today I hate the DWP

I hate the DWP today, or the government, both really. Let me explain...

I have finally been processed for my ESA benefits after claiming ESA since september 2011. I am hopeful for a positive result, but as nothing has come on paper, I am still waiting. So, instead of that nice little portrait the government made of a claimaints journey on ESA where you are nicely assessed by week 13 and all is wonderful I am nearly at week 52 of my claim and waiting, waiting waiting. None of this is my fault.

Now, lets add another complex matter to the equation. My gas and electric bills. Prior to being with my current supplier I was on a benefit tariff, and I always have been on a benefit tarriff, quite happily paying 20 pounds a month to cover my gas and electric. Last summer I stopped claiming benefits (I reclaimed in September) and so switched to my current supplier, who was happy to set up the direct debits at the same amount. Now, remember, I am claiming ESA, so in olden day language I should be not very well (in modern day language I should be dying). I struggle with finances (and detailed this on my form) so I dont really know what month it is, but I am happy that all my direct debits are doing as they should.

Now, a robot should have somewhere picked up I was paying way too little for my energy, but they didn't. Perhaps I should have, but I didn't. Perhaps they should have billed me more than every six months, but they didn't. So here I am, a year down the line with 300 pounds to pay them and no real clue how. They only apply the direct debit discount yearly, which will hopefully take 120 pounds off it.

So, how does me hating the government come into all this?

Well, there is such a scheme called the warm home discount. Basically those people on eligible benefits are entitled to 130 pounds off their energy bills every year. The supplier I was with stipulated that you had to be in the ESA support or work related groups, fair enough.

So I rang them today confident in the knowledge I qualify now, and have done all year, but because of some sort of government error have only just retrospectively become eligible. (I don't have my decision on paper so I am not saying anything here) O no, the scheme closed in February, and you can't apply now, sorry.

So, thanks to the governments failings with my benefits, I am now less 130 pounds. Theres no way I can go back to february and re claim it. I wasn't entitled then. But I am now entitled, and I have been since December. Now I hope you can see why I hate the government so much. None of this is my fault, I just hope I get a bit of money with my ESA award that can be used to pay off the debt (not that I actually needed it for anything, you know.. important)