ESA/PIP/SDP - Confused by new ESA letter.

W348

I have a discussion ongoing in the PIP section where I was recently awarded PIP. Poppy helpfully mentioned I could also claim SDP. *Attached confusing ESA letter below for convenience.

I was sent the SDP form automatically which was a great relief as I struggle with verbal communication, and I hate to have to resort to asking family to make phone calls for me.

This SDP form got delivered to me today, as well as another letter. If I am reading it correctly then I think they are saying they have switched me from income related ESA to contribution ESA.

I am thinking this is malicious and done deliberately to try and block me from claiming SDP.

Maybe it's nothing and I am just overthinking things. Either way, I would greatly appreciate some extra opinions on this before I fill in the SDP form.

Many thanks.

poppy123456

That tax year they've used, how long have you been claiming ESA? It doesn't look like any part of your ESA is contributions based. This is another one of those ESA letters that make no sense, which often happens.

I can confirm that your ESA is definitely Income Related due to the amount and the fact that it also includes the Disability Income Guarantee, which is otherwise known as Enhanced Disability Premium.

I would assume you've been receiving that amount since the April increase, is that correct?

Once you've claimed SDP then it will increase by £81.50/week. I'm glad they've sent the IS10 form too!

W348

Oh thanks poppy for reassuring me on this. I was so convinced they tried to screw me over, as the letter seems to reference national insurance contributions.

While it doeen't say they've actually switched me, I vaguely recall you mentioning something about contribution based ESA not be being able to get PIP. If I am remembering correctly.

At first I thought the mentioned tax years were a typo, the first and last job I ever had was in 2004… highly confident this was Sept to Nov 2004.

It was just very strange timing with the ESA and SDP letters arriving immediately after successful PIP claim that that made me panic and assume this was some sort of malicious attack. I was a little more paranoid that this was dodgy because whoever sent this did not put their name at the bottom either.

I'll do a couple of photocopies of this blank IS10 form, and to keep things simple I guess it's best to just post my own form only off for now. I should expect a backdated payment too (like with PIP), is that right?

I'll fill the form out Sunday and give myself a break, have someone post it Monday recorded delivery. I'll update on SDP when I hear back - or if it goes silent for a long while with no decision.

*To try and keep things a little tidier/simpler on here, it's probably best I continue to use this thread for ESA/SDP concerns, while this process is just getting started. And wrap up any PIP concerns or my other thread.

Thanks again.

OverlyAnxious

I reckon it is a typo. Meant to be 2023 and 2024.

poppy123456

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/902516#Comment_902516

That's what I thought at first, in fact I did read it as exactly that until I read it again and realised that it wasn't lol.

@W348 As you last worked in those tax years then it makes perfect sense that would be the years they checked when you first claimed. ESA letters usually mention Tax years, even if you ESA is all Income Related.

For the avoidance of doubt, even if you were claiming contributions based ESA this wouldn't exclude you from claiming PIP, you misunderstood me there. If you were claiming New style ESA this would exclude you from claiming the SDP.

Benefits are a minefield and very complicated.

The letter from ESA was sent due to your new PIP award, which prompted the calculation. It's good that they are on the ball sending out the IS10 letter because they don't always do that.

Out of interest, was the IS10 form the same as the one in the link I provided on your other thread?

I would appreciate and update once you hear about the SDP, thank you. I wouldn't expect there to be any issues with you being entitled to that based on the information you've given.

Yes, it will be paid from the start of your PIP award at £81.50/week.

W348

Poppy, my bad I forgot to answer your question regarding how long I have been on ESA, which was the first thing you mentioned in your post.

I know the job was a 13 week thing that the jobcentre found for me. I finished it in early Nov 2004. That was the last time I worked, how quickly I moved from JSA to ESA, I am not too sure. Given the job ended in early Nov 2004. It's possible I may have been on JSA until the new year, I am not too sure.

I struggled a lot though that job and after that job, so I think I would have been on ESA within 4 months of fi fishing there. Best guess.

Also, I just checked my bank app my ESA was previously £298.10 as of 8th April, the next payment 22nd April shot up to £318.10 and has remained at that ever since.

I did get paid ESA on Friday just yesterday which I thought was strange, that payment landed the same day as that weird ESA letter and SDP form arrived. Usually I get it Mon/Tue, occasionally a Saturday if there's a bank holiday.

Please let me know if this raises any red flags for you.

poppy123456

If your ESA was due to be paid on Monday 26th August then it’s correct that you received it yesterday due to the bank holiday. My carers allowance was due Monday and I received it yesterday.

I don’t see anything odd about the letter you received or your payments and everything seems fine to me. I think you’re overthinking this.

Please try to relax.

W348

Thanks for that reassurance poppy, that ESA letter threw me off.

I am just looking at the SDP form now before trying to fill it in. It doeen't look too daunting.

There's one question I don't quite understand though.

Regarding people I live with - who as previously discussed claim PIP DL themselves.

The question is: Do you or your partner pay them any money for food? It then wants to know how much.

I'm confused because it specifically mentions food in the question. Me and my brother chip-in, we pay what we call 'house-keep', which goes towards bills - not just food. But yes, technically it's also for food.

Is this some sort of trick question?

poppy123456

It's not a trick question and I think it's relevant in some situations but it's not relevant to you because you all claim a qualifying disability benefit. Although you should answer it anyway.

W348

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/902855#Comment_902855

OK, it's just the way the question is worded suggesting food only. If it said for food and utility bills, it would be simpler.

I will get this filled in tonight and posted tomorrow. I might pay a little extra for a tracked service just so I know it arrives.

I can't recall if we discussed previously, but do you think they will also backdate the SDP payments to the date of my PIP award? Do I need to include a copy of my PIP award for this?

Thanks

LIVEDANDLEARNED

I’ve never heard of SDP before, who qualifies for that?

W348

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/902871#Comment_902871

Poppy made me aware of this while discussing my PIP claim. My understanding is I qualify for this because I am on income related ESA and I became eligible following a successful PIP application with a daily living award. You need to be considered as living alone, or if you love with others they need to also meet the same criteria.

Like yourself I was also unaware of PIP. I may be rusty on the details but if you go this link

https://www.gov.uk/disability-premiums/eligibility you can scroll down to read about Severe Disability Premium, and the eligibility.

poppy123456

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/902871#Comment_902871

It's only payable when claiming the old legacy benefits such as Income Related ESA, JSA, Income Support and Pension Credit. If you're claiming Universal Credit Or New style ESA it's not payable with this.

W348

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/902539#Comment_902539

Sorry, I've only just spotted your post from yesterday. I notice sometimes when I make a post they don't show right away. Perhaps it wasn't there before or I accidentally scrolled past it.

I see you have answered my most recent question in this post regarding SDP being backdated. Thank you for clarifying this.

Regarding the SDP form I have just compared the form they posted to me with the one that you linked. It's mostly the same. All the same questions, just formatted slightly differently. Your linked one is more convenient actually, the one they posted to me only has a box for 1 additional person living with me. And says to add extra people on additional paper. Your linked one includes 3 boxes for extra people.

poppy123456

It's no problem. It's very easy to miss comments, especially if you post at the same time as another person or you're typing a comment and you post it and the page hasn't refreshed. It happens to me all the time lol.

It's good to know they were similar at least. It wouldn't have mattered if you had used the form I linked to, just for others to know if they read this.

W348

I remember last night it's a bank holiday so not sure if the Post Office is even open today to post my SDP form.

It'll get posted tomorrow - but I wanted to take this opportunity to ask you if I should include a letter with it, or is that not necessary?

I thought it might be helpful to include a photocopy of my PIP award with the backdated dates mentioned. Is that recommended to ensure they don't overlook backdating it. Is there something I should write in a letter to help with this?

Given that they sent me the SDP forms following my PIP claim, I imagine they are well aware of these dates already.

poppy123456

Yes, it's a bank holiday, that's why your ESA was paid on Friday. instead of today.

You don't need to include a letter because all the information they need will be in the form. Or your PIP award because they will already know what your PIP award is and when it's dated from.

All you need to do is post the form back. It may take about a month, potentially a little longer to hear anything.

W348

Posted SDP form last week but just having some doubts if I might have messed it up.

The form only had space for one additional person you live with. I wrote on another piece of paper and included both extra persons 1 and 2 on this. I said their PIP rates like the form mentions, and I also put down that one is on ESA and the other State Pension.

The form didn't ask for that extra detail on other benefits but I thought it would be helpful, and if it was a phone call (can't cope with that) I figured they would probably ask - so thought I should just write it down.

I think I did everything reasonably well, the main concern that's dawned on me is that I wrote 'State Pension' as the other person's benefit alongside their PIP. I'm not sure if 'State Pension' is the correct term to use, did I get the names mixed up? I've also heard of 'Pension Credit' before, as well as 'Pension Credit Guarantee'. I know it's not the Guaranteed one because I tried to help apply for this last year but it got messed up as their decision letter bizarrely doubled the savings amount. But that's a while other can of worms I don't want to get into just now.

I am just concerned if I got the pension type on the SDP extra paper mixed up that this might have a negative impact. Did I mess this up?

poppy123456

They only need to know if they are claiming disability benefits. What else they are claiming isn’t relevant.

To be clear as your mum is over state pension age she would be claiming her State Pension. Pension credit is a means tested benefit, which she may not be claiming at the moment.

I’m sure you did the form correctly, it’s quite straight forward.

W348

Thanks for that reassurance.

I was worried if I wrote the State Pension type down wrong that this might be a problem. I wasn't sure if it might be like ESA where if it's not a certain type then SDP doesn't apply.

poppy123456

You're welcome. Has your brother applied for SDP? What about your mum? If she doesn't already claim pension credit then she will need to apply for this and the SDP at the same time.