Changing to Income Based ESA from Contribution ESA

srsphoenix

I have a low income and am considering whether to apply for income related ESA to help top it up. However, i now understand this means that they move me completely from Contributions Based. When i sell my house in a couple of years i will not qualify for income based but need to know if i will be entitled to go back to my contributions based? I am long term disabled and in the support group, and don't want to find by making this claim i will put myself in jeopardy for years to come... please does anyone know anything about this?..

sammyjammy

If you make a claim to Income based ESA and this would be more than what you get Contribution based then it will be provided as a top up benefit, you will still be getting contribution based ESA it doesn't get replaced by the Income based so you have nothing to worry about.

srsphoenix

Thank you for reply ...I thought that was the case too.. but then found out that they move you completely off the contribution benefit and put you on a new income related one which is what has rung alarm bells with me.

Alice_Holt

As you are in the Support Group, then contribution-based ESa will continue as long as you stay in the Support Group.

Some Info here:
https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/employment-and-support-allowance/esa-glossary/1488-what-is-contribution-based-employment-and-support-allowance-esa

If you were in the WRAG then CB Esa is limited to 365 days. After this claimants are be assessed for income-based ESa. This is maybe what you are thinking of in your 2nd post

srsphoenix

Thank you for your reply but this is not what i am asking. i am in the support group but low on funds from my contributory ESA. if i apply for the income based it completely takes over and i am no longer on contributory. This is something a lot of people don't seem to realise. But i want to know what happens if at some time in the future i have more funds than allowed on income based. My theory is that i will not be able to return to contributory based because i will not now be in the relevant tax year... so will no longer get ESA at all!! need help, i think i am prob better not claiming income based at all and getting by.

pmlindyloo

If you are in the Support Group of ESA then you should be receiving the Enhanced Disability Premium which would then make it a contribution based claim with an income based 'top up'.

Have you had savings or other income that has prevented you from claiming the income based 'top up'?

It is confusing so perhaps you could explain your circumstances so we can see if you are eligible for any income based 'top up'?

Do you have a mortgage? Do you have a partner who works? if so, how much do they earn and how many hours so they work? Have you any other income/pension?

There are lots of factors to be taken into account before they will give you an income based 'top up'.

And to confirm. Contribution based ESA will always be paid regardless of savings/ income from you/partner all the time that you are in the support group. The only thing that affects contribution based ESA is if you have a pension of over £85 a week.

HB58

srsphoenix wrote: »

if i apply for the income based it completely takes over and i am no longer on contributory.

You are mistaken. Contributory ESA will always be paid, in preference to income-related, for as long as you are eligible.

If your income is low enough for IR ESA it will be paid as a top-up.

As stated by someone earlier, claimants in the WRAG stop being eligible for Contributory ESA after 365 days but no such restriction applies to those in the Support Group.

You will remain entitled to Contributory ESA for as long as you are in the Support Group, plus a further 365 days.

srsphoenix

I read the following on an ouchtoo forum, which seems to come from the benefits office. Have read it elsewhere as well but not found the link yet, will post when i do.
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Breeze
Gold Member
***
Posts: 100

Re: ESA3 - Worth Trying For
« Reply #7 on: December 05, 2012, 12:00:58 PM »
Just a quick update on this. Having phoned the DWP to ask for a clear letter stating what benefit they are actually paying me, i was told that (after filling in the ESA3 which they said they hadn't received) it seems rather than being on a combination now of both contribution based and income based ESA as i thought, apparently, after filling in this form i have been transferred from contribution based to income based. They told me that is what they do - take you off one and put you on the other!
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This is what has concerned me and lead to my question, as i don't think people realise. I will have some short term money prob next year, over their threshold when i sell the house but it won't last forever and I would like to keep the back up of my cont based benefit in this current unpredictable climate, but i now think i would lose it if i claim income related for a while while i am sorting myself out.

Alice_Walker

The poster on the other forum has misunderstood. You do not lose your CB entitlement, you get a means tested add on.

Diary

The only way you can.claim solely income related ESA is to completely end your claim for more than 13 weeks. This is because contribution based ESA is always paid before income based ESA if you're entitled to contribution based.

It would only be possible to get income based if you have no existing entitlement to contribution based.

For some reason you're believing a old Internet thread from 4 years ago rather than very knowledgeable people posting above me...

srsphoenix

Sorry, i am not disbelieving i just didn't think i had got my question across properly so they understood what i was actually asking. Now i have this information from you all i feel more confident in claiming. As you can imagine to claim and then find myself in the quagmire that the benefits system creates is not desirable.