Hi, my name is SAFC! Disability Premiums and UC/Income Support.

SAFC

Disability Premiums and UC/Income Support.
Hi
This is my first posting on here and I hope I am not just jumping in without any due consideration. I am really hoping someone can help me. 
I have a 27 year old Daughter who has serious mental health issues. She applied for PIP last September 2020, but the DWP mislaid her application and the process went on for a good while until she was assessed. The assessor only gave her 2 points for the care component and no points for mobility. I asked for a reconsideration. She has eventually been awarded Enhanced components of both mobility and care and backdated until September 2020. My Daughter is on UC and she has a 7 year old Son. (I assure you he is fine, as my Wife and myself have a huge input into his well being). I am not sure, but I believe her UC is paid as Income Support. I have helped her contact the UC people to see if she is entitled to a disability premium now that she has been awarded the care component of PIP, but they say not. They are saying she has to firstly be assessed for ESA. I am sure I have read that as Income Support is a means tested benefit and part of UC, then she should be entitled to the premium. I do not know, maybe I have it all wrong. The annoying thing is that she was given a telephone assessment last year, but the assessor curtailed it after only a few minutes due to my Daughter's circumstances, and said she would be back in touch, but nothing at all has come back since. I am sorry, but I do not understand all the premiums etc. Maybe they are right and I have it wrong. I just do not know what to do next. Any help with this will really be appreciated.
Thank You.

Ross_Scope

Hello @SAFC

Welcome to the community, glad to see you join us and I hope you are doing well.

Thanks for your question, the disability premiums can certainly be a confusing aspect of benefits, you aren't alone there. I find this help page to be useful in explaining the different premiums and their eligibility.

I appreciate you telling us a bit about your daughter, is she receiving all the support she needs to manage her mental health?

calcotti

SAFC said:..I am not sure, but I believe her UC is paid as Income Support. 

UC and income Support are completely different benefits. If she is on UC she is not getting IS. 

Extra bits of money in UC are known as elements. There are no extra elements payable as the result of the PIP decision.

SAFC

Thank you for the replies. Yes, my Daughter is finally receiving the help she badly needed, although it did actually take a failed serious suicide attempt as a result of her flatlining, before things began to move for her. The premiums are really confusing, but I think I now understand she will not have entitlement until she actually goes on ESA. Thank you again, much appreciated.

calcotti

SAFC said:.. I think I now understand she will not have entitlement until she actually goes on ESA. 

Again ESA and UC are different benefits. If she is being assessed under UC (the Work Capability Assessment) she may become eligible for the Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity (LCWRA) element. If applicable this is paid as an increase to UC.

The WCA for UC is the same as that for ESA.

Ross_Scope

Hello @SAFC

Thanks for your response and for telling us a bit more about your daughter. I'm glad your daughter is receiving support, do you mind me asking what the support is that she receives? I hope you are happy that she appears to be getting more help for her situation.

It's concerning to read that she made a suicide attempt, how long ago was this? I hope she no longer has those thoughts of harming herself, but please ensure that she contacts 999 if she ever feels as though she can't keep herself safe. Samaritans can also be contacted on 116 123, as can the Shout text service by texting "Shout" to 85258, if she ever wants to speak with anybody.

Furthermore, Mind have a page that lists some useful coping techniques, which she might like to read.

How is your daughter's child coping at the minute?

If your daughter ever wants to contact us directly to discuss any ways in which we could help then feel free to pass on our contact details to her . [email protected]