esa3 form

lily84 · December 2019

Hi all,

I hope you can help me. I suffer severe m.e/CFS and fibromyalgia and many other conditions for many years now and I am housebound or bedbound tthe majority of the time.

I recently received an esa3 form (never had one before), asking for bank statements going back several years, for a benefit review. I am currently on cb ESA after being transferred a few years ago, (£117 PW inc transfer top up) and I also get DLA high mob and medium care.

I didn't think i was entitled to anything else as I live in sister home who is retired and has her pension. We claim no other benefits. Someone has mentioned about income based ESA and sdp but would I be eligible for these in my circumstances, as I have savings as well.

Dealing with the DWP sends me into a very panicky state so i don't want to fill this form in unneccesarily if I'm not eligible.

Thank you in advance for help you can give me.

poppy123456 · December 2019

HI and welcome,

Those that Transferred from IB to ESA were placed onto Contributions based ESA and some weren't assessed for the Income related top up.

To be entitled to the income related top up will depend on your circumstances. The things they will look at are savings/capital, if you have £6000 and over it will affect any amount you're entitled to by £1 for every £250 over that amount. Anything £16,000 and over and you won't be entitled to any top up. Pensions from working will also affect it and any transitional support protection from when you transferred across. These are all just a few examples of what they will look at.

For the SDP then because you live with your sister then unless she claims one of the following benefits then you won't be entitled to it, DLA mid/high rate care. PIP daily living or attendance allowance. This is because for the SDP you must live alone or be classed as living alone and no one must be claiming carers allowance for looking after you.

Unfortunately, no one on an internet forum can tell you whether or not you're owed any backdated money because no one knows your circumstances exactly during the dates stated in the letter.

If you think you're entitled then you'll need to fill out the form and return it.

Decision waiting times are currently exceeding about 20 weeks.

lily84 · December 2019

Hi poppy,

The most I had saved up was around £7,500 (was savings for private medical and other things). I know I would have £1 for ever £250 over £6000 deducted, and as you say, they will take the additional transfer top up into consideration (think it is about extra £5 pw), so i wonder if that will cancel out any income based top up.

With regards to sdp, my sister does not claim any other benefits and no carers allowance and I have no pensions. What does it mean that I must be classed as living alone?

poppy123456 · December 2019

Whether you're entitled to any backdated money will depend what years they are assessing you for. The Enhanced disability premium from April 2019 is £16.80 per week but it would have been less than that in previous years. Yes they will take the transitional support protection into consideration.

For the SDP because you live with your sister who doesn't claim any of the above benefits that i mentioned then you definitely won't be entitled to this.

lily84 · December 2019

Ok thanks.

I was transferred over in 2017 and they want statements from that date.. Also is it true that the transitional top up i got from ib to cb ESA will stop next year and what will it drop to?

poppy123456 · December 2019

2017? are you sure about this? all transfers from IB to ESA were completed in 2014.

I have no idea what the Enhanced disability premium was during that time but it would have been less than £16.80 per week.

Transitional support protection ends on 5th April 2020 and your Contributions based ESA will drop to £111.65 per week but there will be a very small increase in April but i have no idea what that will be.

As advised in a previous comment, if you think you're entitled then you will need to fill out that form and return it to DWP and they will assess your circumstances.

lily84 · December 2019

Yeah I was still on ib until late 2017 and I'm still on DLA. Looks like il be worse off by £6 by april now then. Ok thanks for your help anyway.

poppy123456 · December 2019

You're not the only one that's still waiting to be transferred from DLA to PIP.

If you fill out the form for the backdated money, even if it's not a huge amount, which it most likely isn't, once they assess you, if you are entitled to the Income related top up then your money will increase going as well. Of course your transitional support protection will end if you're entitled to the Income related top up but it's ending soon anyway.

If you're not entitled to anything then your money will stay as it is now and your ESA will be reduced in April.

My advice is to fill out the form and return it because you could be missing out and you may miss out going forward too.

lily84 · January 2020

Hi, with regards to sending several bank statements to the DWP, what do they do with them afterwards as I'm very concerned about them going missing within the dwp or them getting lost.

Do the DWP return them to me?

lily84 · January 2020

Hi, just a bit confused on some of the tick boxes on the esa3 form.

P16 where you live
1. Have you lived with relatives since date of form. - yes.
2. Have you shared rent/mortgage for the place where you live? - do I tick yes or no if I live in their home?
3. Have you paid housing association or private landlord for the place you live - what do I put?

also p7 - has anyone cared for you since date on the form? - my family and friends help care for me and no one gets carers allowancebu but whose name do I put down?

Thanks.

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