I just got my new ESA letter and have some worries, help please?

0ptimistic
0ptimistic Online Community Member Posts: 43 Listener
in Benefits and income
Hello, I wonder, if I give the breakdown of my ESA as advised by the DWP, could someone answer some question for me. I get a total of £190+ESa a month, which I thought was contributions based.
As I get a works pension of £611 a month, I thought I was on contributions based ESA, however the breakdown from the DWP is as follows:-

My living expenses £84.80
Extra money because I am in the support group £44.70
Which gives a total income related amount  of £129.50

Income and benefits
Personal health insurance or work related pension for you £25.96
Your total income £25.96

Your income related amount is £129.50 less £25.96 so you would have been entitled to £103.54
However, because you are entitled to contribution best employment and support allowance, we will pay you £103.54.

My question is, I thought I was on contributions based ESA and was safe from universal credit, does the above mean I am on some income related and this will be subject to universal credit changes.

Does this mean I will lose some of the income related benefit when I change over to universal credit as I am on a works pension?
I am confused

Many thanks

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    ESA letters are well known for being badly worded. Your ESA is contributions based only and not income related. 

    The deductions for your ESA is for your pension of £611/month, which is £141/week. Pensions of up to £85/week are ignore for contributions based ESA but for every £1 over this amount your ESA is reduced by 50p. However my calculations say that your pension is £56/week more than £85 so your ESA should be reduced by £28 and not the £25.96 it says in the calculation. Unless your pension is slightly less than what you say it is.

    If your ESA was all Income Related then your pension would reduce it to zero. 

    You will not be transferred to UC because contributions based isn’t part of UC. 
  • 0ptimistic
    0ptimistic Online Community Member Posts: 43 Listener
    poppy123456 said:
    ESA letters are well known for being badly worded. Your ESA is contributions based only and not income related. 

    The deductions for your ESA is for your pension of £611/month, which is £141/week. Pensions of up to £85/week are ignore for contributions based ESA but for every £1 over this amount your ESA is reduced by 50p. However my calculations say that your pension is £56/week more than £85 so your ESA should be reduced by £28 and not the £25.96 it says in the calculation. Unless your pension is slightly less than what you say it is.

    If your ESA was all Income Related then your pension would reduce it to zero. 

    You will not be transferred to UC because contributions based isn’t part of UC. 
    Thanks for the reassurance. I am awaiting my annual pension form from the DWP as my pension provider has provided me with an updated pension letter. I did one last year but I got a telling off from the DWP even though they got it by guaranteed post, dunno why. Thanks for telling me I won't go on UC.
  • L_Volunteer
    L_Volunteer Community Volunteer Adviser, Scope Member Posts: 7,922 Championing
    How are you feeling about the wait at the moment @0ptimistic? We are here for you if you would like to talk to us more about this or if there's anything else we can do to support you  :)
  • 0ptimistic
    0ptimistic Online Community Member Posts: 43 Listener
    edited April 2023
    L_Volunteer said:
    How are you feeling about the wait at the moment @0ptimistic? We are here for you if you would like to talk to us more about this or if there's anything else we can do to support you  :)
    Thank you for the offer of support.
    I really appreciate it.
    I'm worried the DWP have not sent my pension form requesting my pension letter from my last employer, like they do every year.
    I feel daunted by phoning them as it's nigh on impossible to get hold of them on the phone.
    The citizen's advice bureau are also hard to get through to as you have to phone for an appointment.
    I hate using the phone and hanging on the phone.
    I wonder if there is any other way I can send a copy of my pension letter to them with proof of postage asking for an acknowledgement, as it should be here by now.
    They sent me a telling off letter last year saying they had not had last years pension update, and I am worried they still stop my benefits if they don't get informed of this years pension.
    I just cannot phone because I can't get through.
  • Hannah_Alumni
    Hannah_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,866 Championing
    @0ptimistic Quite a few of our users have said about difficulty getting through to the DWP. I can't remember who, but they suggested calling bang on 9am and another user managed to get through. I hope that helps :) 

Categories