My partner started to work more than 25 hours, and my ESA has now stopped

Aleksandar
Aleksandar Online Community Member Posts: 1 Listener
edited February 2022 in Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
I was on ESA support group  . Recently my partner started to work more than 25 hours .  Straight away ESA stopped my benefits  . I'm disabled person  using wheelchair  . They said from ESA I don't have enough national contribution allowance . Is it that some joke to stop DLA ?

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    Hi,
    Income Related ESA is means tested so a partner working will affect the amount you're entitled to, so yes it's correct that it stopped. If you're claim either DLA or PIP these won't be affected because they are not means tested.
    Are you also claiming housing benefit and council tax reduction? If so, then you will need to report the changes to your local Authority.
    Have you checked entitlement to Universal Credit? It's means tested so you will need to claim as a couple but it's different to your ESA and people do work and claim UC.
    How long ago did your ESA stop?

  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,001 Championing
    Definitely check UC entitlement as suggested by poppy. Unfortunately, because your ESA has already stopped, you will need to provide Fit Notes and have a new Work Capability Assessment for UC and even if found to have LCWRA (equivalent to ESA Support Group) will have to wait four months before being entitled to any extra money for the LCWRA (if the WCA has been completed by then). If you do claim UC it will end your Housing Benefit and you will get help with rent through UC instead. It will also end any Tax Credits if you claim those.

    With a working partner, if you are found to have LCWRA, I would expect UC to be more generous than ESA.
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,001 Championing
    edited February 2022
    Just to add, regardless of what they earn, you are not entitled to receive income based ESA if your partner works for 24 hours or more. 

    Had you known (and there's no reason why you should) you could possibly have claimed UC before your partner started working and this might have put you in a better place.
  • Alex_Alumni
    Alex_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,538 Championing
    Hello @Aleksandar thanks for reaching out, is there anything you're still unsure of, or have our members been able to help answer your query? If you'd like help with any aspect of the benefits system, please don't hesitate to ask, and we'll do what we can to help :)

    Alex

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