esa3 form

Wacko18

Hello. I've recently received aesa3 form saying the DWP want to look at my benefits to see if I'm getting the right amount. I've never heard of this before.

I was transferred from incapacity benefit a few years ago and put into the contributory based ESA support group. I am getting £117 a week and this includes a bit extra that was given so that I didn't suffer a drop in benefits when transferring over.

The form asks for bank statements going back several years and I'm wondering what and if I'm entitled to anything and if its worth it as I have a terrible time when dealing with the DWP.

I've heard of the income based ESA top up and a severe disability benefit but I don't know if I'm eligible as I have some savings and live with family members in their home and not my own.

Any help would be great.

calcotti

Whether or not you may be entitled to an income based top up will depend on the amount of your savings and any other income.

If your savings have been over £16,000 throughout the period you will not be eligible.

You can only be eligible for the Severe Disability premium if you also get mid or high rate care DLA or Daily Living PIP, live alone (or with other adults who get a disability benefit) and no one gets a Carer’s Allowance for looking after you.

Wacko18

Hi, thanks for replying.

I currently have about £7000 in savings (for private medical treatments and other things), and it has never been much higher than this. I also receive DLA high mobility and medium care as i am housebound/bedbound the majority of the time. I live in my parents home and they are retired, and they and i claim no other benefits.

Is it worth still sending the form in or not.?

calcotti

You are possibly entitled to a modest top to your ESA. Income based ESA today would be £124.45 (taking into account that you have £7,000 of savings). Although this isn’t much it is about £360 extra over a year and you could be owed a similar amount over many years.

Wacko18

Hi calcotti,

Thanks.

Would the transition top up from IB to cb ESA also be taken into account, and would you say that based on my circumstances that I am not entitled to the SDP one?

calcotti

What I am saying that you could be entitled to £124.45 instead of £117. The transitional protection is only to make sure that your ESA award was not less than your previous IB award. As £124.45 would be more than your previous IB the transitional protection would no longer be relevant. In any case I think the transitional protection is due to end next year so, without an income based top up, your ESA will reduce in April.

You can only get the Severe Disability Premium if you meet the qualifying conditions I described in my previous post. Because you live with your parents who do not get disability benefits you are not eligible for the Severe Disability Premium.

Wacko18

OK thank you.

I wasn't aware that the transitional top up was ending next year. Does that mean I will drop down to the standard rate which I think is around £110? And thanks for clarifying that I'm not eligible for sdp.

The ESA3 form asks for bank statements for one month of each backdated year. when they do future financial check upups, will it be the same I.e. one month of each year or will they require the whole 12 months statements?

calcotti

Wacko18 wrote: »

OK thank you.

I wasn't aware that the transitional top up was ending next year. Does that mean I will drop down to the standard rate which I think is around £110? And thanks for clarifying that I'm not eligible for sdp.

The ESA3 form asks for bank statements for one month of each backdated year. when they do future financial check upups, will it be the same I.e. one month of each year or will they require the whole 12 months statements?

I’m not certain on the end of the transitional protection without looking it up and I haven’t got time at the moment but I think it ends next year. You should get a letter about it if I am correct. The current contribution based ESA Support Group amount is £111.65 - it will rise slightly in April.

I can’t comment on what they might want in the future. The onus is on you to tell them about changes.

Wacko18

Ok thanks for all your help.

calcotti

The Employment and Support Allowance (Transitional Provisions, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit) (Existing Awards) Regulations 2010

Regulation 21

Termination of transitional addition

21.—(1) Any entitlement to a transitional addition which a person (“T”) may have by virtue of these Regulations terminates on whichever is the earlier of—
(a) the reduction in accordance with regulations 18 to 20 (reducing the transitional addition: general rule and increases for dependent children and adult dependants) of the amount of the transitional addition to nil;
(b) subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the termination in accordance with the enactments applied by regulation 16 of T’s entitlement to an employment and support allowance; and
(c) 5th April 2020

TELLIT01

It's certainly worth completing and returning the ESA3. Doing so cannot reduce your ESA payment and may lead to it being increased. Entitlement to income related benefit can also lead to free prescriptions etc.