ESA Cost of living payments

Annlisa22

I have just found out that if you get contributions esa that your not entitled to the cost of living payment i just dont understand when it was announced they just said if you claim esa so we were waiting for the payment and when i looked on the guv website it then said if u get NI contributions ESA you dont get it?? I think its disgraceful you work all ur life and dont get it yet my brother has never worked and got it just becuase its a different name its still the same benefits please can somwone explain to me why this decision was made and if u can appeal thank you

calcotti

You will have to ask the government. The forum can only advise you on what the rules say.

Annlisa22

Unfortunately i have been trying to call them all week but they never answer leave you waiting for hours i was just hoping someone might now why that decision was made because it makes no sense 

elsien

I worked all my life and I don’t get it either. Probably because I’m lucky enough not to need to claim means tested benefits, but even so….

calcotti

Annlisa22 said:

Unfortunately i have been trying to call them all week but they never answer leave you waiting for hours i was just hoping someone might now why that decision was made because it makes no sense 

There's no point asking DWP. They just administer the rules, they cannot explain why.

Rubyroobs

Annlisa22 said:

I have just found out that if you get contributions esa that your not entitled to the cost of living payment i just dont understand when it was announced they just said if you claim esa so we were waiting for the payment and when i looked on the guv website it then said if u get NI contributions ESA you dont get it?? I think its disgraceful you work all ur life and dont get it yet my brother has never worked and got it just becuase its a different name its still the same benefits please can somwone explain to me why this decision was made and if u can appeal thank you

Contributions based ESA isn't even a means tested benefit. You could be a millionaire and claim it or have  loads of savings or have a partner who earns enough for you not to have to claim a means tested benefit. This is why you can't get it on contributions based ESA.

Rubyroobs

Annlisa22 said:

Unfortunately i have been trying to call them all week but they never answer leave you waiting for hours i was just hoping someone might now why that decision was made because it makes no sense 

Annlisa22 said:

Unfortunately i have been trying to call them all week but they never answer leave you waiting for hours i was just hoping someone might now why that decision was made because it makes no sense 

Of course it makes sense. If you qualified for a means tested benefit like Universal credit or Income related ESA alongside contributions based ESA you would be getting the cost of living payment. If you don't qualify for a means tested benefit you won't get the payment.

Spoonie_Turtle

Annlisa22 said:

I have just found out that if you get contributions esa that your not entitled to the cost of living payment

For clarity, do you only receive contribution-based ESA? 

There has been some misunderstanding about this, people thinking it actively disqualifies them even though they also claim an income-based benefit.  If you claim any other benefit that qualifies, or if your ESA has even a penny of income-based top-up, you will get the payment.  However if you only claim contribution-based ESA then you will not get the payment because you do not claim a means-tested benefit.

poppy12345

Annlisa22 said:

I have just found out that if you get contributions esa that your not entitled to the cost of living payment i just dont understand when it was announced they just said if you claim esa so we were waiting for the payment and when i looked on the guv website it then said if u get NI contributions ESA you dont get it?? I think its disgraceful you work all ur life and dont get it yet my brother has never worked and got it just becuase its a different name its still the same benefits please can somwone explain to me why this decision was made and if u can appeal thank you

Which ESA exactly do you claim? If it's New style ESA then this is a contributions based on benefit and you won't be entitled to the CoL payment.

If it's the old contributions based ESA does your entitlement include the Income Related top up? If so then your ESA will be classed as Income Related and you'll be entitled to the CoL payment.

If you're in the Support Group and your ESA is £117.60/week then this would be Contributions based/New style and you won't be entitled to the payment.

Annlisa22

I was on income related esa then they changed it months ago to contributions esa i get pip as well i was roofer worked all my life fell off a roof now disabled so i dont know why they changed it and to be honest dont understand all of these benefits as before tholis i had never claimed a benefit just dont understand why it makes a difference as the cost of living shouldnt discriminate for someone because of the type when they know how much benefits i get which isnt a lot..my post was purely for someone to help me understand the difference and to be honest im still non the wiser but thanks anyway for trying 

calcotti

Annlisa22 said:

I was on income related esa then they changed it months ago to contributions esa i get pip as well i was roofer worked all my life fell off a roof now disabled so i dont know why they changed it ..

When did you claim ESA and how much do you get?