Early ESA payment and different payment reference

ginger202

I just checked my bank account and yesterday, I was paid my usual ESA Support Group amount but I wasn't due a payment until a few days from now. The payment reference is usually "*my NI No* DWP EESA" but this one is "DWP GB FP LP FUNDI *NI No* JSA"

I thought maybe there was a bank holiday on Monday and that is why I had been paid earlier but as far as I can tell, there's no upcoming holidays next week and I haven't missed any ESA payments so don't think I am due anything. I'm just a bit worried as I've never seen this reference before. I was last assessed for ESA about 3 months ago and recently failed PIP by one point and I am currently in the MR stage of appealing.

Thanks

pmlindyloo

This is quite common. The FP means Faster payment.

One of our members explains it here:

Originally Posted by epitome
You don't have to phone them. This is perfectly normal.

ESA and JSA share the same platform at DWP. When a faster payment is made then DWP have to code the payment as JSA.

Your payment did not go out on its normal release date, the DWP noticed this and fixed whatever had stopped it and then released it early as a faster payment so that you can have your money on time.

I have told people this before on this board, usually they don't believe me and they waste their time and money by calling DWP only to be told exactly this.

See the last one here
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4995952

Doug_lindsay

I have had a similar issue, only not only did that payment come in earlier than I would usually get paid but it was £132 less than my regular payment, now I am freaked out and panicking that they have stopped or reduced my benefit payment without telling me, they stopped my pip and I found out by phoning them up and got a letter confirming that one week after the date they stopped it.

calcotti

Doug_lindsay wrote: »

I have had a similar issue, only not only did that payment come in earlier than I would usually get paid but it was £132 less than my regular payment, now I am freaked out and panicking that they have stopped or reduced my benefit payment without telling me, they stopped my pip and I found out by phoning them up and got a letter confirming that one week after the date they stopped it.

You’ll need to ring them for an explanation.

poppy12345

Doug_lindsay wrote: »

I have had a similar issue, only not only did that payment come in earlier than I would usually get paid but it was £132 less than my regular payment, now I am freaked out and panicking that they have stopped or reduced my benefit payment without telling me, they stopped my pip and I found out by phoning them up and got a letter confirming that one week after the date they stopped it.

If your PIP recently stopped and you were claiming daily living
Part, then you may have been claiming severe disability premium on top of your ESA. This will now stop and the amount you say here is approximately the SDP amount because you’re no longer entitled to SDP.

Doug_lindsay

That’s exactly what it was.