Hi, I'm Shamus123! I claim ESA WRAG, but read that this should end after 1 year? Should I be in SG?

Shamus123

Can anybody shed light on my situation. I'm disabled and claim pip , esa work related group and have been for several years , I have recently read that work related should end after one year? I'm confused as I thought I was or should be in the support group. Sorry I'm not very good with all this so any help/advice would be very appreciated . Many thanks.

Shamus123

Hello, all hope everyone is keeping safe.

lisathomas50

@Shamus123 I could be wrong but it may be because your being moved over to universal credit I am not sure if this is the right answer 

It may be best to give esa a phone call and ask them  why 

Other people will reply that may know 

chiarieds

Hi @Shamus123 - & welcome to the community. Benefits are confusing aren't they?

If you look at how much you're being paid for ESA, this should tell you which group you're in, which is likely the support group if you've been getting it for several years, but always best to check. The payments are:

up to £74.35 a week if you’re in the work-related activity group
up to £113.55 a week if you’re in the support group

Does that help?

lisathomas50

@Shamus123 why do you think that you will be comeing off it after one year ?

chiarieds

@lisathomas50 - I don't believe that's what he said, rather correctly, that if someone's placed in the work-related activity group then this is paid for 365 days; if placed in the support group payments continue.

Shamus123

Exactly 365 days and work related should end. I do not think its transition to universal as I haven't been informed.

lisathomas50

@chiarieds sorry  it was because he said he had read that it came to an end after a year 

My mistake 

Adrian_Scope

Hi @Shamus123. Did you see @chiarieds comment about the amounts helping to identify which group you're in? You're quite right that contribution-based and New Style ESA are capped at a year for those in WRAG but it's my understanding that there isn't the same time-limit on the old-style income-related ESA. 

calcotti

If you have been claiming ESA for several years then your ESA is likely to be income based ESA. There is no time limit for income based ESA. The 365 day limit only applies to WRAG for contribution based ESA or new style ESA.

Adrian_Scope

Thanks @calcotti, that was worded much more clearly than my attempt to explain!