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SDP, housing benefit and ESA

Jeanus44Jeanus44 Member Posts: 19 Courageous
edited September 2019 in What benefits am I entitled to?
Hi everyone, I've just started getting housing benefit and I see there is 2 premiums on there I am entitled to. I have rang the council twice now. I was first told that the premiums would be paid on top of my HB then the second time I was told I wouldnt get it. I have applied for ESA and that came back saying I need to have had the SD premium for a month to get it so they have refused me. I seem to be going around in circles and not getting anywhere!
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Replies

  • paffuto10paffuto10 Member Posts: 388 Pioneering
    Hi @Jeanus44
    Nice to meet you  :)

    Sorry, no advice on this matter but I'm sure someone will be along to help.

    Just wanted to say hi and welcome. I'm quite new here myself and finding it very friendly and informative. 
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  • Jeanus44Jeanus44 Member Posts: 19 Courageous
    Thanks for the welcome. I hope can find some answers..I'm new to all this claiming benefits so I really dont know what I'm doing!
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  • emmarenshawemmarenshaw Member Posts: 712 Pioneering
    Hello @Jeanus44 welcome to the community. I’m Emma, one of the Community Champions who are here to help and advise, if you need any help navigating the community or have any questions please let us know. 
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  • paffuto10paffuto10 Member Posts: 388 Pioneering
    @Jeanus44

    Just had a look with Google and I can't seem to find any info on premiums attached to housing benefit. 

    There are premiums attached to ESA.:
    Disability Premium 
    Severe Disability Premium 
    Enhanced Disability Premium 

    Not much help, sorry. 
    Have a look around the site because there are advisors on here. 
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  • Jeanus44Jeanus44 Member Posts: 19 Courageous
    I have found that they do pay on top of housing benefit but don't know why they said they won't when the premiums are on the hb award notice.. I need them to pay so i can reapply for esa
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  • thespicemanthespiceman Member Posts: 6,408 Disability Gamechanger
    Hello @Jeanus44   Pleased to meet you welcome.

    Thank you for joining and sharing.

    I am of the team of community champions.  We guide, advise and help new members who join the forum.

    Please may I suggest regarding your housing benefit situation ask CAB your local office to advise you.

    They have knowledge and expertise on benefits.  Benefits can be confusing and complex.

    Often by contacting them and making an appointment. They will explain to you what and if you need to know.

    In clear and concise information you can understand.

    I used them for forms filling in  and also situations like this.

    Please if we can help with anything. Please ask some one will know a member of our team or a member of our community.

    Please take care.

    @thespiceman
    Community Champion
    SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
    Mental Health advice, guidance and information to all members
    Nutrition, Diet, Wellbeing, Addiction.
    Recipes
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  • poppy123456poppy123456 Member Posts: 22,218 Disability Gamechanger
    edited September 2019
    Hi,

    When a disability premium is included in a housing benefit award you don't actually see the money included in the claim because you can't receive anymore housing benefit than your circumstances allow you to.

    Which benefits do you actually claim? PIP/DLA? if so what award do you currently have?

    You say you're claiming ESA but which ESA is it? Income Related, Contributions based or New style ESA?

    Do you live with a partner or alone?

    What was the reason you were able to claim housing benefit? new claims for housing benefit are no longer possible because all areas are now a full Universal credit area. The only exception to being able to claim housing benefit would be if you're claiming the severe disability premium in a means tested benefit.
    Proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice I have given to members here on the community.
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  • Jeanus44Jeanus44 Member Posts: 19 Courageous
    I am on PIP standard daily living and enhanced mobility. I first tried to claim UC but was turned down because I have 2 premiums on my HB claim. The Disability premium £34.35 and the Severe Disability premium £65.85 then I applied for esa and they have turned me down because I need the premiums to paid for at least a month before I claim. I am widowed and live on my own and have been living on my savings but now they have dropped low enough to claim benefits. I also am now exempt from council tax 

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  • steve51steve51 Member Posts: 7,175 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @Jeanus44

    Good Afternoon & Welcome.

    I am also one of the Community Champion’s here at Scope.

    I’m very sorry to hear about your problems with your Benefit’s.

    Yes they are very difficult to get our heads around.

    Have you tried our “Benefit Calculater”

    https://www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/calculate-your-benefits/

    There is also some great info info on here which will be helpful.

    https://www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/benefits-funding-extra-costs-of-being-disabled/

    Please please let me know if you need any help with this info????

    I’m very very happy in helping you further if required ?????

    @steve51
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  • poppy123456poppy123456 Member Posts: 22,218 Disability Gamechanger
    Jeanus44 said:
    I am on PIP standard daily living and enhanced mobility. I first tried to claim UC but was turned down because I have 2 premiums on my HB claim. The Disability premium £34.35 and the Severe Disability premium £65.85 then I applied for esa and they have turned me down because I need the premiums to paid for at least a month before I claim. I am widowed and live on my own and have been living on my savings but now they have dropped low enough to claim benefits. I also am now exempt from council tax 

    This isn't correct, there's no disability premiums payable on housing benefit. It's in with the claim which increase the amount someone can claim if they are working. You don't actually see those extra amounts.

    The disability premiums are payable on means tested benefits like Income related ESA, Income related JSA or Income Support. If you're not claiming any of those then i don't understand why you were able to claim housing benefit to start with. When did your claim for housing benefit actually start?

    I'm assuming you were previously claiming any means tested benefits because your savings were above £16,000?


    Proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice I have given to members here on the community.
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  • Jeanus44Jeanus44 Member Posts: 19 Courageous
    I've been claiming about 3 weeks now..  It does say on the gov website that housing benefit is one of the benefits that you can claim  premiums but as this is all new to me I really don't understand it..
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  • poppy123456poppy123456 Member Posts: 22,218 Disability Gamechanger
    Jeanus44 said:
    I've been claiming about 3 weeks now..  It does say on the gov website that housing benefit is one of the benefits that you can claim  premiums but as this is all new to me I really don't understand it..
    This is why i'm completely confused. Why you were allowed to claim housing benefit to start with 3 weeks ago. You weren't previously claiming any means tested benefits to have an award of SDP so you shouldn't have been allowed to claim housing benefit. No new claims for housing benefit are possible unless you already have an existing award of SDP.

    Are you sure you're claiming housing benefit or is it just council tax reduction?

     
    Proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice I have given to members here on the community.
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  • Jeanus44Jeanus44 Member Posts: 19 Courageous
    My award letter says because I am getting pip daily living component. I live on my own and nobody gets carers allowance for looking after me I am awarded a severe disability premium
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  • poppy123456poppy123456 Member Posts: 22,218 Disability Gamechanger
    What benefit award letter does it state this?


    Proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice I have given to members here on the community.
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  • Jeanus44Jeanus44 Member Posts: 19 Courageous
    The council housing benefit  award letter
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  • poppy123456poppy123456 Member Posts: 22,218 Disability Gamechanger
    Right, before you claimed housing benefit the only benefit you were claiming was PIP, am i correct?

    If so this means that you didn't have an award of SDP because you weren't claiming any means tested benefit to have the award. I do not know why you were able to claim housing benefit to start with because no new claims are possible. This is what's completely confusing me.

    When you claim Income Related ESA DWP will check your housing benefit award and then you may have a problem when they see that your claim only started a few weeks ago.

    The benefit you should have claimed to start with was Universal credit.


    Proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice I have given to members here on the community.
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  • Jeanus44Jeanus44 Member Posts: 19 Courageous
    I claimed HB first as I didnt know any different..Then went to UC and when they saw my award letter they said they couldnt help me and to claim ESA which I did then they turned me down saying I had to have had 4 weeks SDP before I can claim..What a mess!
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  • poppy123456poppy123456 Member Posts: 22,218 Disability Gamechanger
    Hmm i have absolutely no idea how and why you were able to claim housing benefit. All areas are now a full UC area and because you didn't have a claim for SDP then you should have claimed UC and not housing benefit. Then your housing payments would have been in with your UC monthly payment.

    May i ask if you're receiving housing benefit payments now or are you still waiting for a decision on that claim?

    It would have been possible to claim for council tax reduction because this isn't part of UC and has to be claimed separately.

    Sorry for all the questions but i've never come across anything like this before and my benefit knowledge is extremely good.
    Proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice I have given to members here on the community.
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  • Jeanus44Jeanus44 Member Posts: 19 Courageous
    I am getting the full HB for 13 weeks and then the bedroom tax kicks in and goes down to £80..I think its a month since my first payment..Some was backdated to when I claimed and the CTR was around the same time
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  • Jeanus44Jeanus44 Member Posts: 19 Courageous
    Jeanus44 said:
    I am getting the full HB for 13 weeks and then the bedroom tax kicks in and goes down to £80..I think its a month since my first payment..Some was backdated to when I claimed and the CTR was around the same time
    Around the 11th of August I claimed
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  • poppy123456poppy123456 Member Posts: 22,218 Disability Gamechanger
    May i ask what reason you gave for claiming housing benefit? I'm very very surprised that your local council didn't check that an existing award of SDP wasn't in payment before awarding the housing benefit.

    I'm also confused about the bedroom tax "kicking in, in 13 weeks" Are you renting privately or from social housing?

    I think the best thing you can do is take all your paper work to a local advice agency for further advice because you could have problems claiming Income Related ESA because DWP will check that an existing SDP claim is in payment before awarding you any benefits.
    Proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice I have given to members here on the community.
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  • Jeanus44Jeanus44 Member Posts: 19 Courageous
    They turned me down first time for HB but then rang me to say they had made a mistake and I could claim..It says something about being protected in the HB for 13 weeks as I had not claimed in the last 12 months..I really dont know..Maybe things have changed again..You know what our government are like..Ive just found a phone number for the councils benefit advice dept so I will ring them tomorrow and see what is going on..Thanks for your help and watch this space :-)
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  • poppy123456poppy123456 Member Posts: 22,218 Disability Gamechanger
    No problem. Things have definitely not changed and no new claims of any of the old benefits have been possible since December 2018 when all areas became a full UC area.

    One question you should ask your local council is why you were allowed to claim HB to start with, especially as you were refused at first.

    Good luck with that call and please come back and let us know the outcome.
    Proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice I have given to members here on the community.
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  • poppy123456poppy123456 Member Posts: 22,218 Disability Gamechanger
    @Jeanus44 just 1 other thought. Do you live in supported or sheltered housing?
    Proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice I have given to members here on the community.
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  • Jeanus44Jeanus44 Member Posts: 19 Courageous
    No. I live in a private rented flat
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  • poppy123456poppy123456 Member Posts: 22,218 Disability Gamechanger
    Thanks for confirming that. Then my advice is correct, you shouldn't have been allowed to claim HB. There's also no bedroom tax for you because you're privately renting. You will be receiving the 1 bedroom rate of local housing allowance.

    Proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice I have given to members here on the community.
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  • Jeanus44Jeanus44 Member Posts: 19 Courageous
    Update.. My HB is ok but they said they dont pay the SDP on it..I phoned esa and have applied again. The lady was surprised that the council didnt pay the SDP. She said most councils do. If I am accepted on to ESA then they will pay the HB from there but any queries I will still have to contact my council
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  • Adrian_ScopeAdrian_Scope Testing team Posts: 8,001

    Scope community team
    Hi @Jeanus44 and welcome to the community. 
    Housing benefit are correct that they don't pay SDP but they do add it to your claim if you are entitled.
    Like Poppy I'm a little confused as to why you were allowed to claim HB but now you have and as you have SDP included on your claim you should be allowed to claim legacy benefits, including ESA.
    Please let us know how you get on, I will be interested to hear how this develops.
    Community Manager
    Scope
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  • Jeanus44Jeanus44 Member Posts: 19 Courageous
    Adrian_Scope said:
    Hi @Jeanus44 and welcome to the community. 
    Housing benefit are correct that they don't pay SDP but they do add it to your claim if you are entitled.
    Like Poppy I'm a little confused as to why you were allowed to claim HB but now you have and as you have SDP included on your claim you should be allowed to claim legacy benefits, including ESA.
    Please let us know how you get on, I will be interested to hear how this develops.

    Thanks Adrian

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  • WaylayWaylay Member Posts: 949 Pioneering
    Wow, agreed, how on earth  this happen? Please do let us know how things develop, @Jeanus44!
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  • poppy123456poppy123456 Member Posts: 22,218 Disability Gamechanger
    Waylay said:
    Wow, agreed, how on earth  this happen? Please do let us know how things develop, @Jeanus44!
    I have no idea and i'm still totally confused.
    Proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice I have given to members here on the community.
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  • Jeanus44Jeanus44 Member Posts: 19 Courageous
    poppy123456 said:
    Waylay said:
    Wow, agreed, how on earth  this happen? Please do let us know how things develop, @Jeanus44!
    I have no idea and i'm still totally confused.
    So am I but at least some progress has been made. You know I dont think any of these different departments know what is happening either..Completely bonkers :-)
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  • paffuto10paffuto10 Member Posts: 388 Pioneering
    @Jeanus44

    Isn't almost everything just completely bonkers nowadays though?! 

    (not helpful, sorry)  :D
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  • Adrian_ScopeAdrian_Scope Testing team Posts: 8,001

    Scope community team
    Hi @Jeanus44, how are you getting on? Have they allowed you to put in a claim for ESA now?
    Community Manager
    Scope
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  • Jeanus44Jeanus44 Member Posts: 19 Courageous
    Adrian_Scope said:
    Hi @Jeanus44, how are you getting on? Have they allowed you to put in a claim for ESA now?
    Hi Adrian. I've put the claim in and just have to send some paperwork to them which I will do after. The DWP is only on the next street to me..Fingers crossed I will be ok this time 

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  • Jeanus44Jeanus44 Member Posts: 19 Courageous
    Jeanus44 said:
    Adrian_Scope said:
    Hi @Jeanus44, how are you getting on? Have they allowed you to put in a claim for ESA now?
    Hi Adrian. I've put the claim in and just have to send some paperwork to them which I will do after. The DWP is only on the next street to me..Fingers crossed I will be ok this time 

    BTW I've just found this on the site which covers me I think. ....Most new claims are for 'New Style' ESA. You can only claim the old-style contribution-based ESA if you receive a Severe Disability Premium on another benefit or you were entitled to this in the month before you make the claim.
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  • poppy123456poppy123456 Member Posts: 22,218 Disability Gamechanger
    That's correct but because your housing benefit shouldn't have been awarded to you then this could potentially cause problems, i hope it doesn't and will keep my fingers crossed for you. Do let us know the outcome.
    Proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice I have given to members here on the community.
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  • Adrian_ScopeAdrian_Scope Testing team Posts: 8,001

    Scope community team
    Housing benefit and the ESA are dealt with by different departments so other than getting in touch to check you're getting SDP, they shouldn't query why you've been able to claim housing benefit. Hopefully it'll be a smooth and easy process from here. :)
    Community Manager
    Scope
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  • Jeanus44Jeanus44 Member Posts: 19 Courageous
    Just heard from ESA to say my first payment will be in the bank in 3 days.. Thanks for all your help! 
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  • poppy123456poppy123456 Member Posts: 22,218 Disability Gamechanger
    Great news! Make sure you're also claiming the SDP in with your ESA payment because it pays an extra £65.85 per week.
    Proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice I have given to members here on the community.
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  • Jeanus44Jeanus44 Member Posts: 19 Courageous
    Yes I will when I get the letter through 
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  • Adrian_ScopeAdrian_Scope Testing team Posts: 8,001

    Scope community team
    That's brilliant, thanks for updating us @Jeanus44 and I'm really glad it's worked out for you. 
    Community Manager
    Scope
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