Severe Disability Benefit

RuthyO

Hi there everyone can anybody advise me, I've just found out I'm entitled to SDB, I have the enhanced benefit from PIP, The BIG question is, will I get it backdated from October.

Thanks for taking the time to advise me 

poppy123456

Hi,

Do you mean severe disability premium (SDP) if so then what other benefits do you claim please?

The criteria for this is you must be claiming daily living part of PIP, live alone or be classed as living alone and no one must be claiming carers allowance for looking after you. As well as claiming a qualifying means tested benefit.

RuthyO

My benefits include PIP Enhanced living allowance and ESA contribution benefit

poppy123456

If your ESA is all Contributions based then unfortunately you won't be able to claim the SDP. May i ask if your ESA is New style ESA?

RuthyO

I'm not sure but I spoke to the benefits office and she filled out the form asking what I had in my PIP, so I said enhanced daily living lve checked other help lines like Turn2Us they calculated it that I should qualify 

RuthyO

you're entitled to income-related ESA, you'll get an extra £16.80 a week, called the Enhanced Disability Premium. ... If you were getting apremium during the assessment phase as a carer or someone with a severedisability, this will continue.You can claim contribution-based ESA for as long as youneed it.

poppy123456

The benefit calculators are usually correct if you put all the correct information in. It can take 4 weeks for DWP to make a decision, once it's made they'll send you a decision letter.

RuthyO

I should here within 5 days, I've already made an appointment with my local CAB just incase they say I'm not getting it backdated

poppy123456

It should be backdated to the start of your PIP award, providing you qualified at that time.

Adrian_Scope

Hello @RuthyO and welcome to the community. Please let us know how you get on when you hear from them.

RuthyO

Please help, I'm so confused, I've made an appointment with my local CAB, if I've been on PIP since 2017, last year they awarded me the Enhanced Rate.
How far back can they backdate it, is it correct I could have been entitled to the Severe Disability Premium when my PIP originally started.
Back in 2017 I only received the Standard rate. I'm also on ESA contribution based 

HELP and Thanks Ruth

poppy123456

The premiums are not paid on contributions based benefits. If you were entitled to any of the premiums at that time then DWP will assess you for this. If you were entitled to the SDP when your PIP claim started then it will be backdated to that date.

There's really nothing more you can do until DWP make a decision and that can take up to 4 weeks, depending on backlogs.

RuthyO

Thanks for that, can I ask you another question, may hav asked before, memory is terrible since being hospitalised because of my mental health, I was awarded PIP on 31st January 2017 at the standard rate, will I get my SDP when MY PIP started, also got the enhanced rate for on Oct 2018 sorry Poppy I know I've repeated myself, but any help is appreciated, my Bipolar makes forget things. Thanks again Ruth

poppy123456

You only need daily living part plus the other criteria needs to apply at that time. If you were entitled to the income related top up at that time then it will be backdated. I really can't give any other advice because it will totally depend on your circumstances at that time. DWP will assess you then write to you with a decision.

RuthyO

Thanks again Poppy, I really appreciate it, I'm getting myself all in a tizz, CAB tomorrow, so they will sort it out for me. Xx

RuthyO

I have just been in contact with the DWP and have been awarded SDP...... And it has been backdated I can't be happier and thanks for all your support and and advice, I can now go out and BUY A CAR YAAAAH.

poppy123456

Great news!! Enjoy your car!

RuthyO

Thank you very much for your advice, my backdated sum is in excess of £6500 I'm still in shock, I've never seen that amount in my account,!!!

poppy123456

Enjoy it. The good news is, it's disregarded for 52 weeks for all means tested benefits, which means you can spend it on anything you want, without any issues.

RuthyO

So if I have more than £6000 in my account, does the DWP need to know

poppy123456

The backdated money you received is from the DWP so they already know and it's disregarded for 52 weeks. If you had more than £6,000 before you had that money then they would need to know. You should have been claiming that SDP 2 years ago which is why it's disregarded for 52 weeks.