ESA Support Group - How long is ESA paid for please?

nodosh3

My husband has become disabled and has been put in the ESA support group. He has been receiving contributory based ESA for almost a year and we think, but are not sure, that it ends after 12 months. What happens after that? Or is it paid for longer than 12 months? If he moves to income based ESA, what are the rules, can he have savings? Does he get re-assessed? The letter he has only says what he gets paid but not for how long and we are not sure how long this ESA lasts? If he has small amount of savings what is he expected to live on if he cannot work and ESA stops after 12 months? We have never claimed any benefits before and he needs something as he cannot work and is not at pension age yet. Thank you.

poppy12345

nodosh3 wrote: »

My husband has become disabled and has been put in the ESA support group. He has been receiving contributory based ESA for almost a year and we think, but are not sure, that it ends after 12 months. What happens after that? Or is it paid for longer than 12 months? If he moves to income based ESA, what are the rules, can he have savings? Does he get re-assessed? The letter he has only says what he gets paid but not for how long and we are not sure how long this ESA lasts? If he has small amount of savings what is he expected to live on if he cannot work and ESA stops after 12 months? We have never claimed any benefits before and he needs something as he cannot work and is not at pension age yet. Thank you.

Support Group ESA isn't time limited to 1 year, it is paid for as long as he remains in that group. When another re-assessment is due he will be sent another work capability assessment form and this can be anytime from 3 months.

nodosh3

Thanks for the reply. I am a little confused as his letter says contributory based ESA which is only paid for 12 months, after which we were expecting it to be means tested and as he has some savings stopped, but we cannot get a straight answer from the DWP, they just keep sending the same letter out each time we ask them. So, from what you say, he is in the support group and ESA is paid for as long as he remains there which I guess depends on how long he remains disabled for which is likely to be a long time given the nature of his condition. So, will he get it 'forever' (assessment dependent). Benefits are a minefield.

poppy12345

nodosh3 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. I am a little confused as his letter says contributory based ESA which is only paid for 12 months, after which we were expecting it to be means tested and as he has some savings stopped, but we cannot get a straight answer from the DWP, they just keep sending the same letter out each time we ask them. So, from what you say, he is in the support group and ESA is paid for as long as he remains there which I guess depends on how long he remains disabled for which is likely to be a long time given the nature of his condition. So, will he get it 'forever' (assessment dependent). Benefits are a minefield.

Are you sure he's in the Support Group and not the WRAG?



Please double check because if the letter states it ends in 12 months then he's more than likely in the WRAG (LCW). This is time limited.



Support Group ESA Contributions based is £111.65 per week, is that what he receives? If it's £73.10 per week then he's not in the Support Group, he's in the WRAG.

calcotti

Apart from the ESA, which poppy has explained above, has he looked at Personal Independence Payment? PIP is not means tested and is based on how his health affects his ability to do specified tasks. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/

In your opening post you say that he has only small savings and he needs something to live on. Please be aware that for any means tested benefit entitlement will be based on your joint savings and joint income.

nodosh3

Thanks, his letter says he is in the support group. He also receives PIP. I feel a little reassured by the replies in this forum that the ESA will continue. I was under the assumption that it would end after 12 months like contributory based ESA for job seekers but I am guessing it is different due to him being unable to work, so a little relieved if this does not end as I was expecting. So thanks again.

calcotti

nodosh3 wrote: »

Thanks, his letter says he is in the support group. He also receives PIP. I feel a little reassured by the replies in this forum that the ESA will continue. I was under the assumption that it would end after 12 months like contributory based ESA for job seekers but I am guessing it is different due to him being unable to work, so a little relieved if this does not end as I was expecting. So thanks again.

ESA is not for jobseekers, it is for people who are unable to work or would have difficulty working. Contribution based JSA for jobseekers only lasts 6 months. As poppy advised, contribution based ESA is indefinite if in Support Group. If not in Support Group ESA does stop after 12 months which is why the limit is referred to.

pmlindyloo

Since it mentions 12 months in the letter it might be a good idea to check by writing the exact wording in his award letter on your thread.

calcotti

pmlindyloo wrote: »

Since it mentions 12 months in the letter it might be a good idea to check by writing the exact wording in his award letter on your thread.

If OP is also willing to post the amount he is receiving that will tell us which Group he is in as indicated by poppy in an earlier post.