I have just been awared esa support group

Tucker710

Hi everyone, I have just been awarded the above, I am new to benefits and not to clued up on them. Although I have been awarded this benefit, I havent had the confirmation letter, just the phone call. My question is, do I get free prescriptions, dental treatment and free eye test/glasses etc? Also, can I claim back any dental treatment/eye test money that I have spent from the day it was back dated to? And do I have to show prove to dentist and opticians etc when I go for treatment and what other things can you get whilst on this benefit??

Thanks in advance for any help or info.

luvpink

I'm on it but I don't get anything free because mine is contribution based.

OverlyAnxious

All new ESA claims are now contributions based. (Called New Style ESA).

Income related ESA stopped a while ago, that has been replaced with Universal Credit instead.

If you're only on New Style ESA then you're not entitled to free prescriptions etc.

Kiki23

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/135394/i-have-just-been-awared-esa-support-group

You may be able to get help with the costs via a HC2 certificate if your on a low income

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-low-income-scheme/hc2-certificates-full-help-health-costs

Tucker710

Sorry if their is any confusion, this is not just normal ESA,I am in the ESA support group, I dont know whether that makes a difference to what I am entitled to!

Tucker710

I am not working, so I am not on any income since finishing work… I got the normal esa for 1 year, then that stopped, I got re assessed in november and have now been put in the support group, but even while i was waiting for them to get back to me, (I wasnt earning) I still had to pay for the things I mentioned.

OverlyAnxious

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1035291#Comment_1035291

No confusion, you are on New Style ESA which is contributions based. This means you don't have automatic entitlement to free prescriptions etc. You may still be able to apply for the low income scheme as linked above.

Support Group was available as both contributions based and income based ESA in the past. But new claims for income based ESA haven't been possible for many years. You would have had to apply for Universal Credit instead. I assume the reason you applied for NS ESA is because you have too much in savings to claim UC. If you have less than £16k in savings, and aren't getting income from any other source, then you can apply for UC, which could top up the ESA that you get.