Try the ESA test
From this autumn, Incapacity Benefit is being renamed , and as part of the overhaul all new claimants must complete an assessment considering their capability to work. It's a move that has proved very controversial with many disabled people, not least on Ouch's own messageboard.
Esteemed guest blogger sent me a link to the guidance and advice site, where you can try out a free that is going to be used to establish entitlement to ESA. Obviously, it won't be entirely like the real thing, since as the guidance says: "how you assess yourself and how the DWP might assess you in the future could be very different". Still, a useful insight into these forthcoming changes.
Comment number 1.
At 18th Apr 2008, MacMaddy wrote:Just listened to your latest podcast where you mentioned about the dog for the autistic child.
Since April is Autism Awareness Month I thought I'd mention that one huge factor [amongst many others] is the relationships that some autistics form with animals that can be far more powerful than with the average person.
Cheers
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Comment number 2.
At 18th Apr 2008, Peter aka Sociable wrote:A very handy tool Vaughan so many thanks to Lady B for passing it on and to you for adding it to the Blog section as well.
For those interested in checking out other details of the new ESA, including the rates which will apply from October and the detailed regulations that have now finally been published, links to these are available from the recent thread we had on the Ouch "Talk" board called: "DWP Announce the rates for ESA"
/dna/mbouch/F2322273?thread=5261567
Peter
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