Received an odd letter from DWP, regarding a reduction in my ESA

ESABenefitsUK123

I just got a letter from the DWP, regarding my ESA.  Basically it says -

From 13 April, I will get £225 a week.

But from 27 April, I will get £149 a week.

The letter explains that the reduction is because of a change in money coming in.  That's odd, because there is no change in money coming in!

There is an additional page explaining this -

Your income-related amount is £225 less total income of £0.00

So, they know I've got no income coming in.  Does anyone know what the DWP mean by this letter please?  Thanks a lot.

poppy123456

That amount suggests it's the SDP. I note from a previous thread that you're currently claiming PIP. Is your PIP award due to end in April 2023? If so then this will be when there's a deduction in your ESA from end of April. If you're currently going through a review and a decision hasn't been made by the time your award is due to end then it will be extended, therefore your ESA will just continue as normal.

ESABenefitsUK123

That's very interesting.  Thank you. 

I am on PIP (lower tier basic living allowance), but I have not received any contact from the PIP department about any kind of renewal yet.  I did receive a letter from the PIP department approximately 2 years ago, saying that the end of my current PIP award had been extended from Jan 2023 to Jan 2024. 

My rough understanding is that I should get contacted by the PIP department sometime soon-ish this year, about having my PIP renewed - presumably by me filling out form "AR1", which I am expecting soon-ish.

So, I don't know why the DWP seem to think that my SDP should be stopped.  Do you think I ought to phone them, and ask them why, because I can't think of any other reason.  Thanks a lot.

JBS2022

ESABenefitsUK123 said:

That's very interesting.  Thank you. 

I am on PIP (lower tier basic living allowance), but I have not received any contact from the PIP department about any kind of renewal yet.  I did receive a letter from the PIP department approximately 2 years ago, saying that the end of my current PIP award had been extended from Jan 2023 to Jan 2024. 

My rough understanding is that I should get contacted by the PIP department sometime soon-ish this year, about having my PIP renewed - presumably by me filling out form "AR1", which I am expecting soon-ish.

So, I don't know why the DWP seem to think that my SDP should be stopped.  Do you think I ought to phone them, and ask them why, because I can't think of any other reason.  Thanks a lot.

You will only carry on getting the SDP if you are re-awarded PIP when you are reviewed (looks like your PIP review is happening around April time) so they can't add the SDP amount until after your review if successful. You will keep receiving it until they make a decision it just won't be mentioned in the letter you received.

Kayceee

I’ve had the same letter. I’m stressing so much!!! My PIP award is due to end in November, I sent off my review in January (haven’t heard anything) but my ESA letter says the change will be from 6th April?! Do ESA know something I don’t? Help!!

poppy123456

Kayceee said:

I’ve had the same letter. I’m stressing so much!!! My PIP award is due to end in November, I sent off my review in January (haven’t heard anything) but my ESA letter says the change will be from 6th April?! Do ESA know something I don’t? Help!!

Although your PIP award is due to end in November was that the original end date or was it extended? If it was extended then the computer will not know it's been extended and it will go from when it was originally due to end. Your payments won't stop or reduce, they will continue as normal until a decision is made on your review.

Kayceee

@poppy123456 no it was due to end in January and was extended to November? 

poppy123456

Kayceee said:

@poppy123456 no it was due to end in January and was extended to November? 

Then that makes no sense. Can I just check what your ESA is being reduced to in April? Is it to the same amount as member who originally posted the thread?

Can i also ask if you have dependant children living with you? if so are any of them reaching 18 years old in April?

Kayceee

I have dependant children and they are only 6 and 10. It only gives a breakdown of what I’m entitled to up until April 23. But then the money jumps up £22 a week in April and says my husband may be asked to take part in a work focused interview. It’s a joint claim and he is my carer. 

poppy123456

Kayceee said:

I have dependant children and they are only 6 and 10. It only gives a breakdown of what I’m entitled to up until April 23. But then the money jumps up £22 a week in April and says my husband may be asked to take part in a work focused interview. It’s a joint claim and he is my carer. 

If it's telling you your money is due to increase in April then that's correct because benefits are increasing by 10.1%.

This thread is related to the SDP ending because the members PIP is due to end at the same time, so a different situation to yourself.

Kayceee

I’m sorry I think we have got our wires crossed. I get a deduction on my esa because my husband is claiming carers allowance. It’s a joint claim. From looking at it, it looks like that will stop. It isn’t a benefit increase letter

Kayceee

And reading the original question it seems the same question I asked? Not a question about pip ending and sdp at all. Thanks 😊 

poppy123456

Kayceee said:

I’m sorry I think we have got our wires crossed. I get a deduction on my esa because my husband is claiming carers allowance. It’s a joint claim. From looking at it, it looks like that will stop. It isn’t a benefit increase letter

It's because you posted on someone else's thread with a different situation to yours even though you said it was the same. The original posters ESA is reducing because of the removal of the SDP but you're not claiming this.

If the carers allowance is due to stop in April that does tell me that your PIP award was originally due to end at that time. As advised, your PIP award will continue until a decision is made on your review.

You maybe contacted by carers allowance as well telling you that it's due to end, if this happens you'll need to ring them to tell them your PIP was extended until November.

ESABenefitsUK123

Thanks everyone.  Just to say that a PIP award review form has arrived.  I'll post it off this week. 

Alex_Alumni

Wishing you the best of luck with your review @ESABenefitsUK123, keep us in the loop with how you get on  

ESABenefitsUK123

Alex_Scope said:

Wishing you the best of luck with your review @ESABenefitsUK123, keep us in the loop with how you get on  

Thanks!  BTW, do you happen to know very roughly what the current waiting time is, for waiting for a decision to be made?  Is it about 3 months, something like that?  Thanks.

poppy123456

ESABenefitsUK123 said:

Alex_Scope said:

Wishing you the best of luck with your review @ESABenefitsUK123, keep us in the loop with how you get on  

Thanks!  BTW, do you happen to know very roughly what the current waiting time is, for waiting for a decision to be made?  Is it about 3 months, something like that?  Thanks.

Waiting times for review decisions are exceptionally long. We have some members that have been waiting more than a year and still no decision. Your exisiting PIP award will continue until a decision is made. You'll likely need another assessment too because most have them.

ESABenefitsUK123

I'd like to update my original post with some new info.  Thanks.

I received my ESA payment today, and the DWP have gone ahead and reduced the amount.  I can't understand why this has occured.

I did receive their PIP renewal form (mentioned above), and I sent it off, recorded delivery.  They definitely received it.

I also sent a letter to them, shortly after receiving their ESA reduction decision letter (mentioned in my original post).  My letter challenged their decision to reduce my ESA.  I never heard back them about my letter.

It would appear that they ignored my letter, and went ahead and reduced my ESA.

Also, shortly after receiving their letter, I tried phoning them about it, but hung up the phone after waiting over an hour and half to be answered.

I guess I need to phone them again, as they don't appear to respond to correspondence.

Is anyone else having this type of problem, where their ESA payment has been reduced due to the DWP thinking that "a change of money is coming in" when it absolutely isn't?!

Thanks a lot for any comments.

ESABenefitsUK123

I'd like to update my last post (immediately above) - the one I made this morning.

I phoned the DWP, and managed to get through.  (55 minute wait, so not too bad this time.)

They got my letter (mentioned above, the one about me challenging their reduction of ESA decision), and apologised for not doing anything about it.

They explained to me that the reason why things have worked out the way they have is that their system hadn't picked up that my PIP award had been extended.

They said that they would fix this problem, and so my problem has been solved.

Thanks a lot.

poppy123456

Thanks for the update, that’s exactly what I thought had happened because the same thing happened to me. The only difference being was that I didn’t know until may ESA payment was received. 

Glad it’s been sorted now.