New style esa top up

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slmlewis2020
slmlewis2020 Online Community Member Posts: 1 Listener
in Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Hello everyone I am looking for some help please if possible with regards to my new style employment and support allowance claim please. I’m currently claiming contribution based ESA on the assessment rate, and  I have completed another benefit check up to confirm I’m claiming the correct benefits etc.

The benefits checker is still coming back saying I should be having the ESA amount topped up due to being on the higher rate PIP ? I called ESA at the beginning of my claim in April 2020 and advised the amounts stated on the benefits check service etc but she stated no top up is available, so is the benefits check up service incorrect ? Or am I missing out on a top up due to being on higher rate pip ? 

Thank you 

Comments

  • janer1967
    janer1967 Online Community Member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    Hi and welcome, I am not too sure but I think you will be on assessment rate until an assessment has been completed, the assessment is to determine your capability to work.

    Once this has been done they will make a decision and if any top ups are payable they will be applied.

    There is a huge backlog at present for assessments, I will tag in someone who knows more about ESA to advice in case I am not right @Adrian_Scope  
  • Adrian_Scope
    Adrian_Scope Posts: 11,754 Online Community Programme Lead
    Thank you for the tag @janer1967.

    A warm welcome to the community @slmlewis2020. Unfortunately, the income-related top-ups don't apply to NS ESA and you can no longer make a new claim for these unless you receive SDP. Sadly the benefit checkup calculators don't really take this into account and can be misleading. Are you currently claiming anything else? 

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