ESA Contributions Based In Support Group

gomonacco6768

Hi All 
Could anyone offer me any advice?

2011 I was in receipt of Incapacity Benefit,
I received a letter stating I was  being moved to Employment Support Allowance Contribution Based & placed in the Support Group.
Would my husbands self employed earnings be considered relevant?
I am inquiring because I’m confused between the difference between Income related & contribution based.
Should I continue filling in the ESA3 form or  sign & return to the DWP as I may not be entitled to make a claim because my husbands self employed wages would be classed as relevant. 

Regards gomonacco

poppy123456

Hi,

Contributions based isn't means tested, which means that a partner working, savings and capital won't affect the amount you can claim. This is why you're still claiming your Contributions based ESA.

Income related is means tested and a partner working, savings and capital will affect the amount you can claim.

Yes, you're husbands earning will be taken into consideration when assessing for any income related top up. He will be allowed to keep the first £20 per week, after this his earnings will be counted £1 for £1 and be deducted from any income related top up.

If he's always worked then it's highly possible that you won't be entitled to any backdated money. You can of course fill the form in with all the information and DWP will assess you. If you're sure you're not entitled then sign the form stating this and return it.

Hope this helps.

gomonacco6768

Poppy123456
Thank you for you kind assistance I’m new to this so please ignore my repetitive questions ?

poppy123456

You're welcome.

gomonacco6768

Most kind ?

gomonacco6768

However, as my husbands working hours won’t affect my entitlement to Contributory ESA SG Which is based on my national insurance contribution record is it okay to request an ESA3 form to make a backdated claim? 

poppy123456

A backdated claim for what? The ESA3 form is for the Income related top up. If your husband was working the whole time then you won't be entitled to any backdated money, as advised.

gomonacco6768

Thank you poppy123456

poppy123456

No problem.

I think you're misunderstand what i said. You're claiming Contributions based because it's not means tested and your husband working doesn't affect the amount you can claim because it's contributions based, you can continue to receive it for as long as you remain in the Support Group.

The ESA3 form you receive is for DWP to assess you for the Income related top. Any Income Related benefit is means tested and for ESA this means that any money your husband earns that's over £20 per week will be deducted £1 for £1 for the Income related top up. So, if your husband earns at least £40 per week then this will reduce the Income related top up to zero. This is because the income related top up was approximately £14 per week in 2011 and has increased slightly each year since then and since April 2019 the income related top up is £16 approximately per week.

Of course if your husband wasn't earning any money from working or claiming an other means tested benefit in his own right since 2011 then fill out the form with both of your details and DWP will assess you. If he has been working since 2011 then it's very highly likely that you won't be entitled to any backdated money.

DWP are contacting everyone that transferred across, even if you're not entitled to anything. There has been people that have had a decision and haven't been entitled to anything. Hope this helps you to understand it a little more.

gomonacco6768

You have explained this point extremely well. Thank you ☺️