ESA to DLA/PIP?

jeanieg
jeanieg Community member Posts: 2 Listener
edited December 2016 in Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
At the moment I am on ESA but have been told that my COPD is now level5, should I apply for disabilty instead ?

Comments

  • Sam_Alumni
    Sam_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,605 Championing
    Hi @jeanieg welcome to the community and thanks for your question.

    I don't think anyone here can tell you if you should or shouldn't apply for disability benefits, but if you choose to, here is a little bit of information.

    Following the introduction of PIP, DLA is a benefit to help support children under 16 with care and mobility needs, so if you were to claim something else it would be PIP.

    You can read all about PIP here including a PIP self test and how to claim. 

    Disability Rights also have a list of all the things you can possibly claim. 

    Best of luck to you and I am sure there will be other members along soon who can give their experiences.
  • millymoo
    millymoo Community member Posts: 1 Listener
    Hi you can claim BOTH benifits ....pip is for helping you with your illness......hope this helps ...chrissy

  • WaterLily
    WaterLily Community member Posts: 55 Contributor
    Yes you can claim both benefits. 
    ESA is a benefit that you can get for an illness or condition that prevents you from working, whereas PIP is a benefit for how that illness or condition affects your day to day living. 
    Some people can work and still claim PIP, some can claim ESA and not be entitled to PIP. It all depends on your personal circumstances. 

  • jeanieg
    jeanieg Community member Posts: 2 Listener
    I am just finding it all so confusing as I was told I can only claim ESA for one year and as my condition is getting worse I thought I should claim for disabled instead

  • Sam_Alumni
    Sam_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,605 Championing
    @DebbieVoakes do you have any information that could help? 
  • Debbie_Alumni
    Debbie_Alumni Community member Posts: 932 Empowering
    Hello @jeanieg,

    It sounds as though you might be receiving contributory ESA and you're in the work related activity group or you haven't been assessed and are in the assessment phase?

    People in receipt of contributory ESA and who are placed into the work related activity group can only receive contributory ESA for 52 weeks. After the 52 weeks has ended you can make a claim for income related ESA but this is means tested and if you're living with a partner who is working 24 hours a week or more or you have savings over £16,000 you won't qualify.

    If you're assessed and placed into the support group, you can continue receiving contributory ESA for as long as you continue to qualify for the support group. There are no time restrictions for people in the support group.

    It's definitely possible to claim PIP alongside ESA and @WaterLily explained perfectly the differences between the two benefits.

    If you need some more information about this please do let me know.

    Best wishes
    Debbie

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