ESA benefit payments: Re-tests axed for chronically ill claimants (UK)

Lounge
1

Tens of thousands of people claiming the main benefit for long-term sickness will no longer face repeated medical assessments to keep their payments.

Work and Pensions Secretary Damian Green said it was pointless to re-test recipients of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) with severe conditions and no prospect of getting better.

More than two million people receive ESA, which is worth up to £109 a week.

The move has been welcomed by charities supporting those with severe illness.

Michelle Mitchell, head of the MS Society, described it as a “victory for common sense”.

I wonder how this will effect those of us with mental illness who have been described as having chronic and life long conditions.

1 Like
2

A friend mentioned that the article refers to chronic conditions “which can only stay the same or get worse” and that that would rule out many people with mental illness.

Been seeing psychiatric services since late 1973. By all realistic definitions I’m chronic, but no doubt the Tories will move the goalposts so it looks as though this helps a lot of people when it doesn’t.

3

Nice permanent benefits lovely

4

I think we need a clear definition of ‘chronic’. Is it “Unlikely to improve at all” ,or is it " It’s a life long condition"?
If it’s the former then to my mind it plays fast and loose with the definition.