Hi, my name is Kelly78! Am I entitled to ESA?

Kelly78

Hello to all of the 'SCOPE' Community ♥️

My name is Kelly & I'm new to the site, hence, please be gentle & bare with me 😅!! Xx

Bluebell21

Hello @Kelly78 Welcome to the Community from me too. I hope you enjoy your time on the forum. Any questions just ask.

Do you have any plans for today? Take care.

luvpink

@Kelly78

Hi and welcome to the community.

Albus_Scope

Heya @Kelly78 and it's a big ole welcome from me too.

So what brings you here today? If you need help with anything, please just ask away and we'll all do our best to support you.
Or if you just fancied a light hearted chat, or a few easy games, I'd recommend checking out the coffee lounge and the games den.

Kelly78

Hello and thanks for the kind welcome messages. I do, however, need some help/advice re: ESA Claim.

I have been awarded higher rate for both aspects of P.I.P. for 'X' amount of years. When I married back in Sept 2018, I thought/was told,I had to cancel my ESA as I was now married!?!?

My sister married the previous year but to my dismay, she carried on claiming, still is. We are finding it so hard to make ends meet, especially as our daughter is at Uni & living at home (which we wouldn't have any other way).

I just want need to know, 'AM I ENTITLED TO ESA' or not??

Thankyou for reading my novel😂. Kxx

Rosie_Scope

Hi @Kelly78, were you on income related ESA? Or was it contributions based?

Whether you'd be entitled to any benefits would usually depend on whether your partner works and how much they earn. If you apply for any income-related benefits like Universal Credit or Income-related ESA, you would be assessed as a couple so your partner's income and savings will be taken into account.

You could try using a benefits calculator to see if you're still entitled to anything:

https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/

That might be a good way to work out whether there's anything more you could be claiming as a couple to help you get by 😊

poppy123456

You will only be entitled to New style ESA now if you've worked at some point in tax years 2021/22 and 2022/23. If you haven't then you will not be entitled to payments.

When you got married in 2018, this wasn't a change of circumstances that would have ended your ESA if it was Income Related. What would have affected it would have been living together. If your ESA was Income Related then it would have taken into consideration your partners circumstances as a couple. If they were working at that time there would have only been a £20/week disregard for earnings, after that the ESA would have reduced £1 for £1.

If your ESA at that time was contributions based or New style then a working partner would not have affected that claim.

Same applies to your sister. If her partner is working and he ESA is either contributions based or New style then this won't be affected by a working partner.

If you haven't worked in those tax years you can check entitlement to Universal Credit. You will need to make sure you put both your details into it because you'll need to claim as a couple. When you fill the benefits calculator out and you put your partners details into it please make sure you tick that they care for you and then it will include the carers element of UC in the calculation. (assuming no one else claims that or carers allowance for looking after you)

Back in 2018 when your ESA ended, do you know if your NI credits continued? It would be worth finding out if they did because if you were in the Support Group at that time then you'll be entitled to the LCWRA element of UC from the start of your claim.

Hope this helps.