DWP backpay

Karenja

I have just been reading about the DWP backpay for those who were not awarded ESA Income related topup on their ESA contribution related. I too have been sent a form and need to get it in by Saturday but I am confused over the savings thing. I did not go over the amount stated until this year when I was awarded PIP and got a large back payment into my account, which sent it over the amount they state , it having never been over that in the entire time they ask for information from, in my case 2012. Yet in the proof of savings they only ask for the last bank statement. So this shows im over the amount, yet for the majority of that time previous I was not. I can;t now (I've left it late partly as I did not at first realise the form was asking for information for so far back) get the bank statements in time for all those years to enclose with the form, only copies of the current one, so am not sure what to do. Does anyone know. I wanted to get it off today but am so unsure am leaving it till tomorrow and hoping thats not too late - has to be there by Saturday.  Do I just sent the current one as asked and say actually it's not been over for most of the historical period, but that I cant send the bank details at present, or what? Sorry in bit of a panic, been trying to get them on the phone and no one has answered for over half an hour. Thanks

poppy123456

Hi,

The backpay you had from your PIP claim is disregarded for 52 weeks for means tested benefits. When you send them bank statements they will see that the payment going into your bank was from PIP because it states this on your statement.

Karenja

Thank you I didn't realise this. So I presume if I take that back payment off my overall money it should reflect what I really have in the account - and they will do the same, and base my 'savings' on what would be left without that - but presume they'd count the later payments? Unfortunately I never caught the post so will have to trust the form goes tomorrow okay. However I also presume I must explain the above to them, otherwise they will claim they don't know that the amount I have in there is PIP back pay related? 

Karenja

(I meant to say that this is because I can't send them all the bank statements yet or with the form).

poppy123456

Yes they will take the backpay off your savings because it's disregarded for 52 weeks. If you're owed money then you will receive it but it can take as long as 12 weeks to hear back from DWP with a decision.

Karenja

I'm not too worried about that, am used to their delays, but thank you for the heads up re that. So hopefully as long as I explain all that in the blank section at the end, and send off the statements I have or can get hold of for now, either hyst the last month's statements or covering hopefully the period when the back pay was awarded to show how it went up then, that should be okay and they won't need the statements for the previous six years? Would they not themselves have their own records about my being awarded PIP for the first time this year and it being back dated plus the amount? I'm not going to ring them again - I was over half an hour waiting for the call to be answered, which I don't think is right.

Karenja

sorry - just not hyst..i have severe wrist arthritis and hard to type accurately sometimes.

poppy123456

They will most likely need bank statements for the whole of the time you're claiming for. As the Income related top up is a means tested benefit they won't just take you word for it, they will want to check that you were entitled to it at the time. Other household income, such as a partner working and pensions etc will also be checked.

Yes, there's always a delay for them to answer the phone. I rang ESA myself last week and waited 45 minutes while that silly music was playing...perfectly normal. We're not the only ones ringing.

spamvicious

Sorry to hop onto your thread but didn’t see the point of starting another one on the same subject. I am disabled and receive DLA and ESA income related. I’ve lived with my mum for two years as I have severe depression.

My mum has been unable to work since 1990 and has been receiving DLA since then. She was also on Incapacity benefit until she was put on contributions based ESA in 2013. She has now received the form to show she is owed money as she should be on income based ESA.

Our benefits are completely separate as of course were related but not a couple. Her housing benefit reward has me listed but as a nill contributions. Will us living together effect her back payment?. 

poppy123456

spamvicious said:

Sorry to hop onto your thread but didn’t see the point of starting another one on the same subject. I am disabled and receive DLA and ESA income related. I’ve lived with my mum for two years as I have severe depression.

My mum has been unable to work since 1990 and has been receiving DLA since then. She was also on Incapacity benefit until she was put on contributions based ESA in 2013. She has now received the form to show she is owed money as she should be on income based ESA.

Our benefits are completely separate as of course were related but not a couple. Her housing benefit reward has me listed but as a nill contributions. Will us living together effect her back payment?. 

Hi,

Your benefits are totally separate to each other. Household income from living with a partner/savings/capital and income from pensions are all things DWP will look at when assessing for Income related top up.

May i ask what DLA award do each of you have? and do either of you claim carers allowance for looking after each other, or does anyone claim carers allowance for either of you?

spamvicious

poppy123456 said:

spamvicious said:

Sorry to hop onto your thread but didn’t see the point of starting another one on the same subject. I am disabled and receive DLA and ESA income related. I’ve lived with my mum for two years as I have severe depression.

My mum has been unable to work since 1990 and has been receiving DLA since then. She was also on Incapacity benefit until she was put on contributions based ESA in 2013. She has now received the form to show she is owed money as she should be on income based ESA.

Our benefits are completely separate as of course were related but not a couple. Her housing benefit reward has me listed but as a nill contributions. Will us living together effect her back payment?. 

Hi,

Your benefits are totally separate to each other. Household income from living with a partner/savings/capital and income from pensions are all things DWP will look at when assessing for Income related top up.

May i ask what DLA award do each of you have? and do either of you claim carers allowance for looking after each other, or does anyone claim carers allowance for either of you?

Hi. Neither of us claim carers for each other or anyone else. I get middle rate care and lower rate mobility. And my mum gets middle rate mobility and lower rate care. Also she doesn’t get a pension as it was pushed back.

poppy123456

Is it just the 2 of you living together and no other adults over the age of 18 in the house? If so then you yourself should be claiming the severe disability premium on top of your ESA. This is an extra £64.30 on top of your ESA, providing no other adults live with you.

If your mum qualifies for the Income related top up (and i cant advise if she does or not) then she should also claim the SDP on top of her ESA.

SDP explained in this link.

https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/severe-disability-premium

If you're not already claiming it then ring ESA and ask to claim the SDP by filling out the IS10 form over the phone. If they won't do it over the phone ask them to send you the form. It can be back dated to the date you qualified.

spamvicious

poppy123456 said:

Is it just the 2 of you living together and no other adults over the age of 18 in the house? If so then you yourself should be claiming the severe disability premium on top of your ESA. This is an extra £64.30 on top of your ESA, providing no other adults live with you.

If your mum qualifies for the Income related top up (and i cant advise if she does or not) then she should also claim the SDP on top of her ESA.

SDP explained in this link.

https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/severe-disability-premium

If you're not already claiming it then ring ESA and ask to claim the SDP by filling out the IS10 form over the phone. If they won't do it over the phone ask them to send you the form. It can be back dated to the date you qualified.

Hi we have asked about SDP but been told that we cannot have SDP because you need to live alone to be entitled to it. It’s just me and my mum in the house. 

poppy123456

You've been advised incorrectly. If you live with another adult you must both be claiming a qualifying benefit such as DLA mid/high rate care, PIP daily living or AA. As you both claim Mid rate care DLA you're entitled to the SDP. Ring ESA tomorrow morning.

Your mum won't be able to claim this until she's assessed for the income related top up. Once she's assessed if she's entitled to the top up she can then claim the SDP.

spamvicious

poppy123456 said:

You've been advised incorrectly. If you live with another adult you must both be claiming a qualifying benefit such as DLA mid/high rate care, PIP daily living or AA. As you both claim Mid rate care DLA you're entitled to the SDP. Ring ESA tomorrow morning.

Your mum won't be able to claim this until she's assessed for the income related top up. Once she's assessed if she's entitled to the top up she can then claim the SDP.

Ok thank you. I will request a form as I’m hearing impaired so wouldn’t be able to do this on the phone. 

Karenja

I don't mind you hopping on at all spamvicious - in fact it's given me some extra valuable information about that other benefit I didn't know about, thank you, via Poppy123456 - who I must thank again for all the information so far. I think I will have to send my form in with just the bank statements that I can Poppy - getting hold of six years from your bank is known to take some time and I genuinely didn't see that the period of information required went back to 2012 initially - so I'll just have to send those later..I risk losing out if I don't get the form in in time, even if not everything there (though actually they only ask for the last statement on the form - but I know what you're saying). 

Karenja

Update from a Facebook group I'm in - they say that PIP money cannot be taken into account when assessing your income anyway, not just the PIP back pay - is this true? So even the money from PIP after the back pay has to be disregarded as savings too. Can you confirm this please? Thank you.

poppy123456

PIP isn't means tested but it will still be classed as your savings. However, the back pay you had is disregarded for 52 weeks, like i said.

Karenja

Thank you for clarifying about PIP as part of my savings - I did wonder if that was right or no. And any ESA I/R would be disregarded too as it would be their mistake? And if I got it, I could then apply for the Severe Disability Premium? Apologies for asking so many questions, but it takes a while for new information to sink in. 

poppy123456

No problem. Yes, any back pay is disregarded for 52 weeks for means tested benefits.

For the SDP you'll need to wait for the decision on the income related top up before applying for this. Once a decision's been made you can then apply.

Karenja

Thank you. I think I'll have to leave them to work that all out then, as the ESA I/R could go back six years! Really grateful for your help this evening, and I will send the form and as many statements as I can (won't be the whole six years yet as they'll be another few days coming in the post) from the bank tomorrow just so that I can get it in in time.