ESA underpayments

cornish_donkey

Hi I just read somewhere that the DWP have been sending out forms (esa 3 form) to all people who claimed IB and Migrated to ESA. I have not received a form from them, is it worth phoning them?

I became unwell in 2006 and was signed off work then went on IB and then migrated to ESA they gave me ESA contribution based for a year and then gave me income related instead, I’m not sure why?

My hubby was also on the claim so my IB was topped up with IS but migrated over to couples ESA.

Tia x

poppy12345

cornish_donkey wrote: »

Hi I just read somewhere that the DWP have been sending out forms (esa 3 form) to all people who claimed IB and Migrated to ESA. I have not received a form from them, is it worth phoning them?

I became unwell in 2006 and was signed off work then went on IB and then migrated to ESA they gave me ESA contribution based for a year and then gave me income related instead, I’m not sure why?

My hubby was also on the claim so my IB was topped up with IS but migrated over to couples ESA.

Tia x

They are in the process of contacting everyone the transferred across from IB.



Based on the information you've given then when you were claiming Income related you would have already been claiming the correct amount of money.



The year in question would be the year you were on Contributions based. If that year your partner was working or claiming any other benefits such as Income support then you wouldn't have been entitled to any income related top up at the time.



Certainly no harm in ringing them to ask why you haven't been contacted.

cornish_donkey

poppy12345 wrote: »

They are in the process of contacting everyone the transferred across from IB.



Based on the information you've given then when you were claiming Income related you would have already been claiming the correct amount of money.



The year in question would be the year you were on Contributions based. If that year your partner was working or claiming any other benefits such as Income support then you wouldn't have been entitled to any income related top up at the time.



Certainly no harm in ringing them to ask why you haven't been contacted.

Thanks for the reply. My husband wasn’t working or claiming benefit that year.

ESA put me on contributions based when I migrated and said if I end up in WRAG the maximum I can have contributions based is 12 months (which I was really annoyed about because I became unwell when working and N.I was up to date) but if I was put in the support group contributions would remain.

poppy12345

That could be the year in question so maybe worth ringing to ask why they haven't contacted you. They are backdating money to November 2011.



I think they are still in the process of contacting people and will be until the end of this year.

cornish_donkey

Thank you. I’ve just been looking online and it seems that when you are claiming contributions based ESA you are entitled to severe disability premium. Could I potentially be looking at a back payment of £65.85 p.w for a year? As I did not receive this.

poppy12345

cornish_donkey wrote: »

Thank you. I’ve just been looking online and it seems that when you are claiming contributions based ESA you are entitled to severe disability premium. Could I potentially be looking at a back payment of £65.85 p.w for a year? As I did not receive this.

As you also live with your partner to be eligible for this they would also need to be claiming a qualifying benefit such as PIP daily living, DLA mid/high rate care or Attendance allowance. No one must also be claiming carers allowance for looking after you. SDP is paid to those that live alone or classed as living alone.

cornish_donkey

poppy12345 wrote: »

As you also live with your partner to be eligible for this they would also need to be claiming a qualifying benefit such as PIP daily living, DLA mid/high rate care or Attendance allowance. No one must also be claiming carers allowance for looking after you. SDP is paid to those that live alone or classed as living alone.

I see...In that case would I not be owed anything? or are there other top ups to be considered?

poppy12345

cornish_donkey wrote: »

I see...In that case would I not be owed anything? or are there other top ups to be considered?

The only other premium payable on top of ESA Support Group is the Enhanced disability premium £16.40 single person £24.10 couples per week.



If you were in the WRAG when you transferred across to ESA then this premium would only have been paid if you were claim high rate care DLA or Enhanced daily living PIP. If you weren't claiming any of those then it's not paid in the WRAG.

cornish_donkey

Thanks for the reply. I’ve also just read somewhere that some people who migrated to CB ESA would have also be entitled to IR as well, do you know if there’s any truth in that?

poppy12345

cornish_donkey wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. I’ve also just read somewhere that some people who migrated to CB ESA would have also be entitled to IR as well, do you know if there’s any truth in that?

Alot of people that transferred from IB were placed onto CB ESA and weren't assessed for any income related top up. This is what the underpayments are about.


As you were claiming Income related from the 2nd year of your claim then you're already claiming what you should be claiming because you claim as a couple with your partner.



The first year of your claim you were in the WRAG and the Enhanced disability premium isn't paid in that group unless you're claiming a qualifying benefit as advised in my previous comment.

cornish_donkey

Ok I must be confused. There was an old thread on here which made it sound like a lot of people were paid CB ESA only when they may have been entitled to both.