ESA contribution based

Donna_07111980

Morning.
My daughter’s Nan. Is currently on ESA contribution based. She is receiving:

£90.50 - daily living expenses.

£20.85 - extra money due to a disability guarantee.

£47.70 - limited capacity to work support group.

Total £159.05

Her PIP enhanced mobility & enhanced daily living is not counted as income.

She doesn’t receive any care component no one is receiving money for caring for her.

She is currently claiming Housing benefit. Her property is social housing but she does not live in sheltered or supported housing. She has been claiming Housing benefit for a long time.

She does not get the severe disability premium as she on ESA contribution based ESA. (We believe)

I work with people in supported housing who claim a UC top up. Our residents still claim HB as they are supported housing.

My question !

If She claimed a UC top up which I believe she is entitled to would this trigger a full move over to UC? Would she have to claim UC living costs If so would she keep her legacy benefit? Or could she get a UC top up and continue claiming HB?

poppy123456

With those figures at least part of her ESA is Income Related. If it was all contributions based then her ESA would be £138.20/week.

Does she currently live alone, or treated as living alone? That means if any other adults are living with her they must all either be registered blind or claiming a qualifying disability benefit their self such as PIP/ADP daily living, DLA mid/high rate care or AA?

Donna_07111980

Ok that’s good to know. I didn’t realise it was possible to receive income related ESA as well as contribution ESA so that’s good to know.

She lives alone as a single person.

poppy123456

Then she will be entitled to Severe Disability Premium providing no one claims either carers allowance or carers element of UC for looking after her.

To claim this she will need to ring ESA and ask them to apply. The form can be filled in over the phone and should take no longer than about 15 minutes. It can be backdated to when she became entitled to it.

She doesn’t need to claim UC and if she does she will lose entitlement to SDP.

Donna_07111980

This is great news it’s very confusing sometimes , I will let her know and will try to up date u on how she gets on