Deductions, pensions, Carers premium stopped for no reason ... advice and help please

Apollo14LMP

Hello all,
Feeling very stressed and really unwell now ...

I posted recently about my pensions deductions from my ESA.

I was right that the DWP are deducting too much ... 11.00 a week too much.

I rang to speak to ESA this afternoon = time to answer 1 hour plus really stressful !

Got cut off, I heard as part of the call during the wait / intro that my ESA has been reduced to 201.52 per fortnight ... did not understand this ...

Got put through after an hour to Bootle call centre - handler sounded really fed up not too helpful.

She told me my pension deduction was now correct at 55.03 weekly.  

When I asked why my payment had gone down so much .. it appears that the DWP staff in processing after I spoke to them had removed ONE carers premium off the 77.70 I used to get weekly.

Come to think of it when I was discussing the pension issue on the phone last week - they seemed interested more in my C Premium than the pension.

I have not change of circs at all, the only change was a small increase to 55.03 pension.

Bootle told me today that I was now on CB ESA ????

Can anyone help me I dont know how I can live with the OH on this pittance.

I am also worried that the change will affect my cost of living payment already sat here cold  ... 

Can anyone offer any advice why they would stop one of my C Premiums. I care for my OH and she cares for me I get PIP EHN she gets full old dla .... 

I believe that due to this I am consigned to CB ESA .... ?? 

This is what I get now ...

Living exp              121.05
Ext money carers     38.85
Ext DIG                    25.35
EXT SG                     40.60

                             225.85

Other income 

Occ pension           55.03
Carers for wife       69.70
                            124.73 in total


so,    225.85 - 124.73 = 101.12 

Can anyone help me dont wether to MR them - complain not that they care, or what to do ....  cannot cope much more my PTSD is off the scale ... 

They say they ring you back - totally ignore you ... waited days to sort my pension .. then rude and obstructive... 

I have no changes that warrant the removal of CP that I need to tell them ... 

Thank you ... any advice really helpful ... thank god for people who post here as that DWP and government are not helping me - pushing people to the edge they are.

My crime is being ill in the UK were I have paid tax all my life .... 

poppy123456

If your total ESA amount per week is £101.12 per week then this is Income Related and not CB based. If your ESA was CB then you would be receiving £117.60/week. I don't understand why you were advised that it's CB.

The deductions seem correct if your pension is £55.03 per week. You will still be entitled to the £326 cost of living payment.

Apollo14LMP

Its CB- because the have made a mistake and removed one carers premium of 38.85 a week ... another mess ...
Been on the phone all afternoon ...
Spoke to a nice lady who said looks like they messed up again. ... consistent twice in two weeks now ! 
Absolutely shattered scared to ring them ... cant get nothing right.
If i owed them money be sure they would have raised overpayment ! 
Truly awful ....

calcotti

Your ESA is likely both CB and IB. An amount for an individual personal allowance and the Support Group being CB. Everything else IB.

If your ESA was entirely income based you would be being paid Carers Allowance,

Sounds as if you should still be getting two carer premiums.

———
Do you have any other adults living with you? If so, do they get disability benefits?

poppy123456

calcotti said:

Your ESA is likely both CB and IB. An amount for an individual personal allowance and the Support Group being CB. Everything else IB.

Yes but they said their fortnightly amount is

Apollo14LMP said:

my ESA has been reduced to 201.52 per fortnight ...

If part of it is CB then surely that should be £117.60/week as the pension income is less than £85/week. Am i missing something?

Apollo14LMP

I was getting carers premium x 2 until last week .. 
We have pip , dla high all components.

We have a 21 yr old on uc for now no disabilities besides myself and wife.
Have been getting CA since May 2020. Used to get SDP but that stopped when 21 year old left college ...at 18 or 19.

calcotti

Apollo14LMP said:.

Have been getting CA since May 2020.

In that case the ESA is entirely IB. When you said carers for your wife I thought you meant CA your wife receives, that’s why I got confused,

Apollo14LMP

Thank you... ESA  is taking its toll on me....

poppy123456

calcotti said:

Apollo14LMP said:.

Have been getting CA since May 2020.

In that case the ESA is entirely IB.

Thanks, that's exactly what i thought.

Apollo14LMP

Feeling a bit better today after weeks of strife with ESA.

Nice lady rang from Processing Call Centre. We never know much of how your claim appears on their computer systems. My Carers Premium was seemingly stopped as it an "end date" which was for some reason on my claim. It should not have had an end date - no one knows why it seems.

This came as my pension was reported to the DWP (despite them making deductions penny for penny for 7 years) by HMRC. That calculation was incorrect and put me 11.00 pounds down a week, this was amended, and I then lost my Carers premium another 38.85! no one can afford to lose money like this with all the cost-of-living issues.

I wanted to thank the people who have given THEIR valuable time to look at my issues for ESA - I'm not sure of ESA law / rules so it is often the case I'm left here with nothing than the Net to help me.

So, to the posters Calcotti, Poppy , I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your valuable time and for your help .. I do appreciate it so much .. what you do for people who are often pawns in the life of the DWP you cannot imagine.

You really do make a difference and thank you so, so much .... 

poppy123456

GLad to hear they have finally sorted it out for you! Thanks also for the update and the kind words.

Cher_Alumni

@Apollo14LMP I'm relieved to hear you've had the situation sorted now. What a series of errors that was! It must be a real relief. And, absolutely Poppy and Calcotti selflessly make a real difference. The benefits system is a difficult one to comprehend and I can see how they alleviated some of that pressure for you. Thank you for the update and those kind words