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Benefits

Claire01

I’m in receipt of Carers allowance & income support as I care for a gentleman friend, I’ve just lost my mum in April after 12 years of dementia, since then I crashed continually visiting the doctors, blood tests, pain in my body & very painfully headaches list is endless, just been diagnosed with stage four depression & anxiety and two blood tests abnormal ENA, going in the direction of RA lupus, had a severe anxiety attack this weekend just gone end result hospital by ambulance breathing was bad was put on 2mg diazepam, back to the doctors Wednesday this week, she was going to sign me off work but going to see how I am next, my question is of some concern as I do not know where I stand with my benefits and how I apply for esa & pip ? As I know I cannot work plus my psychologist has a care plan in place but on a waiting list

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Comments

wilko

@blaire01, Hello and welcome, I am going to inform you of the PIP benefit. PIP is a benefit to help with you daily living activities and mobility activities. To be eligible for the benefit you have to fill in a lengthy application form giving details of how your daily life is related to the PIP descriptors. When the form is sent off you will be sent an appointment for a face to face assessment a report will be sent to the DWP where a decision maker will award your amount of benefit based on the recommendations of the assessment report. If you do a self test on the benefits and Works site to see how you would fair. You can do self tests on several sites by goggling PIP self tests.

poppy123456

Hi,

New claims for Income Related ESA are no longer possible because all areas are now a full universal credit area.

As you're claiming Carers Allowance and this pays Class 1 NI contributions then you maybe able to claim New style ESA which is contributions based. However, you need to have worked and paid NI Contributions for at least 26 weeks in any complete tax year. So, have you worked at all in the past?

Claire01

Yes worked from the age of 16 now 46, been on Carers allowance & income support since 2013

poppy123456

I'm assuming you no longer work unless you're earning less than £20 per week because this is all you can earn when claiming Income Support before it starts affecting the amount you can claim.

Claire01

I’m a carer, I get Carers alliance and income support no other work that I do, I’m now unwell & not able to carry out my care duties

poppy123456

Ah ok thanks for confirming that. When i say you need to have worked and paid NI contributions for at least 26 weeks in any tax year, i mean worked for an employer or self employed and earned an annual salary. If you haven't then you won't be able to claim New style ESA, it will have to be Universal credit.

Claire01

I worked for Bank of England & bank of Nova Scotia in the city of London for 10 years in my younger years and the local council all on a annual salary, then security manager on a contract does this count ?

Claire01

I paid NI contributions & tax

poppy123456

Yes, they should count alongside your Carers allowance. You will also a need a fit/sick note from your GP to be able to claim New style ESA. It is £73.10 per week but it's only paid for 365 days unless you're placed into the Support Group.

The link here will tell you how to claim. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-style-employment-and-support-allowance-esa-claim-form

For PIP you must have had your conditions for at least 3 months and expect them to last at least a further 9 months. Expect a face to face assessment for both of these benefits and you'll also need evidence to support your claim.

You will also need to report the changes to carers allowance if you're no longer able to continue with your care duties.

A visit to your local advice centre maybe very helpful at this point. Good luck.

Claire01

Thank you for this information, I receive housing benefit to does this get effected do you know?

poppy123456

You're welcome. If you claim New style ESA then you'll remain on housing benefit. If you claim Universal credit your housing benefit will stop after 2 weeks and then be transferred to UC.

As you'll no longer be claiming Carers Allowance then you'll no longer be exempt from the benefit cap. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/benefits-cap

Claire01

Does this include council tax ?

poppy123456

You should already be claiming that. New style ESA is just this. If you claim UC then Council tax reduction isn't part of it.

Claire01

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