Severe disability premium

krismaxwell123

Hi I’d really love some help! I’ve been claiming esa IR as a joint claim with my wife since August 2013! In April 2014 I was awarded ER daily living PIP for my bipolar and anxiety! My wife then got carers for looking after me, however in sept 2016 my wife was awarded pip MR daily living for her own condition! Last week my wife done a benefits check on all the benefit check websites and done some research and apparently we’d be entitled to couples rate SDP but at the single rate as my wife gets carers for me but I do not for her. Is this extra premium something we are eligible to have added? If so is it not best for my wife to cancel carers as we’d qualify for couples SDP without losing the money off esa they take for her being my Carer? I’m really baffled and would love some help thank you

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

mikehughescq

Short answer is yes. Minus the CA you’d be eligible for double SDP. 

Longer answer is to think carefully. If one of you gets reassessed and loses, even temporarily, your DL, then you’re left with one lot of DL and having to make a claim for CA. Some people opt for the stability of knowing that the CA is in place to tide them over.

krismaxwell123

Thanks mike! So we’re best off having the single rate SDP and keeping the carers! With regards to our PIP my wife will definitely not lose hers as it’s for PTSD, depression, and anxiety! Really she should have the enhanced rate if I’m honest! Am I right I’m think the SDP should have been paid from when my wife was awarded her PIP?

mikehughescq

I’m not saying that. I’m saying it’s a personal decision and there’s no such thing with PIP as “definitely will not lose”.

Yes, should be in place from the date PIP was awarded.

poppy123456

krismaxwell123 said:

Thanks mike! So we’re best off having the single rate SDP and keeping the carers! With regards to our PIP my wife will definitely not lose hers as it’s for PTSD, depression, and anxiety! Really she should have the enhanced rate if I’m honest! Am I right I’m think the SDP should have been paid from when my wife was awarded her PIP?

No one can say they definitely will not lose their PIP, as it's not given for life. Everyone will be review at some point.

In the meantime you would be better off canceling the CA claim and claiming couple rate for SDP. Don't think about the future, think about now and how much better off you'll be claiming couple rates SDP. If one of you loses your PIP award in the future, you can just re-claim Carers Allowance, no big deal. Why would you want to claim SDP single rate and CA when you're worse off doing it this way.

krismaxwell123

Sorry that came out wrong! We both had reviews just a couple month ago that’s all! Think I’ll be taking your advice and cancel carers then! Will wait to see if we get the single rate first though as I’ve heard DWP can be funny and that’s the last thing we need!
 Thanks for the input has made a complicated process that little bit more understandable, really appreciate the advice

CockneyRebel

Hi krismaxwell

In some cases you can claim carers allowance for each other. It would be wise to get f2f advice from CAB or similar.
 As a couple, my wife gets PIP enhanced both, I get standard care enhanced mobility, both in SG. Last year put in a CoC for IR ESA. We now get SDP couples and Carers Premium x 2

CR

krismaxwell123

Forgive my ignorance but I thought you could only have one or the other? No wonder people don’t know what they’re entitled to lol

CockneyRebel

Carers allowance consists of two parts, CA and CP. It is complicated and it took the CAB to sort it for us
If you can both meet the care requirements, try the on line calculator again entering for both

CR

krismaxwell123

Thanks cockney rebel really appreciate your advice and time! I’ve got an appointment at welfare advice tomorrow so will chew their ear more! Makes me feel money oriented but why shouldn’t we get it if it’s available 

mikehughescq

It’s not complex. You can have double SDP if neither claim CA or if both claim CA but get no payments of it because it’s only an underlying entitiement e.g. because it can’t be paid with RP, contribution based ESA etc.

krismaxwell123

So if you are receiving CB esa you can have SDP and C.A. but IR one or the other? Sorry I just still don’t get it if I’m honest

mikehughescq

Contributory benefits overlap with each other and certain others like CA. You get the highest.

krismaxwell123

Still confused! Wish I had your know how. 

Thanks guys ill I’ll relay this to welfare advisor see where that takes me! 

appreciate all your help thank you so much 

krismaxwell123

Hi guys just been onto phone to esa! Managed to speak to a manager who had informed me that SDP was entitled at the start glen rate going back to 30/9/2016 and that it will be sorted within a week!
Also advised that I have an underlying entitlement to carers that I didn’t know about and that I‘ll get a carers premium on top also which is backdated to October 30th 2017!
Thanks so much for all your advice and help this is going to make such a difference thanks again everyone

mikehughescq

Excellent news. Happy to have helped.