It's April..ESA & PIP rates have NOT increased (on bank statement)..Shouldn't they have gone up??

Karen_taris

As April 2022 was the month for Welfare benefits to increase (by 3.1% was it?)

Last payment of PIP was on 11 April 2022, and that has not increased, (is the same as previous months)

Last Payment of ESA was days ago, (mid April) and again that has also not increased, (is the same as previous months)

Shouldn't these have increased ?

Have anyone had the same issue?

When are they expected to increase,  by the 3.1%, so they show a higher amount on the bank statements?

Silvertabby

Cost of living increases aren't applied from the first of April, but from the first Monday on or after the start of the financial year (6April).  So that was 11 April this year.

Karen_taris

thanks.

so the ESA payment was  few days ago (mid April), and that has Not increased (the bank statement amount is the same as previous months)

so does that mean our ESA has not been increased, when the rates should have been increased ??

What could the explanation be, to the rates not increasing ?

Did the 11th April 2022 PIP not increase, as it was bang on the 11th April,  and should increase on 11th May ?

donnac2558

Your ESA is back paid, so the increase usually does not start showing until the end of the month, so payments in May.  The payment increase starts on the 11th, but since your payments are behind, it will be weeks before the increase shows.  The same for PIP.

poppy12345

The increase only applied from 11th April. PIP and ESA are both paid in arrears. Therefore, no one will have seen the increase yet.

Keruge

It is interesting that most other tax events happen on 6th April each year, so why the 11th, is it a way to deny disabled people money when already they are paid in arrears?

elsien

Keruge said:

It is interesting that most other tax events happen on 6th April each year, so why the 11th, is it a way to deny disabled people money when already they are paid in arrears?

Nope. From the perspective of someone who is fortunate not to need to claim benefits at the moment, I’m being hit by a NI increase and not getting any sort of pay rise this year. 

Robbie64

Keruge said:

It is interesting that most other tax events happen on 6th April each year, so why the 11th, is it a way to deny disabled people money when already they are paid in arrears?

For benefits, the relevant date is the first Monday on or after the start of the new tax year. Depending on what date a Monday falls it can be any date between the 6th and 12th of April. This year it fell on the 11th. Next year it is the 10th.

NedS

Robbie64 said:

Keruge said:

It is interesting that most other tax events happen on 6th April each year, so why the 11th, is it a way to deny disabled people money when already they are paid in arrears?

For benefits, the relevant date is the first Monday on or after the start of the new tax year. Depending on what date a Monday falls it can be any date between the 6th and 12th of April. This year it fell on the 11th. Next year it is the 10th.

And I assume the reason it's the first Monday of the new tax year stems from the fact most benefits (pensions, JSA, ESA, DLA/PIP, CHB) were paid/calculated weekly (in arrears) where the whole of the week must fall on or after the 6th April. For UC (a monthly benefit), it would arguably make more sense to pay the increased rates for APs starting on or after 6th April rather than the first Monday, but that's the way the legislation is written.

It also has nothing to do with discriminating against disabled people, as it affects all benefit claimants equally regardless of their age, sex or disability.