Coming off Carers Allowance and claiming Sever Disability Premium

saintscouple

Hi,

Need some advice and direction please if anyone can help.

I claim ESA income related and am in support group, i also have DLA (middle care and low mobility)

My wife has recently been awarded PIP (High mobility and High care)

I have today filled the online form on the carers website to stop the carers she was claiming for me, as she can no longer do this for me.

I have read that we can claim sever disability premium instead, thus wondered who do we claim this, and are we going to be financially worse for wear?

Many Thanks

saintscouple

Update.

I have phoned ESA and they said to call back in couple of days to give the systems a chance to update, I can then make the Sever Disability Premium application over the phone.
Note: he also said not all contact centres can process Sever Disability Premium applications over the phone, some can, but others would need to send out a form.

What i would like to know though is the premium paid within my ESA, and will we be financially worse off now?

Thanks

miserableindebt

From my limited knowledge you are going to be better off claiming pip for your wife then the £62 she was claiming in carers. Carers amount (part) would be deducted from ESA but PIP won't be and like you said you are also entitled to the disability premium. You ARE going to be better off. Yes the premium is part of ESA not a separate payment.

emmsie123

You can both claim sdp providing you have no one over 18 living with you.

nannytone_2

as has been said ....
as you both receive a qualifying benefit ( mid/high DLA or either rate PIP care) and an income related benefit(ESA) you would both be entitled to the SDP as long as no other adult lives in your home and no one claims carers allowance for either of you.

this premium would jointly add up to just aver £120 a week, on top if ESA

saintscouple

so do we each have to apply for the SDP or is my claiming it on my ESA automatically qualify for the couple rate?
if not how does my wife apply when she only receives the pip?

Just want to make sure we are claiming correctly, thank you

pmlindyloo

Is your wife on your ESA claim?

saintscouple

pmlindyloo wrote: »

Is your wife on your ESA claim?

I'm not sure to be honest, we are married and living together so she gets the benefits of free prescriptions, etc and her PIP is shown in my calculation letter of ESA.

miserableindebt

It was done automatically for us once we got pip

nannytone_2

miserableindebt wrote: »

It was done automatically for us once we got pip

thats unusual.

most people have to apply for the SDP

pmlindyloo

You need to ring ESA and update them about your wife's PIP claim and the fact that she has ended her claim for Carer's Allowance - it is called informing them of a change of circumstances. Then ask about the Severe Disability premium.

The claim is likely to be in your name with your wife added to your claim so you will do the claiming.

It is probable that they will send you a form to claim the SDP although in some areas they will do it over the phone.

You will be financially better off.