Benefits change at retirement question?

Jon_01

Hi everyone,

My mate hits retirement age this Saturday (28th).
He gets PiP and EESA and understood that the PiP would continue (as advised by the DWP at review at the start of the year for the next ten years) and that the EESA would stop.
But he's heard nothing from the DWP about the EESA stopping and is worried that they'll continue paying it and then ask for it back.
He really, really doesn't want to have to call them as every time he has in the past they have massively screwed up his claim!

Can anyone confirm if he should have been notified that the EESA will stop, or do the DWP just not bother and it just stops at retirement age?

Thanks

(He intends transferring the EESA payments into a separate acc every time they're paid after the 28th in readiness for the request to pay them back!)

 

poppy12345

The ESA should just end the day before he reaches state pension age. If it does continue to be paid then he will need to ring them to tell them.

Alice_Holt

Has he applied for his State Pension (and, if eligible, Pension Credit) ?

https://www.gov.uk/new-state-pension/how-to-claim

If so, has he had confirmation from the DWP of payment:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6292387/first-state-pension-payment#latest


As poppy has advised - "When you reach State Pension age, the DWP should stop your ESA automatically. If they don't stop your ESA, contact them and make sure they know you've reached State Pension age.":  

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/employment-and-support-allowance/while-youre-getting-esa/esa-reporting-changes/#:~:text=When you reach State Pension,ve reached State Pension age.

elle_may

When my husband applied for his pension we received a letter from DWP that they had been informed, he was receiving his pension on his birthday and so was not eligble to claim ESA. They give dates and any money owed. We olso got a letter about our council tax. So it seems once you apply for your pension they all get to know.  Pip does continue if you are still eligble for that benefit.   Has he not had a letter from pensions inviting him to apply, we did.  You can apply on line with that letter and code on it. 

Jon_01

Thanks everyone.

Yes, he's had the info for the State Pension and had the conformation letter with the values and the start date.  But nothing from DWP about ESA...

He's refusing to call them if they don't stop the ESA, he'll put the funds into an acc and wait for them to realize and then repay it.
Last time he HAD to call them they misunderstood and stopped all payments and it took 9 months to sort it out and the DWP couldn't grasp that stopping someones only income would create a problem!!!!  
I had to lend him hundreds of pounds every month just so he could eat and pay his gas and electric.

poppy12345

Jon_01 said:

Last time he HAD to call them they misunderstood and stopped all payments and it took 9 months to sort it out and the DWP couldn't grasp that stopping someones only income would create a problem!!!!  
I had to lend him hundreds of pounds every month just so he could eat and pay his gas and electric.

Only this time he would want the ESA to stop ....

Jon_01

poppy12345 said:

Jon_01 said:

Last time he HAD to call them they misunderstood and stopped all payments and it took 9 months to sort it out and the DWP couldn't grasp that stopping someones only income would create a problem!!!!  
I had to lend him hundreds of pounds every month just so he could eat and pay his gas and electric.

Only this time he would want the ESA to stop ....

Well yes, but asking them to stop one payment could cause them to stop all payments.  Lets face it, their track record is terrible and they never except responsibility for their own errors.

poppy12345

Jon_01 said:

poppy12345 said:

Jon_01 said:

Last time he HAD to call them they misunderstood and stopped all payments and it took 9 months to sort it out and the DWP couldn't grasp that stopping someones only income would create a problem!!!!  
I had to lend him hundreds of pounds every month just so he could eat and pay his gas and electric.

Only this time he would want the ESA to stop ....

Well yes, but asking them to stop one payment could cause them to stop all payments.

I disagree here because State pension has nothing to do with ESA.

Jon_01

poppy12345 said:

Jon_01 said:

poppy12345 said:

Jon_01 said:

Last time he HAD to call them they misunderstood and stopped all payments and it took 9 months to sort it out and the DWP couldn't grasp that stopping someones only income would create a problem!!!!  
I had to lend him hundreds of pounds every month just so he could eat and pay his gas and electric.

Only this time he would want the ESA to stop ....

Well yes, but asking them to stop one payment could cause them to stop all payments.

I disagree here because State pension has nothing to do with ESA.

But I'm not talking about the pension, I'm saying if he tells them to stop the ESA there's a very good chance they'll stop the PiP as well. . .

poppy12345

Jon_01 said:

poppy12345 said:

Jon_01 said:

poppy12345 said:

Jon_01 said:

Last time he HAD to call them they misunderstood and stopped all payments and it took 9 months to sort it out and the DWP couldn't grasp that stopping someones only income would create a problem!!!!  
I had to lend him hundreds of pounds every month just so he could eat and pay his gas and electric.

Only this time he would want the ESA to stop ....

Well yes, but asking them to stop one payment could cause them to stop all payments.

I disagree here because State pension has nothing to do with ESA.

But I'm not talking about the pension, I'm saying if he tells them to stop the ESA there's a very good chance they'll stop the PiP as well. . .

Nope because PIP and ESA are both completey different benefits. Anyway, the ESA may well stop when it's supposed to so there will be no need to ring them...

Alice_Holt

Jon_01 said:

poppy12345 said:

Jon_01 said:

poppy12345 said:

Jon_01 said:

Last time he HAD to call them they misunderstood and stopped all payments and it took 9 months to sort it out and the DWP couldn't grasp that stopping someones only income would create a problem!!!!  
I had to lend him hundreds of pounds every month just so he could eat and pay his gas and electric.

Only this time he would want the ESA to stop ....

Well yes, but asking them to stop one payment could cause them to stop all payments.

I disagree here because State pension has nothing to do with ESA.

But I'm not talking about the pension, I'm saying if he tells them to stop the ESA there's a very good chance they'll stop the PiP as well. . .

         No, there is no chance of that (even with the DWP's many failings)

   Unless, of course, your friend actually rings the PIP enquiry line and instructs them to end his PIP claim.



      Has he any occupational / private pensions payable ?    
      Has if looked into Pension Credit ( https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit/what-youll-get ) ?
      What rate of DL PIP does he receive?