ESA only paying my NI contributions

Undervalued

I would be most grateful for any advice.....

I have been receiving contribution based ESA for several years. This however has now stopped due to having been in the WRAG for a year. I am told they will continue to credit me with NI contributions but I may be required to provide medical evidence or attend interviews. I have now been sent an appointment for an hour long interview with a "specialist advisor" at my local JCP.

I will not feel able to go for medical reasons and this requirement was waived in my case whilst I was getting WRAG ESA.

I doubt if I would qualify for the support group. It was at best borderline and I felt unable to deal with the hassle of a tribunal.

I have sufficient years NI contributions to qualify for a full state pension and, for reasons I don't fully understand, as of several years ago I was forecast to get a tiny amount of second state pension.

I am not eligible for any means tested benefits due to level of savings etc.

My question is this:

Will the NI contributions add to my second state pension, or benefit me in any other way, so as to make it worth jumping through their hoops or should I simply tell them I want no further dealings?

Many thanks.

Cpt.Scarlet

If you have a deteriorating condition it may still be worth continuing with your claim. If at some point you do qualify for the Support Group, your payments would be re-instated.

If you close your claim, or fail to maintain it, then you would need to re-qualify for ESA, which would mean having to accrue sufficient NI Contributions through working.

PS. Your not receiving NI Contributions at the the moment but NI Credits.

Undervalued

Cpt.Scarlet wrote: »

If you have a deteriorating condition it may still be worth continuing with your claim. If at some point you do qualify for the Support Group, your payments would be re-instated.

If you close your claim, or fail to maintain it, then you would need to re-qualify for ESA, which would mean having to accrue sufficient NI Contributions through working.

PS. Your not receiving NI Contributions at the the moment but NI Credits.

Thanks.....

If I knew the answer to that one it would be easier to make a decision.

I've established that the credits at don't add to my second / additional state pension so this seems to be the only remaining reason.

If I can't get out of the hassle of attending interviews etc how long would my current NI credits keep the ESA door open? Alternatively, could I pay the contributions myself?

Cpt.Scarlet

As long as you remain eligible for NI Credits then you can ask to be re-assessed for the SG.

NI Contributions cannot be bought, they have to be accrued through paid employment or registered self-employment.

Robbie64

Undervalued wrote: »

Thanks.....

If I knew the answer to that one it would be easier to make a decision.

I've established that the credits at don't add to my second / additional state pension so this seems to be the only remaining reason.

If I can't get out of the hassle of attending interviews etc how long would my current NI credits keep the ESA door open? Alternatively, could I pay the contributions myself?

There is a 12 week linking period between claims to ESA, basically if you reclaim within that 12 week period your new claim will link back to your previous claim. After that you have to requalify. And voluntary contributions (Class 3 contributions unless self-employed) won't help you qualify - the contributions have to be Class 1 or Class 2.

see: http://www.lawcentreni.org/EoR/benefits-and-tax-credits/employment-and-support-allowance.html#3.%20Contribution-Based%20ESA

That website is the rules for Northern Ireland but the rules are exactly the same for GB (though the linking rules Re: 104 weeks have now been abolished but won't apply here in your case).

Class 3 (voluntary contributions): http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/Taxes/BeginnersGuideToTax/NationalInsurance/Voluntarycontributionsandtoppingup/DG_190066

pmlindyloo

The other thing that I would point out is that Bereavement Benefits require up to 44 years NI credits (contributions) so if you wish to consider these then continuing to receive the NI credits from your claim would be beneficial.

skintmacflint

Excuse my ignorance but what are bereavement benefits?