Help With DLA award please

Paradise

Hi, Im just wondering if someone can help me please. Currently I live with my partner and we receive ESA:

Living Expenses for you and your partner £111.45
Extra Money because of the disability income guarantee £21.30
Extra Money because you are in the support group £34.05
Which gives a total income-related amount £166.80

We were told to apply for DLA and today I have had a letter stating I have been awarded higher rate mobility and middle rate care until 2017.

I was just wondering now that I have been given the DLA award will my ESA money go down? My ESA letter says I have Income Related ESA and Contribution ESA. Also I live in housing association housing and claim housing benefit & council tax benefit and I was wondering if that would go down too? Do I need to inform the housing benefit and ESA that I have been awarded DLA or does the DWP do it for me?

Sorry for all the questions, its all completely new to me. Any help will be gratefully received.

Many thanks

Two4Tuesday

DLA payments are not counted as income against ESA. Your ESA will not go down as a result of your DLA award. It might actually go up, depending on other premiums that you may be entitled to.

It might not be strictly necessary, but I think it's a good idea to contact the housing and council tax benefit offices to advise them, as well as calling the benefit delivery centre for ESA just to notify them.

Tehya

Hi, my hubby is in the support group and when his DLA (the same award as yours) came through his ESA was increased, can't remember the exact amount though but definitely let ESA know about the DLA award as they don't always get told.

Do you care for your partner? Because of the middle rate care I was able to claim carer's allowance which is paid as an extra premium of around £30ish a week on top of the ESA. This means we receive about £198 a week ESA + his DLA. We also get full rent and CT benefits so no they will not decrease. We don't have any other income or dependents so if you do things may be different for you. If you have any more question just ask.

PS: Sorry I just noticed you say it's your award so the question should have been, does your partner care for you? If they do and it's more than 35 hours a week put in a claim for carer's allowance.

Parva

I was awarded indefinite HRC and HRM and as a result also receive a severe disability premium on top of my ESA payments. Housing benefit and council tax benefit remain unaffected. I don't know whether you will be eligible for any, part or all of the severe disability payment on your ESA though with mid-rate care. Regarding claiming carers allowance, I actually receive the carers component as part of my DLA and when I looked into getting carers allowance for my son (who is pretty much my full time carer) it turned out that I basically lost what he claimed. It's around £50 in my case and all that happens is that I lose that out of my payments and they pay it to him instead so basically there's no advantage in me getting it paid to him directly over me paying it to him myself.