jsa to esa - effect on housing benefit?

RunFineLine

My son has rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes type I and has recently been diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome. Previously he has applied for long term benefits and has been refused and has spent 15 years alternating sickness and unemployment benefit (now JSA). We encouraged him to go to the disability advisor at the jobcentre as we think with the right help he could get a job. He is 35 and we have just managed to find him a small flat so he can live independently and he claims housing benefit for it.
The disability advisor says that the recent diagnosis of Aspergers means he could get ESA and has told him to get a sick note from his doctor so he can apply. What worries us is that this will mean a break in his benefits and he will not get his housing benefit as a result. Has anyone got any experience of this? Is there anyone who could help him get his claim through without losing out?

rogerblack

The ESA starts as the JSA stops.
(or perhaps 3 days later).
You do not withdraw your claim of JSA, you put in a claim for ESA, and it's withdrawn automatically.

HB/CTB will not in principle be affected, but you do in practice need to let them know that you have got ESA, and stopped JSA, as otherwise there may be a gap, due to the council not realising you're still entitled, as the DWP has told them about the JSA ceasing, but not the ESA starting.

keet83

To claim housing and council tax benefit you do not need to be on any form of government support. You can claim direct to the council (which is much faster) and it is only based on your income and savings. You can claim as long as your savings aren't above £16,000, not sure about the amount of income allowed. Speak to your local council about it, here is a link to the government site which should be of some use.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/On_a_low_income/DG_10018926