ESA and Pension

marc777

I put in a new online claim for CB ESA on 9/9/24 and have also sent off my fit note which is for 91 days. I reach retirement age on 20/12/24 and know my claim for ESA will stop then. (i am currently receiving PIP, and my wife is my full time carer) I am wondering how long this process will take, as it seems by the time I have filled in the forms, and had an assessment, it will be time to retire. Does anyone have any advice or experience of this?

poppy123456

If you have the correct NI contributions in tax years 2021/22 and 2022/23 then there will be entitlement to New style ESA. Assessment rate is £90.50/week for 13 weeks. If placed into the Support Group payments would increase to £138.20 from week 14 of your claim. However, unless you've asked for your ESA to be backdated to a maximum of 3 months then your ESA will end before payments increase due to you reaching state pension age just before that date.

Is your wife younger or older than you? if younger are either of you claiming any other benefits other than PIP and carers allowance? If so which ones please?

marc777

Hi Poppy, thank you for your reply. I haven't received a reply from ESA yet. I was just wondering if they will make me do all the form filling in and assessments if my claim will end before payments would increase? It seems a waste of their time.

My wife is younger and we don't claim any other benefits as she won't claim UC due to anxiety issues on attending interviews. I am hoping to return to part time work in the new year.

poppy123456

You will automatically be referred for a work capability assessment and the form will be sent out to you. If you don't return the form you could be found fit for work for failing to return it. If this happens your payments will stop. Forms are usually sent out quite quickly after claiming ESA.

With regards to UC as your wife is your carer she will have no work commitments anyway. If you claim UC once you reach state pension age then your pension will be deducted in full. Her carers allowance will also be deducted in full.

What PIP award do you have?

marc777

Ok thanks, I get standard daily living and enhanced mobility.

If they ask me to attend a f2f interview I would have to refuse as I am unable to walk at the moment. My first op, after being on the waiting list since January is on 22 Oct, so hopefully my mobility will improve after that.

Roll on December when I can retire, and next year when I can work again.

Albus_Scope

Heya @marc777 and welcome to the community.

I can see you've already been getting some top support, but I thought I'd pop in and say a quick hi. 😊

marc777

abouttoretire. I suppose it's just the one size fitd all way the DWP works. It would make far more sense if retirement age was flagged and they didn't send out forms within 13 weeks of retirement. It would save the claimant time and the department time and money.

I still haven't heard anything about my claim which was done online. It'll be 2 weeks on Monday. Do they call, text or send a letter?

Can anyone tell me which number to call if I don't hear anything?

poppy123456

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/911669#Comment_911669

It's not unusual for it to take quite a few weeks after you first start your claim. You will be contacted in due course. You will eventually receive an appointment for a telephone call to agree to your commitments, which will just be to agree to report all changes.

Once that's done you'll receive a decision letter in the post telling you whether you qualify for payments or not.

They very often send out the ESA50 form quite soon after first applying so you may also receive that shortly in the post.

marc777

Thanks Poppy. I initially got a text from them on 09/09 saying they received my claim and fit note and will contact me within 14 days and not to contact them so I was just wondering.

marc777

poppy123456

Sometimes it can take longer than the 14 days they advise you.