Question regarding ESA premium

gbaswain · April 2019

Hello.

I have just had my decision overturned at my PIP appeal. I was awarded Standard mobility and enhanced daily living. My partner has also been awarded his carers allowance back as he is the one who cares for me. I am just wondering how this will affect my current claim with ESA. Will I be entitled to any premiums, if so.... which ones? I have been informed that if I am, they will also backdate the premium back to the starting date of my claim.

ESA, PIP, and my partners carers is the only income we receive. We get help with housing benefit and council tax. If you have any helpful information that would be great, thanks

CockneyRebel · April 2019

Hi @gbaswain and welcome

Congrats on getting your award overturned.

The following is the criteria for any premiums, you might also seek trained help and a benefits check from an advice agency near you

Eligibility

You usually need to be eligible for the disability premium to qualify for the severe or enhanced premiums.

If you get income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) you can only get the severe or enhanced premium.

Use a benefits calculator to check your eligibility.

Disability premium

You or your partner must be under pension credit age and either registered blind or getting:

Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP)
Working Tax Credit with a disability element
Attendance Allowance
Constant Attendance Allowance
War Pensioners Mobility Supplement
Severe Disablement Allowance
Incapacity Benefit

If you do not qualify, you may still get the premium if you’ve been unable to work for at least a year.

Severe disability premium

You must get the disability premium or income-related ESA, and one of the following qualifying benefits:

PIP daily living component
AFIP
DLA care component at the middle or highest rate
Attendance Allowance (or Constant Attendance Allowance paid with Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit or War Pension)

You usually cannot have anyone aged 18 or over living with you, unless they’re in one of these situations:

they get a qualifying benefit
they’re registered blind
they’re a boarder or subtenant (but not a close relative)
they make separate payments to the landlord

You cannot get the severe disability premium if someone is getting Carer’s Allowance or the carers element of Universal Credit for looking after you.

If you’re in a couple

You’ll get the higher amount of severe disability premium if both you and your partner are eligible.

You can get the lower amount if:

someone gets Carers Allowance or the carers element of Universal Credit for looking after only one of you
only one of you meets the eligibility criteria and the other is registered blind

Enhanced disability premium

To get this, you must be under pension credit age.

You must get the disability premium or income-related ESA, and one of the following:

PIP daily living component at the higher (‘enhanced’) rate
AFIP
DLA care component at the highest rate

You’ll also get this if you’re in the support group for income-related ESA.