If this is your first visit, check out the community guide. You will have to Join us or Sign in before you can post.
Want to give us your opinion? Complete our annual survey.
ESA & Partner moving in advice

Hey everyone, i was really just hoping for some advice if possible please
so i currently live alone but partner is going to most likely end up moving in with me
i'm currently on ESA support group and currently receive the SPD i'm also in receipt of enhanced PIP rates
i'm aware that if my partner moves in i would loose the SDP as i would no longer be living alone, but from what i've read loosing the SDP and my partner moving in wouldn't trigger the need to claim UC
my partner isn't in reciept of any benefits and isn't disabled however from reading if he moved in with me and was working i would loose my esa support group housing benefit etc,
my partner has said they would give up employment to move in with me if that meant we could be together and finacially still survive
so from what i've read my partner would be entiled to make a claim for carers allowance once he begins providing 35 hours of care or more per week, so if we were to move in together and i phone to report the my partner is now living with me and no longer in employment and isn't employed. In theory with or without claiming carers allowance i can just state he isn't in employment or looking for work as he care's for me, while i know he wouldn't be able to be added to my ESA support group claim as he isn't disabled that wouldn't effect my claim? once they take off the SDP what is left can then be used to support me and my partner with living costs
i used the benefits calculator and currently esa is roughly around £397 every 2 weeks
housing benefit and council tax is paid for
and then i get my enhanced pip every 4 weeks
when i ran through the benefits calculator if my partner moves in claiming no benefits and employment status being caring for a sick/disabled person it stated esa support group would then be £360 every 2 weeks,
so just really to clarify this is possible to do isn't it?
many thanks in advanced
so i currently live alone but partner is going to most likely end up moving in with me
i'm currently on ESA support group and currently receive the SPD i'm also in receipt of enhanced PIP rates
i'm aware that if my partner moves in i would loose the SDP as i would no longer be living alone, but from what i've read loosing the SDP and my partner moving in wouldn't trigger the need to claim UC
my partner isn't in reciept of any benefits and isn't disabled however from reading if he moved in with me and was working i would loose my esa support group housing benefit etc,
my partner has said they would give up employment to move in with me if that meant we could be together and finacially still survive
so from what i've read my partner would be entiled to make a claim for carers allowance once he begins providing 35 hours of care or more per week, so if we were to move in together and i phone to report the my partner is now living with me and no longer in employment and isn't employed. In theory with or without claiming carers allowance i can just state he isn't in employment or looking for work as he care's for me, while i know he wouldn't be able to be added to my ESA support group claim as he isn't disabled that wouldn't effect my claim? once they take off the SDP what is left can then be used to support me and my partner with living costs
i used the benefits calculator and currently esa is roughly around £397 every 2 weeks
housing benefit and council tax is paid for
and then i get my enhanced pip every 4 weeks
when i ran through the benefits calculator if my partner moves in claiming no benefits and employment status being caring for a sick/disabled person it stated esa support group would then be £360 every 2 weeks,
so just really to clarify this is possible to do isn't it?
many thanks in advanced
Replies
If they claim CA you will get a carer premium added to your ESA but the CA they receive will be deducted from your ESA.
Does your partner have any savings? If more than £6,000 between you that will reduce your benefit entitlement. More than £16,000 and your means tested benefits will end.
Overall I would expect that with ESA and CA you would be getting about £45/week more than just your ESA at the moment. I haven’t done a calculation to check it but that seems to be what your calculator calculation is saying.
I would not expect your Housing Benefit to change.
you will need to tell Council Tax and will lose your single person discount. If you are getting Council Tax Reduction that will increase with the increased Council Tax liability.
my partner doesn't have any savings, but just to double check i wouldn't of thought my partner would've been able to be added to my claim as they aren't disabled and wouldn't want putting into a work related catagory or anything like that as they wouldn't be looking at going back to work due to taking up my caring needs and that i would loose my benefits if they went to work so that wouldn't be a possiblity, also given that the old style of ESA doesn't exsist anymore and has been replaced with a work focuses tax credits equvilent wouldn't trying to claim as a couple in my pre exsisting income related support group claim and my partner not being in receipt of benefits or being disabled and would have only just left their job trigger if they move in then force a switch over to universal credit given that the old style of esa doesn't exsist anymore being a legacy benefit?
i didn't think they'd add my partner to my claim if they move in as from a generalised standpoint they wouldn't of been entitled to it given they are not disabled?
according to the calculator housing benefit states it will stay the same i think they'll automatically still pay some form of council tax benefit just they'll likely be more to make up every month additionally to put towards it,
just to clarify if my partner was to move in and not claim carers allowance instantly i can still say my partner is not looking for work as they are caring for me, so aren't looking for employment or jobseekers allowance etc and then eventually in time put a claim in for carers allowance, kind regards
if they move in but do not claim Carer’s Allowance you must still inform ESA and it will be be recalculated based on your joint circumstances. If they are working that might end your ESA claim depending on hours and income. Do you know if any of your ESA is contribution based?
They will not be expected to do anything as a partner on your ESA claim because they are not the claimant.
For example hyperphetically if my partner was to move in next Wednesday hand in his notice tomorrow he's currently furloughed due to covid if he's due anymore money from handing in his notice would that indefinitely mess up my benefits ESA claim if under furlough they assed his final pay check as being anything over 16hours?
The 16 hour permitted work rules not relevant for a partner.
and if he was to move in for example later on this week i'll have one month to inform esa that my partner has moved in, it's just with my partner being furloughed at the moment i think they're paying him slightly more then general so if he was to hand in his notice and move in with me i'd have to make sure it didn't be worked out at him working more then 16/24 hours per week wage before he was to move in otherwise i'd loose my esa despite he will have handed in notice to leave employment permently, thank you for all the advice as well calcotti i really appreiciate it :')
You should tell them as soon as he moves in. The basis of you claim changes on the day you become a couple.
When you inform ESA about your partner they will ask about employment status and earnings. Do you know how much they take home at the moment?
Your existing ESA is £197.60/week (including SDP).
If your partner moves in with no income you lose the SDP and ESA drops to £180.50/week.
If your partner moves in and is claiming CA our combined ESA and CA will be £218/week (ESA £150.75 and CA £67.25). Only £20 more than your existing income (not the £45 I suggested in an earlier post - apologies for that).