IB or ESA with working partners

epitome

rogerblack wrote: »

There are even provisions for polygamous households!
Though I haven't read them, as I'm not even up to one partner yet.

AFAICR they used to get 1 x Couples Rate (CR) + Single Rate for each additional partner. Then when DWP rules changed to recognise polygamous partnerships the payments changed to

1 x CR + (CR/2) for each additional partner

So they lost out when the DWP recognised them

delluver

I got changed over with no paperwork or medical. I'm in the support group, CB wooohoooo!

Djonma

There IS such a thing as income-based incapacity benefit as I'm on it.
I do not have the contributions for IB, so I get income support instead, which is much less than IB.
I'm assuming I'll be placed in the full support group when I get the changeover. If I am, does the issue of partner income go away? I don't live with my boyfriend because we can't afford it really, and we're waiting to see what the rules are for esa and what happens when I'm switched to it. From what small info I've found, esa support rates are even less than what I'm on now, and I get less than IB.
So how I'll cope when that happens, who knows.
If I can't have my bf working more than 20hrs a week then he'll never be able to live with me, which just seems like some cruel punishment for being disabled.
I wonder if I'd be able to pay up my NI contributions so I'd count as contribution based so this worry goes away...

Nicola

Anubis_2

delluver wrote: »

I got changed over with no paperwork or medical. I'm in the support group, CB wooohoooo!

Then you won't be taken off ESA after 12 months. However, you will have to undergo reassessments, and they can move you from support to WRAG.

HB58

Djonma, you said
"There IS such a thing as income-based incapacity benefit as I'm on it.
I do not have the contributions for IB, so I get income support instead, which is much less than IB."

So, as you said, you are not on income related IB, you are on income support.

Idon't know that the arrangements are to switch people from IS to ESA. However, If you are placed in the support group, there will be no limit to the time you can receive ESA and your partner's income will not matter. The clock only starts ticking if you are moved into the WRAG at any stage after reassessment.

There are transitional arrangements in place to make sure that no-one gets less money after the switch. What happens in this case is that the person receives the same money as before but they don't get any raises until ESA has caught up with their current amount.

Djonma

HB58 - I receive Income Support, but I count as being on Incapacity Benefit for some things. I get free prescriptions, so get all the benefits of IS, but they kind of count me as being on IB. It's really weird and complicated.
I'm expecting to be shifted to ESA with IB people, not waiting for IS to be shifted. My claim itself is an IB claim.

Thanks for the info re support group, that's very helpful and certainly calms my fears of never being able to live with my boyfriend. It seems very harsh for people in the potential future work group, or even the work group though - JSA wasn't that harsh was it? I read on the BBC that if your partner earns £7,500 you'll lose your ESA... how on earth can £7,500 support two people?

Of course, I'm still terrified that ATOS will get their grubby hands on me and lie throughout the whole process. You never know, I might come out of a medical being able to fly according to them!

I'm glad there are arrangements to make sure we don't get less money, though that does mean that the system is already flawed as it's been shown we WOULD get less money - also, it means that other people will be getting ESA increases and we won't, which isn't really fair.

Nicola

delluver

Anubis wrote: »

Then you won't be taken off ESA after 12 months. However, you will have to undergo reassessments, and they can move you from support to WRAG.

Hopefully the assessments will go smoothly!

lyniced

I receive ESA (support group cont based) and have done so for 2 years now. At the time of applying my hubby was out of work, but he's now been working for over a year. Do I need to let them know? Also I receive the higher rate DLA for both comps.

rogerblack

lyniced wrote: »

I receive ESA (support group cont based) and have done so for 2 years now. At the time of applying my hubby was out of work, but he's now been working for over a year. Do I need to let them know? Also I receive the higher rate DLA for both comps.

If you are on contributions based, then your husbands earnings do not count.

Muttleythefrog

delluver wrote: »

I got changed over with no paperwork or medical. I'm in the support group, CB wooohoooo!

Try to find out what qualified you for the Support Group...i.e. request evidence from DWP. If you had no face to face medical then there probably will be an ESA85A (ATOS HC advice to DWP). What I'm starting to see on these threads are people who after being on ESA for some time don't have a damned clue how they have been qualifying for it.. no documentary evidence.. nothing.. no clue what descriptors were found to apply to them... and as soon as they get a decision at reassessment they don't like they find themselves on the back foot when it comes to appealing. If there is an ESA85A it'll also have a prognosis which will indicate when you're likely to face re-assessment.