Disability Premium -who qualifies?

[cazziej]

Hello, I have tried looking for the answer on a few websites but am going round in circles, so hoping some kind soul here could explain/help me to understand.

I am trying to work out if my husband should be entitled to Disability Premium.

He has been on IB and DLA for more than a year now. The last correspondence I can find regarding his IB is from February 2008 and says the following: Basic Rate £84.50, Incapacity Age Addition £8.90, the amount each week before adjustments is £93.40. He gets paid £186.80 each fortnight. His DLA is £187 every 4 weeks.

Am I right in assuming that he should then also be entitled to Disability Premium? :confused: From what I can make out he might, because he is on higher rate DLA and has been receiving these benefits for more than 52 weeks. Does anybody know how much this is and how he should apply, i.e. via his DLA or via his IB?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks, Carol.

[judexx]

As far as I recall, the Disability Premium is applied to Income Support and Housing/Council tax benefit. If you are in receipt of any of these it will be calculated automatically - it is not something that you have to apply for.

HTH

Jude

[cazziej]

Originally Posted by judexx

As far as I recall, the Disability Premium is applied to Income Support and Housing/Council tax benefit. If you are in receipt of any of these it will be calculated automatically - it is not something that you have to apply for.

HTH

Jude

Thanks Jude - we dont get IS or HB/CTB so I guess it is a no no.

Best wishes

Carol

[pipkin71]

My disability premium is added to income support rather than DLA, so jude is probably right in that IS is the quaifying factor.

[HGLTsuperstar]

Agree - if you're not eligible for IB then you get IS with disability premium so the total amounts are about the same.

[Dobiesmon]

Hi HGLTsuperstar
(Agree - if you're not eligible for IB then you get IS with disability premium so the total amounts are about the same.)

Not to sure if that is correct there is a difference my friends girl gets DLA , IS with a disability premium, gets the cold weather payments ,does not pay rent, free meds scrips and free eye tests .

my son gets DLA and IB but has to pay rent ,pays for his scrips and does not get cold weather payments , or free eye tests

[black paw]

mad isn't it ? i get DLA and IB and IIB, but to pay some towards tax ,rent ,pays for prescriptions and does not get cold weather payments , or free eye tests , i think those on IB and more should get the same as IS as the money is about the same

[HGLTsuperstar]

Originally Posted by Dobiesmon

Hi HGLTsuperstar
(Agree - if you're not eligible for IB then you get IS with disability premium so the total amounts are about the same.)

Not to sure if that is correct there is a difference my friends girl gets DLA , IS with a disability premium, gets the cold weather payments ,does not pay rent, free meds scrips and free eye tests .

my son gets DLA and IB but has to pay rent ,pays for his scrips and does not get cold weather payments , or free eye tests

I was referring to the direct payment not the "perks" of one benefit over another - don't get me started on that one!

[Ames]

They changed the system and brought in IB so that people wouldn't get those benefits, cutting costs by the back door.

Have you applied for IS/HB/CTB since getting the higher DLA award? Sometimes you're entitled to it then because the amount the law says you need to live on is higher with the higher rates of DLA and so you can become entitled. They don't automatically tell you though!

[stompin-sarah]

i get the premium and i get it with my IS so i pressume if you get IS thats when you can get the premium?

however i wasnt getting this at 1st.... it was only when i had a benefit check that they realised they wasnt giving it me and they should have been for the past 3 years! they then owed me a massive total of 4000.00

[bjorky]

Hi, you can go for income Support Top Up if your on middle or higher rate dla, your husband is on the higher rate of IB and has a portion of disability in it, he wont get the disability if your on IB am affraid, contact the First Benefit Contact centre who will help you with top up, you have nothing to lose, its easy and done over the phone, its number is 0800 055 6688. Try it

[yangtam2]

Hi
I have read your question.
I get what your husband gets, but also get the disability premium.
Have you applied for Income Support as what you are talking about comes under this heading, i get it as i am on my own so not sure if you can if they take into acccount anything you have coming in as his spouse.
As with all benefits they wont tell if you dont ask so i would apply for the income support as there is no harm in trying.
If you are entitled to income support then there is the posibility for interest payments on your morgage after 39 weeks but i cant say you would definately get this as each case is different.
I hope this helps
Sarah

[aimee0763]

Originally Posted by stompin-sarah

i get the premium and i get it with my IS so i pressume if you get IS thats when you can get the premium?

however i wasnt getting this at 1st.... it was only when i had a benefit check that they realised they wasnt giving it me and they should have been for the past 3 years! they then owed me a massive total of 4000.00

Hi Sarah,

I've just noticed your thread, I am on Income Support and at the moment trying to claim for dla, well i have a dla appeal at the beginnning of march due to my health conditions which i have a few. I was wondering if i could claim for the Disability Premuim whilst waiting for my appeal, my doctor is very helpful and she is willing to help me with any certificate i need. Could you please tell me a bit more about the disability premuim how i can claim for it.

Your reply would be much appreciated.

many thanks in advance


aimee

[HGLTsuperstar]

The disabliity premium is for those who get rejected for IB and awarded IS instead.

[bored at home]

aimee no you cant.
you have to provide your dla award certificate before you can get awarded the disability premium, but it gets backdated to when dla is awarded from anyway.

[bjorky]

You can only qualify for it if on MIDDLE rate DLA, its dosent matter if you have any disabilty on your incapacity benefit, i called up cause i was told i would get it but after 30 mins on the phone and telling the lady i was on lower rate, i got a letter telling me to sign it and sent it back but i was told by mistake on the phone saying i wouldnt get it, i hope you are successful in the outcome.

[EthelBloggs]

This is a bit baffling to me. I was sent a form to apply for severe disability premium I think it was called.. anyway, I forgot all about and only sent it when they sent me a reminder but now 5 weeks later I've heard nothing either way.. is that normal do you think or should I chase them?

[Salfordian]

There are two premiums, both paid to people on Income Support:

1. Disability Premium, payable to any Income Support customer who receives DLA, or who has been sick for over 1 year.

2. Severe Disability Premium (SDP) (currently equivalent to £2600 per year), payable only to Income Support customers who are on DLA at the Middle or Higher Rate Care Component . There are other criteria you need to meet, including living alone, or treated as living alone, or living with others on DLA Middle or Higher Rate Care Component. Another criteria is that you must not have a carer receiving Carer's Allowance for caring for you.

To ensure you are recieving what you are entitled to:

1. Claim Income Support.
2. Make sure Income Support are aware you are on DLA, and the rates you are on. For the SDP, ask for an IS10 form.

[EthelBloggs]

Thanks salfordian, based on those criteria I DO qualify, just wonderng if it's normal to take such a long time to process

[Andy054]

If am on incapacity benefit long term rate, can I claim disability premium on top of my incapacity benefit?

I do not currently claim income support, I presume I will have to ring up and make a claim for income support to receive disability premium.

I also have been on incapacity benefit long term rate for over a year, so if I do qualify for disability premium will it be back dated?