Hi, my name is melibby!

melibby
melibby Online Community Member Posts: 1 Listener
in Benefits and income
I have been off sick from work since May this year I will be claiming ESA next month I suffer with fibromyalgia and depression I am claiming the lower pip is there anything else I can claim

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  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Online Community Member Posts: 2,621 Trailblazing

    Hi melibby

    Apart from the benefits you have mentioned you may be entitled to housing benefit if you are liable to pay rent for where you live and also council tax reduction if you are liable for council tax. You claim both from the local authority/council.

    Something to be aware of is depending on where you live you might be asked to apply for universal credit (UC) instead of claiming ESA or the other benefits I have mentioned. You can check here to see if you will be asked to claim UC by using the postcode checker.

    Now this is when things can get a little tricky because there are two types of ESA, one is based on how much national contributions you have paid (ESA(C)) and the other is based on your income and is means- tested (ESA(IR)). As a rough guide if you have worked full-time as an employee in the last two tax years prior to the tax year you are in (2014/2015 and 2015/2016) you would expect  to qualify for the contribution based type. This is important to know because UC replaces ESA(IR) in some areas but ESA(C) will continue and run alongside UC.

    However I would suggest checking to see if you are in a UC area first and then post back on here and we will advise you further. In addition you didn’t mention if you are single or part of a couple or if you have any dependants and these are things that would also have an impact on any possible entitlement.

    Best wishes

    Paul

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