If this is your first visit, check out the community guide. You will have to Join us or Sign in before you can post.
Receiving too many notifications? Adjust your notification settings.
ESA Confusion

Hello to all,
Despite searching everywhere I can for this information, I am still baffled. I'm hoping some kind and knowledgeable person will know the answer.
I am pension age with a 42 year old Aspergers son living with me. As he is a non-dependant the council deduct approx £5.00 off my Council Tax benefit per week. They say he is 'contribution - based ESA'. If he was 'Income-related ESA' they would not make the deduction. He also gets PIP daily living (not enhanced).
On his letter it states his payment is 100% Income-related yet makes reference to 'contribution-based' which is totally confusing.
Please see their exact wording from letter below (not up to date award but same wording). Can anyone tell me if he should be considered as 'contribution-based' (as Council claim) or 'income-related'. Thank you so much.
Despite searching everywhere I can for this information, I am still baffled. I'm hoping some kind and knowledgeable person will know the answer.
I am pension age with a 42 year old Aspergers son living with me. As he is a non-dependant the council deduct approx £5.00 off my Council Tax benefit per week. They say he is 'contribution - based ESA'. If he was 'Income-related ESA' they would not make the deduction. He also gets PIP daily living (not enhanced).
On his letter it states his payment is 100% Income-related yet makes reference to 'contribution-based' which is totally confusing.
Please see their exact wording from letter below (not up to date award but same wording). Can anyone tell me if he should be considered as 'contribution-based' (as Council claim) or 'income-related'. Thank you so much.
The Employment and Support Allowance Award
The payment of Employment and Support Allowance payment is based on your National Insurance
Contribution records and any additional amount the law says you need to live on.
Your living expenses £73.10
Limited capacity for work addition
Extra money because you are in the support group £38.55
Which gives a total Income-related amount £111.65
Income and Benefits
No income will be taken off your Employment and Support Allowance
Your Income-related amount is £111.65 so you would have been
entitled to £111.65
However, because you are entitled to contribution-based Employment and
Support Allowance we will pay you £111.65
Replies
Thank you Poppy,
He has no partner. Yes, his current amount is £113.55. That wording was from an older letter but same as current. He also gets PIP – not enhanced. No other income.
So, it does look as if he’s contribution-based and yet the wording clearly states ‘ ‘your income-related amount is £113.55’ which is 100% of it.
Having researched my particular council policy – they make the deduction if he’s ‘CB but not if IR.
Thank you for your help.