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Pip letter and assessment letter

13

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,348 Disability Gamechanger
    @poppy123456

    I started my ESA claim in May, but I have paid five years contribution of NI. So I am in the contribution-based ESA. Hopefully that means I still can claim the income-related top-ups too. 
    Ah yes, thanks for that. This tells me that you're definitely claiming New style ESA because the old Contributions based ESA stopped for new claims in December 2018.

    As you're claiming New style ESA then no premiums are available.

    Depending on circumstances you maybe able to claim Universal Credit for the extra money that's paid with limited capability for work related activity (LCWRA) otherwise known as the support group. This pays more on UC then it does with New style ESA but your New style ESA will be deducted from your UC payments. If you live with a partner that works or have savings/capital then this will affect the amount you can claim.

    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • sceneparade
    sceneparade Community member Posts: 93 Courageous
    edited August 2019
    @poppy123456

    At the moment I get only contribution-based ESA at £73 per week, and universal credit of about £367 per week, which covers the rent. I get no other income from universal credit other than housing benefit. 

    Would I still get additional payment as you stated above (LCWRA)? I am not receiving any additional money from UC in regards to any disability

    And how can I be receiving 'new style' ESA if I have worked for 5 years? It states under 'new style' ESA that you have to be paying NI for at least 2 years (which I have paid for 5), but doesn't take into account PIP and, therefore, the SDP.

    Why is it called a contribution-based ESA if you have been paying into the NI for at least two years but can't claim? Why pay into the NI if you didn't receive anything for it? It might as well just say ESA
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,348 Disability Gamechanger
    This link explains both Contributions based ESA and New style ESA as you can see it's only possible to claim the old contributions based ESA if you were claiming Severe disability premium. which you weren't.


    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • worried33
    worried33 Community member Posts: 492 Pioneering
    The good news is that if you do qualify for the UC LCWRA, it is actually more than old style ESA SG + EDP.  Its only less if you also would have got SDP.
  • sceneparade
    sceneparade Community member Posts: 93 Courageous
    @poppy123456

    So the point of the new benefits is to reduce people's money, not replace it? Effectively, the government could, next week, remove the income-related JSA, contribution based ESA and new style' ESA and replace with x benefit with a benefit rate of just £40 per week (in principle). It isn't about helping people but about removing costs to the government. 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,348 Disability Gamechanger
    worried33 said:
    The good news is that if you do qualify for the UC LCWRA, it is actually more than old style ESA SG + EDP.  Its only less if you also would have got SDP.
    That's not relevant anymore because those claiming SDP are unable to claim UC and this has been the legislation since 16th January 2019.


    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • sceneparade
    sceneparade Community member Posts: 93 Courageous
    @worried33

    If I was claiming Higher rate care component DLA and Lower rate DLA mobility component for the last 11 years, would I, theoretically (based on DLA which entitles DP and EDP if unemployed), be able to claim the DP and SDP based on being eligible for it under the terms of DLA (if that makes sense)?
  • worried33
    worried33 Community member Posts: 492 Pioneering
    Not everyone is worse off under UC, as I said those without SDP get more under UC.
  • worried33
    worried33 Community member Posts: 492 Pioneering
    worried33 said:
    The good news is that if you do qualify for the UC LCWRA, it is actually more than old style ESA SG + EDP.  Its only less if you also would have got SDP.
    That's not relevant anymore because those claiming SDP are unable to claim UC and this has been the legislation since 16th January 2019.


    They cannot migrate but I am answering his point that he would be worse off, he doesnt have an active PIP claim yet so wouldnt get SDP anyway.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,348 Disability Gamechanger
    @poppy123456

    So the point of the new benefits is to reduce people's money, not replace it? Effectively, the government could, next week, remove the income-related JSA, contribution based ESA and new style' ESA and replace with x benefit with a benefit rate of just £40 per week (in principle). It isn't about helping people but about removing costs to the government. 
    No. New style ESA and contributions based ESA were both the same and they were not means tested benefits. The income related top up that is available to those claiming the old contributions based ESA is means tested in the same way UC is means tested.

    Claiming the Income related top up would have depended on circumstances and not everyone will have qualified. Same as UC.

    In some cases like this, UC can be more generous, especially if you live with a partner that works and you're claiming LCWRA because not only will you receive the extra element, you'll also have a work allowance so your partner will be able to earn a certain amount of money before deductions take place. How much your work allowance will be will depend whether you claim the housing element or not. If you don't claim the housing element then your work allowance is £503 per month before deductions start.

    This means that some people will be better off claiming UC than they were claiming the old benefits. Of course not everyone will be better off.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • worried33
    worried33 Community member Posts: 492 Pioneering
    I just ran a calculation check for someone with full eligibility for IR topup on old ESA but no eligibility for SDP.

    £128.45 ESA + EDP
    £150.93 (approx) UC LCWRA (was a monthly figure so I had to translate into weekly).
  • sceneparade
    sceneparade Community member Posts: 93 Courageous
    @worried33

    When I calculated it, I worked it out at around £200 per week based on the old contribution-based ESA, plus DP, SDP and EDP. So its less. 




  • worried33
    worried33 Community member Posts: 492 Pioneering
    Its less if you would get SDP yes.  Also I am not sure if you can get both DP and SDP together at same time.

    Right now you dont get PIP, I believe you have no eligibility for SDP even if you was on the old style ESA.  Many people are the same, most IR ESA SG claimants do not qualify for SDP and as such would gain under UC.
  • sceneparade
    sceneparade Community member Posts: 93 Courageous
    @worried33

    So, if I was put in the Support part of 'new style' ESA, and managed to get my PIP back to higher rate care component (as most tribunals are successful), what would my estimate be from both the extra UC and in total? 
  • worried33
    worried33 Community member Posts: 492 Pioneering
    edited August 2019
    I thought you said you just put in a MR?  

    UC would be exactly the same, it would only be different if you was an old style claimant and moved over via managed migration at which point you would get extra for transitional protection.

    Its not as bad as you think tho since UC pays about £22 a week more than ESA + EDP.  So you would be losing about 2/3 of SDP and none of the EDP, instead of all of EDP and all of SDP as you originally thought compared to an old ESA claimant.
  • sceneparade
    sceneparade Community member Posts: 93 Courageous
    @worried33

    Yes, I have put in for a MR, but I don't hold out much hope as most are unsuccessful. My doctor has written a really good letter stating how disability affects me (preparing for food, communicating, eating etc) where I believe I would score at least the higher component of the care allowance. But, even so, I am not hopeful because its a case of them wanting to decline your application to reduce costs to the government. I am still waiting for a decision on my MR but my hope is on the tribunal, which will be in many months I would imagine.

    Doesn't the UC include LWRA? What if I was put into the LWRA (support group ESA equivalent). Doesn't that include support for people with disabilities? If not, my point has been proven that for anyone claiming a new benefit has been vindicated, as they would have reduced new claimants any extra income, irrespective of claiming PIP. It would be a cost cutting benefit.  
  • worried33
    worried33 Community member Posts: 492 Pioneering
    I dont know what else I can say to you, and poppy has indicated she agrees with me as well, it doesnt cut benefits for "anyone".  Some people yes, but not everyone.  Also its a reduction in entitlement to "some" new claimants rather than a cut to existing ones.  Existing claimants with SDP will eventually be migrated over via managed migration and their SDP amounts will be protected via a transitional payment.

    UC includes LCWRA topup providing the DM decides you qualify for that level of support.  LCWRA is the SG equivalent.  LCW is for WRAG.

    For claimants that dont even claim PIP and are entitled to LCWRA support, it is more generous than IR ESA.
  • sceneparade
    sceneparade Community member Posts: 93 Courageous
    @worried33

    "For claimants that dont even claim PIP and are entitled to LCWRA support, it is more generous than IR ESA" 

    Does this mean it would be more if PIP was reinstated? 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,348 Disability Gamechanger
    @worried33

    "For claimants that dont even claim PIP and are entitled to LCWRA support, it is more generous than IR ESA" 

    Does this mean it would be more if PIP was reinstated? 
    No, if you were awarded PIP the UC doesn't increase with a PIP award.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,348 Disability Gamechanger
    People think that UC LCWRA pays less than ESA Support Group (income related) no it doesn't, if you weren't claiming the SDP. The reason why they think it pays less is because UC pays monthly were as ESA is a weekly benefit paid fortnightly and when worked out correctly as pointed out by @worried33 above, it pays more.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.

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