ESA or pension credit

Madge1310

Hello, looking for some advice. My husband is 65 and received state pension and also PIP enhanced (both elements)
I am 48 and became unemployed after 20 years through ill health. I am currently on esa (still in assessment phase) £73 per week. I applied for carers allowance and was granted this but no payment, I suspect because I get esa. My husband was awarded £30 per week pension credit. My question is. Is there a benefit to me coming off esa and him claiming pension credit for us both? We spend a lot of time caring for each other. I have epilepsy which has flared up quite bad in recent months, this was the reason I lost my job of 20 years. Am I allowed to come off esa and would I then be eligible for the carers payment?
Thanks in advance.

Alice_Holt

In general terms PC is a more generous benefit than ESA.
ESA also carries the stress of the WCA.
Currently when the older partner reaches PC age a joint PC claim can be made. The government intends to change this, so that only when the younger partner reaches PC age can a claim be lodged.

Because your circumstances are not straightforward, I would suggest you get a benefits check from your local CAB.
Or you could use a benefit calculator: https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/AboutYou
https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator/Intro?cid=8503f389-32a3-4710-8f32-e4e7405bd40c&isNew=False
Put in your details as a joint PC claim. You can then compare it against your current household income.

Whiteknight

Your husband will already be claiming Pension Credit for you both. Financially you would be no better off stopping the ESA as he is already getting PC and would be getting the appropriate amount for you both. If ESA did cease you would normally get the Carers Allowance paid.

Madge1310

Thanks for the information. When we claimed PC the lady on the phone gave me the option of ending my claim for esa but I declined this as was so unsure! She did say that should that claim stop my husbands claim for PC will be made up by the difference practically?
Am I right in assuming if I end claim for esa in favour of PC can I then be paid carers?
Thanks both for all your advice.

anmarj

You would get paid carers, but it will come off the Pension Credit as income, so you need to look and see what the calculation would be taking that into account

Silver_Shark

Alice_Holt wrote: »

In general terms PC is a more generous benefit than ESA.
ESA also carries the stress of the WCA.
Currently when the older partner reaches PC age a joint PC claim can be made. The government intends to change this, so that only when the younger partner reaches PC age can a claim be lodged.

Because your circumstances are not straightforward, I would suggest you get a benefits check from your local CAB.
Or you could use a benefit calculator: https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/AboutYou
https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator/Intro?cid=8503f389-32a3-4710-8f32-e4e7405bd40c&isNew=False
Put in your details as a joint PC claim. You can then compare it against your current household income.

Do you know when that is likely to happen? In similar circumstances myself.

xylophone

Do you know when that is likely to happen?

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/factsheets/fs48_pension_credit_fcs.pdf


Pension Credit qualifying age
To claim Guarantee Credit you need to have reached the PC qualifying
age, which is the same as the minimum State Pension age for women.
To claim Savings Credit, you must be at least 65.
Since April 2010, the PC qualifying age has increased in line with the
State Pension age for women. In April 2017, the qualifying age is 63 and
9 months and by April 2018 it will be 64 and 6 months. The table below
shows the first date you can claim PC based on your, or your partner’s
date of birth, whichever is earlier.
When the Universal Credit Digital Service rollout is complete (September
2018 at the earliest) both members of a couple will have to reach PC
qualifying age to claim PC. Existing claimants at the date of the change
can stay on PC. New claimants where one member is under and the
other is over PC qualifying age (‘mixed-age couples’) will have to claim
Universal Credit until both reach PC qualifying age.

xylophone

My husband was awarded £30 per week pension credit.

It will have been a claim for you both?

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/factsheets/fs48_pension_credit_fcs.pdf


Who can you claim for?

You claim PC for yourself and your partner, if you have one. Your partner
is your husband, wife, civil partner or someone you live with as though
you are married/civil partners. Only the claimant has to be over the
qualifying age, your partner can be younger.

If you are responsible for any children you should claim Child Benefit and
Child Tax Credit as there are no extra amounts for children in PC.
If you have a partner, the income and capital of both of you is taken into
account when your PC is calculated. If you have dependant children, any
income and capital they have is ignored. An appointee can claim on
your behalf if you are not able to claim yourself.

bigbill

Have you thought of trying for PIP yourself?

If you give up the £73 ESA it will be replaced by £62 Carers and an extra £11 pension credit for him so no change to household income.

On carers no medical or hassle such as that on ESA.