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

W348

No, they have not claimed SDP yet.

Only myself received the IS10 SDP form a few days after my PIP decision letter.

I thought it best just to do the form myself, keep it simple, cross my fingers that goes fine. And if from my form and extra paper they determine my mum and brother might also be eligible then I figured they may post out forms for them as well.

I could print forms for both of them but I don't want to overly complicate things. I thought I should probably tackle each one separately and give them the opportunity to send additional forms first after looking at my form and paper.

I'm not sure I can help my mum with pension credit, we tried for this last year when it was suggested on TV to apply and select a 3 month backdate for some additional payment. That all went horribly wrong. The form asked for savings at the time of the 3 months back date, and current savings at the time of form claim date.

She got a decision letter where they wrongly added both amounts together and doubled her actual savings. Shortly after she got a housing benefit letter demanding bank statements. This was a stressful time and particularly difficult as she doesn't do online banking and we had to travel further out the area to a bank, with disabilities, to go and get these. It was a pain is putting it mildly. Anyway, they got their photocopies by email and we never heard from them again. Not even a follow-up letter to confirm everything is OK afterwards, which I found particularly annoying.

I'm not confident she will want to try and apply again as it was so difficult last time, I think she would rather go without any additional help than have to go through all that again.

W348

I will add that thanks to her PIP the household has not been struggling with rising costs.

I am annoyed by the situation though as I consider myself quite capable with the form filling, and it still got messed up. It makes me sad to think if she was living alone that she would still get treated in this way. I was really rather disgusted by the tone of that housing benefit letter, particularly being addressed to a pensioner with disabilities.

W348

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

Hi @poppy123456,

You mentioned you'd like to hear back when I habe an update regarding SDP.

I have not received any letters yet but have had an unexpected amount in today labeled as ESA. So I assume it's the backdated SDP.

Do you know if they are likely to send SDP forms out for the others who live with me? I am pretty sure my brother would also get it.

My mum I am a little more confused by as there are different types of pensions.

I thought best let things settle a week, give chance for my letter to hw up - I presume they would write to me regarding their SDP decision, right?

Does the extra income from SDP have any impact on housing benefit? I just want to know if I should be informing any departments of SDP income.

Many thanks Poppy for all your help!

poppy123456

@W348 that's great news! Thank you so much for remembering to come back to update me, it's appreciated.

Yes, you will receive a letter regarding the SDP telling you it's now included with your ESA and you'll likely receiving another breakdown letter for your ESA.

No, you do not need to inform housing benefit regarding this because I believe the housing benefit is in your mum's name anyway and there's no non dependant deductions.

Regarding the forms for SDP for other members of your family, it's unlikely that they will send one of those out unfortunately but you never know.

Not sure what you're referring to with the "different types of pensions" for your mum. SDP would be included with Pension Credit for your mum so if she doesn't currently claim this then she will need to put a claim in for that first. Sorry but I can't remember if you said she's already claiming it. If she doesn't then please be aware I do know that there's substantial backlogs with Pension Credit claims at the moment.

W348

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/914680#Comment_914680

Thanks poppy. Yes housing benefit is in my mum's name and me and my brother are non dependants.

I am not too sure with regards to pension. If I explain what's go e on you maybe able to srtermine what she's on.

I know she moved from ESA to state pension when she was fhe age to do. I don't know what the proper name for this is called, I assume State Pension. Not sure.

I did try to help her apply for something called Pension Credit Guarantee last year but this was refused due to them bizarrely doubling her savings in their decision letter. This was not correct.

As of now the type of pension she is on will be whatever people go on when moving from ESA. Do you think this means she can also claim SDP?

W348

determine*

poppy123456

When her ESA ended it would have been State Pension she claimed. SDP not not paid in with State Pension. She needs to apply for pension credit, which she will be entitled to now due to the addition of the SDP because this will be included in the PC calculation. She can apply online for PC. See link.

https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit/how-to-claim

W348

@Poppy123456 I finally got my letter which just outlined the new ESA amount with SDP included.

They did not send any additional SDP forms for those living with me. I'm going to print the IS10 form you shared previously and help my brother to fill this in.

I think I might have asked this question already but I couldn't spot it when scrolling through. Should my brother expect a backdated SDP payment based on when I was awarded PIP, or will his payment dates just start from when they receive his form?

Would it be helpful for me to include a letter for him where I remind them I was recently awarded PIP, and as such I think my brother was also eligible from the date the PIP initial application phone call was made for me.

poppy123456

It will be paid for your brother from the start of your PIP award. You do not need to include a letter for your brother because they will check everyone that lives with him, the same as they did for you.

W348

@poppy123456 Just wanted to pop back here and ask as ended up missing the post today anyway, so wanted to rake the weekend to double check this.

Regarding the IS10 form you previously linked, at the top of this there's a box for a reference number. My guess is this will be for his NI number, and then write in his name and address at the top.

On the front letter as well we ticked the box for 'change of circumsrances' as the reason for the getting the form (due to my own recent PIP and SDP award).

I took a photo of my own form and envelope before I posted it, so I still have the address to hand that my brothers form would need posting to.

poppy123456

No, that reference number is not for his NI number. There should be a question on the form that asks for his NI number. Leave the ref number blank. Yes tick change of circumstances.

To be clear your SDP award is irrelevant, it's your PIP award that matters. Though you don't need to tell them that because they will check anyway.

W348

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/918366#Comment_918366

Thanks poppy. Glad I checked in here, phew will make sure that ref number box is left blank then.

I don't recall a question about his NI number but will give the form a second look tomorrow. Either way we'll get his name and NI added to the top of each page just to be on the safe side. If I remember correctly I think the form they posted out to me had my NI number already printed on each page.

W348

I think I may have asked a similar question with regards to PIP, but I wasn’t sure if this maybe different for ESA/SDP.

I just want to avoid getting myself into any trouble.

With my backdated PIP and SDP payments I have had a lump sum of over £3000. I recall reading backpay is disregarded for a year or something, does this apply to both PIP and SDP backpay?

Since the PIP backpay I’ve now had 2 monthly PIP payments, and recently received my first fortnightly ESA with SDP included.

I’m used to coping only with ESA on its own for years, so a little overwhelmed.

I’ve not really spent much at all. I’ve been meaning to try and attend opticians and dentist which should eat into a chunk of it.

Do I need to worry about spending on other things like furniture, or should I only be spending on health related things?

poppy123456

Lump sums from benefits that are owed are all disregarded for 1 year from the date you receive them.

For dental and eye tests those will be free from the NHS because your ESA is income Related.

You can spend your money on anything you want to.

W348

I mentioned the dentist specifically because I know our dentist was NHS a few years back, but now they are fully private. We have our names down with another local NHS dentist but that’s been a year with no contact.

I know we meet the requirements for NHS dental treatment as before, but getting that treatment seems impossible. It’s not so bad now with the extra income. I wasn’t sure if opticians might have gone the same way, not been for years, perhaps they’re not as bad as dental situation.

I was just worried about it building up too fast before I get chance to do anything constructive with it. If I move out and have to pay for all the bills and food at my own place then this would keep it manageable.

I was worried that if I don’t spend it fast enough that this could get me into legal trouble. I don’t do well with talking and socialising so obviously want to avoid this.