ESA once SSP finished?

belloo

Hi everyone,

My first post so please be gentle with me

I'm employed full time but been off sick for several months, since Feb this year I was receiving SSP and for the last 3 years also WTC. I was supposed to return to work in May but my condition has worsened and at the moment doctors cannot say when I'll be able to work.
My employer stopped paying me SSP as it's been over 26 weeks and apparently I can apply for ESA. My questions are:
1. Am I still entitled to WTC if I don't receive any money from my employer? i.e am I still considered as employed? if so, can I claim both WTC and ESA?
2. How does ESA affects WTC? (my WTC is £170/month) and at the moment is my only source of income
3. Should I notify HMRC that I no longer receive SSP?
4. Do I need to have a 'proper' contract with landlord to apply for ESA? (I rent a room from my friends but my name is not on the contract)
5. I guess that my ESA will be contribution-based as I've been working continuously since 2007. I'm yet to receive SSP1 form from my employer. Is it complicated and lengthy process to claim ESA? What should I expect?

Thanks in advance for all your help!

belloo

I meant tax credits. Does '28 weeks rule' include period when I was on company sick pay or just ssp?

epitome

belloo wrote: »

1. Am I still entitled to WTC if I don't receive any money from my employer? i.e am I still considered as employed? if so, can I claim both WTC and ESA?
Don't know, but I think so, yes...
2. How does ESA affects WTC? (my WTC is £170/month) and at the moment is my only source of income
It's the other way around, WTC affect ESA, your WTC will be deducted out of ESA
3. Should I notify HMRC that I no longer receive SSP?
Yes, it won't hurt and may be required.
4. Do I need to have a 'proper' contract with landlord to apply for ESA? (I rent a room from my friends but my name is not on the contract).
No, ESA has nothing to do with rental agreements...Housing Benefit will require a rental contract though.
5. I guess that my ESA will be contribution-based as I've been working continuously since 2007. I'm yet to receive SSP1 form from my employer. Is it complicated and lengthy process to claim ESA? What should I expect?You may get ESA Conts, especially you will, if you earned more than £5100 in 11/12 and more than £5350 in 12/13. But you may also get Income Related depending on your marital status and finances. Applying for ESA is relatively simple, a 35 min phonecall followed by sending them your sicknote and that is usually all that is required. the claim will be ready within 3 days to 3 weeks.
Thanks in advance for all your help!

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TELLIT01

WTC ends at the same time as SSP, so you must inform them that SSP has ended. epitome has given full details of your ESA entitlement so I won't repeat it.
You will generally claim ESA by phone these days and the claim process is supposed to take between 20 and 30 minutes.

belloo

Thank you so much everyone!
I have another question: can I claim ESA for my partner as well? We were getting WTC as a couple which was based on my income (my partner is unemployed as he was full-time student until June this year). If we will claim ESA as a couple, will my partner have to go through interviews with job centre etc? He is not looking for a job as he may start his post-doc project soon (which will be unpaid) and may have to leave UK from time to time (for few weeks).
Also, according to the list of required paperwork listed on gov.uk website (I can't post links as a new user) it states that they need my council tax bill and landlord's details. I can't provide any of those. What should I tell them? Can they reject my claim because of this?

Indie_Kid

You can claim income based ESA as well as contributions based. Income based includes money for your partner.

Council tax and landlord's details are only required if you wish to claim council tax and /or housing benefit too.