iScot Letters

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Dear iScot

As someone with several health conditions which cause a measure of disability, I wanted to share a recent experience with iScot readers. But first, I’ll make some relevant points. The disability benefit called Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is devolved now to the Scottish Government. Its purpose is to meet the extra daily living expenses incurred in coping with disability. Employment Support Allowance (ESA) is the other main disability benefit which is aimed at getting the disabled into gainful employment and comes complete with Work Coaches with whom you meet regularly to plan and agree work-related steps such as entering unpaid work experience stacking shelves at Poundlands, and similar exciting opportunities. ESA is reserved to Westminster.

ESA is the passport benefit to other help such as council tax reduction and housing benefit. ESA is being phased out as Universal Credit is being phased in. Universal Credit is reserved to Westminster, except for the housing benefit element which is devolved. Not too complicated then, UC merely requires patience as it takes some months for your application to be processed, during which time you receive no payments. PIP claimants undergo a health assessment once every 2.5 years. ESA claimants normally undergo a health assessment annually. There are some horror stories now going around of what is happening to those who have had to claim UC.