Widowed Parents Allowance

amandadee

I do not get payments on Universal Credits and I have recently been assessed for ESA and been put in the support group for ESA but have been told I do not get any payments there either.  I have a pension from my late husband and I am in receipt of Widowed parents allowance. I was under the Impression there would be no cap under my circumstances regarding widowed parents allowance and that payment would not be included in the calculations or deductions when working out ESA. I have no clue about benefits at all so could really do with some help.
Thank you in advance

Robert46

Hi Amandadee, I'm not an expert but it's understood anyone on ESA Support Group would get payment regardless of private pensions....dont ever give in..keep fighting for it

amandadee

Thanks Robert46
That's what I was lead to believe and I cant understand this at all. Who would it be best to take this up with? Would you know?

poppy123456

Robert46 said:

Hi Amandadee, I'm not an expert but it's understood anyone on ESA Support Group would get payment regardless of private pensions....dont ever give in..keep fighting for it

Hi, sorry but this isn't exactly correct.

amandadee

Hi Poppy123456
Could you explain how this works as I'm struggling to understand.

Thanks
Amandadee

poppy123456

Hi and welcome,

I'm one of the community champions here on scope and i'm here to help and advise others.

Your widowed parents allowance is counted as income when claiming ESA.

Your late husbands pension will also be classed as income if your ESA is income related. If your ESA is contributions based then any pension of more than £85 per week will reduce your ESA by 50p for every £1 over that amount.

Hope this helps.

Robert46

I'm not an expert, I just wish I could truly help you

amandadee

Thanks Poppy123456

Do you think it's worth me claiming contribution based then as I have full stamp for the last few years through self employment and employment?

poppy123456

Which ESA are you claiming, is it New style ESA?

poppy123456

poppy123456 said:

Which ESA are you claiming, is it New style ESA?

Ok, your widowed parents allowance is classed as an overlapping benefit for your ESA so it doesn't matter whether you claim the New Style ESA or not, this means that you can't receive both of these benefits together.

If you're claiming Income related ESA, which is unlikely if it's a new claim then your widowed parents allowance will be classed as income and reduce it £1 for £1. Hope this helps.

amandadee

I think so, I put a claim in for Universal Credit when I lost my job through illness and they sent a health questionnaire for ESA

I'm completely list with how ot all works though

amandadee

Lost with how it all works 

poppy123456

Ah right, i see you claimed Universal Credit and had a work capability assessment. Either way, i'm afraid your widowed parents allowance will reduce your UC £1 for £1. Also your late husband pension will also reduce is even further and this is the reason why you won't receive any payments.

poppy123456

May i ask how much the widowed parents allowance is per week please?

amandadee

Its £112 per week

poppy123456

That means that because of the overlapping benefit rules with New style ESA i'm afraid you won't be entitled to claim that either. This is because the widowed parents allowance is more than the New style ESA and you would only be entitled to claim the one.