does this get to a benefits advisor?

rhinos

my partner gets pips  enhanced for  mobility and  ordinary for  living allowance.

he also has carers allowance for  our disabled son  ( who gets  dwp living and  some mobility).

he now wishes to claim  ESA ( although not work as he is incapacitated for a year.

he has three non sequitor answer pre filing his  form

1.one say s no you cant have anything- not enuff contributions
2.another his sick notice cert has expired although it has another three months on it
3, another  read your  form check details post it  back

rang to day

they say they up turned todays post decision at  no  1 above

and have awarded £74 pounds

 they can not clarify he will get a support esa which does not push him for a job-as he is to ill

they cannot  say will the carers allowance be  terminated  or not


will they give an award which is both made up  of a combo  of both
and maybe topped to an award of  £109

we cannot get  do clarity  what to accept or  reject

what cuts away at another benfit  -by how  much?

is there a top up?

any help  please?

CockneyRebel

Have you tried putting details into on line benefit calculator ?

CR

rhinos

tried but  wont let  me feed in  got  stuck at rent  

declared no rent- would not have it

Can we  go to a benefits  office-as on the phone  the  grade of  operator is very low level and cant  ever answer a question with more than one  element in it?

CockneyRebel

Can you access CAB ?

rhinos

would the  employment benefits local office  be better

seldom get thro effectively to CAB

CockneyRebel

Certainly worth a try

CR

BenefitsTrainingCo

rhinos,

Hi there. The £73.10 award sounds as if it is the award you get during the 'assessment phase', before they have decided whether your partner has to do any work-related activity or will be in the support group.

The next step will be to fill out an ESA50, if he hasn't already, and then he might have to have a medical. That decides whether he will go into the support group, and get more money as well as not having to do any work-related activity (nobody on ESA should be made to look for a job, but in the work-related activity group you can be required to do things like complete CVs and go on training courses).

I'm assuming that this is a contribution-based award, perhaps because you are already claiming an income-based benefit for both of you, or because you work?

If it is contributory ESA, it 'overlaps' with the carer's allowance and you can't get both. So I would expect CA to be terminated. However, if you are getting any income-related benefits, the 'underlying entitlement' to CA can still be useful, as it helps you to get these.

Once your partner is assessed, if he gets into the support group he'll get an extra amount, the support component, bringing the ESA up to £109.60 a week. That will be all ESA (no CA). The other good thing about being in the support group is that the contributory ESA can last indefnitely (if you're not in the support group, it finishes after a year, although I know in your post you mention only claiming for a year, anyway?).

If the claim was started on or after 3rd April 2017 and your partner does NOT get into the support group, he won't get any extra money, the award will stay at £73.10, and contributory ESA would finish 365 days from when it started.

I hope this answers your questions but please post back if it doesn't. There's a benefits adviser on the forum every weekday.

Will