Contribution or Income based??

ka12345

Hi Everyone, im new here. So thankyou for allowing me to join.
Im recieving ESA currently, my query is this... ive looked at the paperwork the DWP sent me telling me approving me for ESA but I cant work out what type im getting.
How do u find out which u have and what evidence can i use to show my new dentist.
Its all very confusing!
TIA
K

poppy123456

Hi,

Have you recently applied for ESA? and were you previously working? If it's yes to both of those then it will be New style ESA you're claiming and this doesn't qualify you for any NHS treatment.

There's the NHS low income scheme but you'll need to fill out a form for this and wait for the decision. https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-low-income-scheme/hc2-certificates-full-help-health-costs

Chloe_Scope

Hi @ka12345 and a very warm welcome to the community, how are you doing?

Silver925

Hi you could give DWP a ring and ask them to confirm it for you the number should be on the letter they sent.

Silver925

If you get Income Related you can request a proof of benefits letter from them saying it's IR and an ongoing claim to show your Dentist. But if you have just applied it probably is New Style ESA if it was Income Related you would now be claiming Universal Credit. There letters are sometimes difficult to understand. Take Care.

poppy123456

Silver925 said:

 if it was Income Related you would now be claiming Universal Credit. There letters are sometimes difficult to understand. Take Care.

This isn't correct sorry. Not everyone claiming Income Related benefits will be claiming UC. Managed migration hasn't even started yet and most likely won't until at least next year. There's still many thousands of people who still claim all the old Income Related benefits like ESA/JSA and Income Support, myself included.

Silver925

I thought any new claims for means tested benefits were now having to claim UC instead. I am still on IRESA and am hoping to be part of managed migration.

Silver925

I thought the person asking the question had just got a new award for ESA.

poppy123456

Silver925 said:

I thought the person asking the question had just got a new award for ESA.

As the person hasn't returned to answer my previous questions then no one knows what it being claimed or whether it's a new claim or not.

ka12345

Hi everyone, sorry busy day at the doctors. I have been claiming ESA for 14 months and stopped working an 8hr contract, two months before claiming although i usually did more hours.

poppy123456

If you live with a partner that works then you're most likely claiming either Contributions based ESA or New style ESA and none of these will qualify you for free NHS treatment.

To qualify for free dental treatment you need to be claiming Income Related ESA, if you're still not sure which you're claiming then you'll need to ring DWP to ask. Please don't claim for free dental treatment until you know for sure which you're claiming,

If it's not Income Related then you may still qualify for the NHS low income scheme but you'll need to apply for the HC2 form and wait for a decision before receiving treatment. Use the link above to apply for this.

ka12345

Hi, Poppy im single and live with parents at the mo. But I'll give DWP a ring on Monday AM just to make sure. If no joy, I'll try for the HC2 form. 
Thankyou for your help everyone, very kind 😊

poppy123456

May i ask which group you're in WRAG or Support Group? If It's Support Group do you receive £111.65 per week? if so then this is New style ESA or Contributions based ESA and doesn't entitle you to the treatment.

ka12345

Hi poppy ive checked online and im on income related ESA and im in the support group 😊

poppy123456

May i asked how you checked online because it's not possible to do this for ESA.

ka12345

Hi poppy,  you can check if u need or are allowed a HC2 cert. Online and if so do it all online. So i started answering all the questions until it asked me which type of ESA i have. It had an above section entitled 'Im not sure which type I have'. I selected that option and it gave me some very helpful info including the wording used for either option and mine all matched up with income related. 

poppy123456

I will advise you to be 100% sure that you're receiving income related because if you claim for free dental treatment or anything else then you will end up with a fine.

As you're in the support group, is the amount you receive £111.65 per week or more than that?

ka12345

127.15 but it does say 'your income related entitlement is'

poppy123456

That's Support Group Income Related, which means you're entitled to free NHS treatment.

I just wanted you to be completely certain before claiming anything, these ESA letters are confusing and the wording doesn't always mean what you think it does because of the way it's worded.

ka12345

It was awfully confusing but i also wanted to be 100% 
Many thanks for your help 

poppy123456

Yes indeed it is. You're very welcome

Chloe_Scope

Hi @ka12345, I'm glad you managed to sort this, and thank you @poppy123456 for helping.