having to make a joint benefit claim — Scope | Disability forum
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having to make a joint benefit claim

scottish29
scottish29 Community member Posts: 3 Listener
hi there i am looking for advise on this subject as ive been giving lots of different advise from job center plus and money matters advise team within my local council. i am currently claiming Job seekers allowance and disability living allowance. my partner,friend is on employment support and disability living allowance and is looking to move into my flat with me.                from the advise i got from the organisations is that i need to claim employment support as my partner,friend is moving soon can you tell me if this is correct information or can i keep my current claim for job seekers open if this happens   

Comments

  • Nystagmite
    Nystagmite Community member Posts: 596 Pioneering


    hi there i am looking for advise on this subject as ive been giving lots of different advise from job center plus and money matters advise team within my local council. i am currently claiming Job seekers allowance and disability living allowance. my partner,friend is on employment support and disability living allowance and is looking to move into my flat with me.                from the advise i got from the organisations is that i need to claim employment support as my partner,friend is moving soon can you tell me if this is correct information or can i keep my current claim for job seekers open if this happens   


    Are either of you on income based benefits?
  • scottish29
    scottish29 Community member Posts: 3 Listener
    i am on income based job seekers allowance and my partner,friend is on employment support allowance activity group but not able to work also both on Disability living allowance indefinitely

  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering

    Hi Scottish29,

    As Nystagmite correctly identifies, if you are both on income based claims (and it seems from your replies that you are) then you need to both be on one claim.

    Exactly what claim, is to a certain extent dependent on your DLA claims. With ESA, it wouldn't be a new claim, it would be going onto your partner's claim as a second claimant (with an ESA3 form, which can be requested from the benefits agency over the phone). I mention Income Support as if either of you is in receipt of middle or higher rate care DLA, then the other could claim Carer's Allowance and Income Support.

    Jobseekers, ESA and Income Support are all possible claims, and there may be impact on any premiums you receive on any of these (if the care component of DLA is paid at middle rate or higher), however without further information I can't advise which is best.

    If you are able to respond with the rates of DLA you are both on then I could be a bit more specific, or you could seek specialist advice from an agency local to where you are.

    Kind regards,

    Mary

    The Benefits Training Co:

  • scottish29
    scottish29 Community member Posts: 3 Listener
    Hi Mary we both claim middle rate care and low rate mobility on DLA I am income based job seekers allowance and my partner friend is income based employment support allowance is think thanks Scott 
  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
    Hi Scottish29

    You and your partner have two good options as Mary has indicated. Income Support is only possible if one of you claims as a carer but this is probably not a good idea because it will reduce the amount of benefit you could get as you can only get a severe disability premium (see below) if no one claims carer's allowance in respect of you.

    That leaves JSA and ESA both as good possible options. You and your partner may be financially better off on one or the other and the difference could be up to £46.40 per week - but this will depend very much on which group your partner is in for ESA. If they are in the support group then you and your partner will actually be better off on ESA by £13 per week. If your partner is in the work related activity group for ESA then JSA provides the better option of £17.35 per week. And if your partner gets basic ESA only (i.e. assessment phase) then JSA is the better option of an extra £46.40 per week.

    There are other issues to consider in this choice. JSA requires you to be available for work and ESA doesn't. And so there is a greater chance of problems caused by sanctions in JSA. If you decide on JSA then i suggest your partner continues to tell the jobcentre that they are unable to work and claim National Insurance credits on this basis. This will protect their NI record and would mean you could easily switch to ESA should there be a problem with JSA (e.g. a sanction decision is made).

    Whichever benefit you are on you and your partner should check that a severe disability premium has been included in respect of each of you. You can do this by phoning up the benefit office and asking them directly. If not they should send you a form to get it included. It is worth up to £62.45 per week for each of you.

    I hope this helps
    David
    The Benefits Training Co:

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