What happens to ESA after state pension? — Scope | Disability forum
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What happens to ESA after state pension?

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Ayesha77
Ayesha77 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
edited June 2018 in Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
I am on ESA Income based work-related, and have been for some years now. The claim is in my name only, although my husband has severe health issues also. This is the only benefit that my husband and I are in receipt of apart from Housing and Council Tax benefits. As many people, I am finding the ESA assessments so stressful, and the whole process is detrimental to my conditions. On the run up to an assessment (I have one coming up in a month) my nerves are shattered, my symptoms become more acute, and I become severely depressed. 
My question is this: I am 57, but my husband is 63 and can claim State Pension in 3 years. Can anyone tell me please, does my ESA claim continue, or does it stop when my husband reaches 66? I have been searching for an answer to this quesiton everywhere but cannot find anything. It would actually take a load off my mind if I knew for certain that I could come off ESA in 3 years. I just can't take the stress of not knowing. Please does anyone know?
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  • JennysDad
    JennysDad Community member Posts: 2,299 Disability Gamechanger
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    Hello @Ayesha77 and a warm welcome to the community. Glad to have you with us, but sorry to hear about your difficulties.
    Not a benefits advisor myself, I can't answer the key questions here, but we DO have people who can and they will get back to you as soon as possible. In fact I'm going to forward your post to them to try to hurry things along a bit.
    Warmest best wishes to you,
    Richard
    @JennysDad

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  • Ayesha77
    Ayesha77 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
    edited May 2018
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    Thank you so so much for doing that JennysDad. I really appreciate all the help I can get. 
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  • Richard_Scope
    Richard_Scope Posts: 3,648 Scope online community team
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    Hi  @Ayesha77

    I sorry to read that you are going through a difficult time.Welcome to Scope's community! It's great to have you here.  Just to get you started we have a How To Guide here, you can see all the latest posts here, jump in and get involved and don't worry we are a friendly bunch!  
    If you need anything, just let us know. 

    Scope
    Specialist Information Officer and Cerebral Palsy Programme Lead

    'Concerned about another member's safety or wellbeing? Flag your concerns with us.' 

    Want to tell us about your experience in the community? Talk to our chatbot and let us know. 
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  • Ayesha77
    Ayesha77 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
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    Thank you Richard Scope. You are very kind. I am very stressed out at the moment, but lovely to know that there are kind people like you out there to lend an ear. I really appreciated it.
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 273 Pioneering
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    Hi Ayesha77

    Thanks for getting in touch.

    A basic principle in benefit regulations is that most income that you have is taken into account in any income-related benefit that you might claim.

    So if your ESA is income-related, your husband's state pension would be taken into account and the amount of state pension would be deducted from your ESA.  Similarly, if your husband were to claim pension credit to top his state pension up, your contributory ESA would be taken into account and his pension credit claim reduced accordingly.

    So you need to work out which income is best. It may  be for example that you could decide to keep your contributory ESA and for him to keep his state pension, and that you may or may not get income-related pension credit to top this up.  Generally, pension age income-related benefits are very much more generous than working age benefits.

    So pension credit is likely to be the way forward, however if you can't get this util 2012,  you may find that you could be affected by new rules which are due to be implemented, though no date has been set for this, that stop mixed age couples from getting pension credit if only one of them is state pension age.

    A benefit check, for example the one on our website, will  offer a calculation of benefit entitlement using the rules that exist currently. 

    https://www.scope.org.uk/support/disabled-people/benefits/check

    I hope this helps a little. 

    Gill_Scope


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  • Ayesha77
    Ayesha77 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
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    Thank you so much for taking the time to send me that information. It was very informative and helpful.
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 273 Pioneering
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    You're very welcome Ayesha77.   

    Best wishes

    Gill_Scope
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