 1st assessment. Remember that whilst they have to accept any evidence you give them, they are not there to read or consider it (although they may do). All they are expected/required to do pass it on to the DM. They are there to perform the assessment only so don't be alarmed by that. It's not their job.

Note to all; HB/LHA/CTB will have been suspended pending notification of an income change. Once they are notified of this benefit payments will resume and all back pay paid. All OP should have to do is print off a couple of months of bank statement (why they need them I do not know but it helps), sign a declaration (stating; 'I am appealing a decision for ESA benefit. Until that appeal goes through I will be living of my savings until further notice) and complete a change of circumstance form (you can download it from their website. The benefit notification letters may be required to. Call them and ask them what they want but use the above for guidance as it usually works for me If your claiming as a couple both people would need to sign this and provide proof of income. I find it's best to visit the council offices in person and get it sorted there and then. It's quicker too than doing it by post. Once the appeal is lodged and ESa paid again guess what you have to fill the forms in and do it all over again You agree when you apply to inform them of any changes in income saving etc within 30 days. Any change in benefits will be automatically forwarded to the council as a fraud prevention measure. If their notification get there before yours does benefits are suspended and you are notified that this will be so until you tell them.

Also interview on radio 4 BBC News - Today - 'Serious problems' with new benefits system

*cough* You can see BBC Scotland's investigation - Benefits: Who's Cheating Who? on BBC One Scotland at 2245 BST *cough* I'll be expecting a compo for you night owls 1st one to post the iplayer linky

Morning There is no real idiots guide just do your best. Erika as usual has come up with some stellar advice. :doffs cap: I know you're worried but don't panic. You've done OK so far! So just ask all parties what they suggest then go for it. Although my post might seam alarming it's a what could happen so you need to cover yourself and be prepared for it. They may take one look at your mum end the medical after a few mins and that's the end of it ESA awarded. Now that you've triggered the interview * Do you know which one it is for yet? It should say on the letter you got sent. * if you do not call them they will automatically send out an appointment letter once that deadline has passed. There is no "right of appeal" (in a court sense) but you'll have to get a shift on (which is why I suggested faxing the letter to ATOS & DWP) asking for them to reconsider. Although not set in stone as a rule in thumb you should look at the medical date as when you need to have any supporting evidence in. You need to allow around 2 weeks for any evidence sent to the DWP by post to get to the right place. You can also give this evidence to the person taking the medical as they are obliged to accept it, copy it and pass it on to the DWP. As said already always send a copy and keep originals safe.

Hi 5s LR :grin: