On ESA and contemplating partner moving in Help!

June96

Hey my name is June, i currently live alone and i'm currently in recipt of Income related ESA in the support group of which i also get the SDP and on pip at the enhanced rates, so as a result i get the full amount of housing benefit  paid despite being under the age of 36 or whatever it is to now claim a one bedroom rate of HB, 

me and my partner have been contemplating the possiblity of them moving in with me from what i know if my partner was to move in with me i am aware i would quite likely loose my SDP as i would no longer be living alone my partner upon moving in with me would no longer be working as a result as moving and would then be taking over/on my caring responsibilities so would be looking then to make a claim for carers allowance so wouldn't be looking for work, on that basis does anybody know what if anything i'd be entiltied to claim/ have left to live on as a end result if my partner was to move in with me? and does anybody know if that would automatically initiate/ trigger a need to claim UC instead? and if so would that be a automatic transfer or a need for a brand new claim and a new work capability assesement, 

Kind regards  

woodbine

Run it all through a benefits checker @june96 and welcome to scope:

https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/AboutYou

calcotti

You can remain on income based ESA. It is not a ‘trigger’ which would require you to claim UC.

As woodbine suggests, try running it through a benefits calculator - I think you will find that your combined ESA and CA income is only about £20 more than your existing ESA award.

Your PIP is unaffected. You would still get full Housing Benefit.

June96

hey thank you both for the responces i really appreciate it, it's just i've heard several horror stories regarding having a partner moving in when the other person isn't disabled etc, as i thought it was having the severe disability premium is what stopped the dwp by forcing you to switch over to universal credit the benefit caps etc, as i would loose the SDP if my partner was to move in, would my partner be best putting a claim in for carers allowance prior to moving in? otherwise wouldn't they consider him to be looking for work otherwise? i know my money would go down from what it is as i get the premium for living alone but that would be topped back up by the carers allowance if what i'm thinking is correct?

calcotti

As suggested use a benefits calculator. As in my previous reply, if you are living together, I think the combined income of ESA and CA will only be about £20 more than your existing ESA but I haven’t checked that with a calculator.

if he is already providing 35 hours of care he can apply for Carer’s Allowance but if he does you will lose your SDP even if he is not living with you so there is no financial gain. This is because one of the conditions for receiving SDP is that no one claims CA for looking after you.

Girl_No1

@June96 it wouldn't be you who received the Carer's Allowance, it would be your partner.  What I think @Calcotti is saying is your combined income is likely to be approx. £20/pw more than your individual income is at present.

The previous advice, to put your information into a benefits calculator, is probably the best advice you will receive.

calcotti

Girl_No1 said:

@June96 it wouldn't be you who received the Carer's Allowance, it would be your partner.  What I think @Calcotti is saying is your combined income is likely to be approx. £20/pw more than your individual income is at present.

That’s exactly what I meant, sorry if it wasn’t entirely clear.  It does need to be checked by using a calculator for your circumstances.