Contacting ESA by phone regarding SDP.

redrose3

Yesterday I tried to ring ESA about an IS10 form for DWP sent me in the post.  I posted it back to the DWP  2 weeks ago.
I was in a queue for almost 2 hours until 6 pm , the closing time for the phone line, so I hung up.
What I am concerned about is will the security information that I had to give prior to being placed in a queue have had any affect on my fortnightly ESA benefit being continued to be paid to me.

OverlyAnxious

Hi,

The security information is just to ensure you are who you say you are.  There won't be any adjustments made to your claim from that alone.

I've heard that phoning early in the morning, as soon as they open, can give a shorter wait time but they are obviously extremely busy at the moment as well as understaffed.  Personally, I'd wait until the next ESA payment and hope that the extra has been added by then to save another lengthy call on hold!

janer1967

Hi @redrose3 elcome to the community. Phoning them and giving security information will have no affect at all on your claim or payment.

As in regards to your form 2 weeks isn't a long wait these claims take quite a while to look at so if the call was just about timescale I wouldn't worry too much 

woodbine

Hi @redrose3 welcome to scope, as above the details you gave will have no effect on your claim, SDP is one of the easier premiums you either qualify or you don't and if you do it might be in payment before you get a letter telling you it is. I assume you get the care element of PIP or mid rate/high rate care of DLA and that your ESA is income related and no one receives carers allowance for you? and that you love alone or any adults you live with also receive PIP/DLA ?
If you still need to talk to them then the advice above about phoning early is sound.

redrose3

Thanks for the replies.
I get ESA IR and PIP daily living and care and my wife also gets PIP daily living and care. She also gets CA for caring for me. If I have understood the online government information correctly,  I should get the single rate of SDP payment because of the CA received

leeCal

I wouldn’t phone the dwp after four pm frankly. Certainly never at five pm ish.

woodbine

@redrose3 sorry thats incorrect, assuming you have a joint ESA claim? because your wife claims CA for looking after you then you can't claim SDP, however if your wife stopped claiming CA you could claim the couples rate of SDP £133.90 per week in addition to your ESA and both your PIP payments

redrose3

@woodbine, I am confused now.
While searching for information when I received the IS10 form  on SDP,  I came across a forum post on another site - one that is used by CAB,  benefit advisory agencies, etc.
Here is the link https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/14615/#68964

This linked post is querying SDP and the answer is quoting ESA Regs regarding SDP.
Also I did not request the IS10 form, the DWP just sent it to me, would the DWP have sent it out to me if I am not eligible for the premium?

woodbine

Have had a quick read of that link and it seems to bear out what I am saying, one other point is that you cannot claim ESA and CA, so if both you and your partner are receiving the care element of PIP and a joint ESA claim financially you will be better off claiming the couples rate of SDP which will add £133.90 a week to your joint ESA, so I refer to my earlier answer that perhaps your OH would be better off closing the CA claim.
I know its complicated, and i'm not sure why the DWP sent the IS10 form out, they don't always get it right.
But please speak to either the DWP or maybe welfare rights.
Although we aren't now not that long ago me and my OH were in a simlar situation joint ESA claim both on PIP and had the couples rate of SDP as a top up.
Have a read of the gov.uk link
https://www.gov.uk/disability-premiums/eligibility

redrose3

I have found some more information for couples and SDP.
Here it is
https://www.medway.gov.uk/downloads/file/3657/severe_disability_premium_eligibility_-couples

woodbine

Without downloading that pdf I assume it says that if both partners get PIP care then they can claim the couples rate of SDP, as i suggested in earlier post?

redrose3

It says that if both are claiming PIP daily living and no one is receiving CA for either then couples rate SDP is paid.

And if both are getting PIP daily living and just the claimant or partner has someone receiving CA for them (even if living in the same house),  then single rate SDP is paid.