Is it right that i'm on ESA contribution based?

reddevildanni

Hi, i'm 23 years old and i am on ESA Contribution based (support group). I used to be on Incapacity Benefit since i left school and then got changed over to ESA a few years back. I also get high rate mob/care DLA & my mum claims carers allowance for me. Today i've been told by a financial advisor (during an assessment to see if i have to contribute to care) that i should actually be on Income Related, which would give me around £13 extra per week. She is going to make enquiries as to why i'm on contribution based, but after thinking it through, i think i'd rather stay on this one as it doesn't affect savings! Any experts on here who know what's what? Am i right as i am or should i be asking to change?

Indie_Kid

You have no choice as to which you're on. If you transferred from IB< you'd be on contributions based.

Because of being in the support group / high rate care DLA, you can get a little bit of income based, around £15 a week.

reddevildanni

Indie_Kid wrote: »

You have no choice as to which you're on. If you transferred from IB< you'd be on contributions based.

Because of being in the support group / high rate care DLA, you can get a little bit of income based, around £15 a week.

Thanks. How can I find out if I get the little bit of Income based? I get £221.70 fortnightly so I'm not sure if it's already included in that amount.

Indie_Kid

reddevildanni wrote: »

Thanks. How can I find out if I get the little bit of Income based? I get £221.70 fortnightly so I'm not sure if it's already included in that amount.

You need to phone and ask for an ESA 3 which is the form to apply for income based ESA. Your ESA should be around £247.40 per fortnight.

It sounds as though because you were on IB, you received the transitional protection, meaning that if IB was higher than ESA, you'd get the higher amount. Because your IB is contributions based, (or rather, it sounds as though you were on youth IB) you have to apply for income based. Your ESA contributions based is take into account for this.

reddevildanni

Indie_Kid wrote: »

You need to phone and ask for an ESA 3 which is the form to apply for income based ESA. Your ESA should be around £247.40 per fortnight.

It sounds as though because you were on IB, you received the transitional protection, meaning that if IB was higher than ESA, you'd get the higher amount. Because your IB is contributions based, (or rather, it sounds as though you were on youth IB) you have to apply for income based. Your ESA contributions based is take into account for this.

Thanks, sorry I'm not very good with stuff like this. So if I fill in this ESA 3 form and they give me some income related ESA, would that then affect savings?

Horseunderwater

The ESA does not affect savings - it's the other way round. Upto £6k no effect. Over £6k - £16k £1 taken off ESA / £250 or part thereof & if over £16k then ESA would stop.

reddevildanni

But I always understood that contributions based isn't affected by savings. So I'm wondering if I get the top up of IR ESA would savings affect that?

Horseunderwater

Approx how much dou have in savings? Then you can be told how much you would gain/lose.

reddevildanni

My nan recently passed away & left me £10,000 & I already had just over £3,000 so I've got around £13,000.

sportsarb

That amount of saving will wipe out any benefit from being awarded the enhanced disability premium on income related. You won't lose anything but you won't gain anything either.

reddevildanni

Thanks for confirming that so I'm best not bothering