Incapacity benefit query

I was working from 1 April 2005 until I was signed off sick on 24 July 2007 and was paying class 1 NI contributions.

I claimed Incapacity Benefit and was sent for a medical which I passed and was then sent a letter saying that I had qualified for Incapacity Benefit until 2012 when I would be re-assessed. However I didn't get any money as they claimed I had not paid enough contributions. They awarded me just my National Insurance stamp paid.

I have phoned them many,many times and was told that I should claim ESA,which I did but that was also refused because they said I was already getting Incapacity Benefit.

I have rung them repeatedly but been given conflicting advice every time I phone. An earlier call said I was entitled to weekly payments as I had satisfied the criteria of having paid more than the minimum contributions,yet when I phoned again to claim this, I was told I hadn't and that they would only pay my stamps. One man told me that I should reclaim as when my original decision was taken,they didn't have the current tax years contributions taken into account,but when I phoned in the April to get this rectified,they told me nothing had changed and that Incapacity benefit rules had changed nd I still wasn't entitled to anything.

Can someone please advise me? I paid 28 contributions of stamps in 3 years before my claim. Am now told it had to be 36 contributions.( Previously I was told I had to have paid a minimum of 25 contributions)

Am so confused and every time I phone it takes over half an hour to even get through!!!!

I am sure one of the moderators will be able to help. My advice and I am sure they will agree is not to deal with the DWP over the phone, you have no record of what is said and who says it. Unless it is urgent,say regarding an appointment, always do it in writing. Even that doesn't guarantee accuracy but then you have something concrete in writing that can be checked for accuracy.

This seems to explain it:-

www.benefitsnow.co.uk/incapacity/nicontributions.asp