ESA/PIP concerns about an abroad trip.

HumanPerson

Hello, I am a claimant for ESA/PIP, claiming for a mental health illness and its symptoms. Without getting into specifics on the illness I will just say I do not leave the house except with very close family, probably about once a month. I was awarded ESA following an appeal due to these difficulties.
One of said very close family members wants to take me on a trip abroad for a week, somewhere special to them. They are a great source of emotional support and stability for me and have assured me they will take care of me during the trip so I feel semi-confident that I could handle it, if not I would just stay in the hotel while they go around.

As for my question, I can see that on the gov.uk page for PIP, it says that you must contact the DWP if you travel abroad.
I also read elsewhere that going abroad can "affect your eligibility" though it was unclear if this was related to the timed limit that you can claim benefits while abroad.
Does anybody have any idea if either of my claims could be re-assessed or cancelled due to ineligibility if I go abroad, as I was given ESA originally due to my difficulties leaving the house? Unfortunately I cannot have my family members escort me at all times during a full-time job, they're busy people..
Thanks for your time.

poppy12345

Going abroad for 1 week will not affect your benefits entitlement. You're allowed to go for up to 1 month. ESA and PIP are based on how your conditions are the majority of the time. 1 week, is not the majority of the time.

I claim the same benefits and when i go abroad i go for 2 weeks and never tell DWP because it's less than 1 month.

HumanPerson

poppy12345 said:

Going abroad for 1 week will not affect your benefits entitlement. You're allowed to go for up to 1 month. ESA and PIP are based on how your conditions are the majority of the time. 1 week, is not the majority of the time.

I claim the same benefits and when i go abroad i go for 2 weeks and never tell DWP because it's less than 1 month.

Thanks a lot for your response. I had hoped this was the case.. any other inputs from others would still be appreciated.

poppy12345

HumanPerson said:

poppy12345 said:

Going abroad for 1 week will not affect your benefits entitlement. You're allowed to go for up to 1 month. ESA and PIP are based on how your conditions are the majority of the time. 1 week, is not the majority of the time.

I claim the same benefits and when i go abroad i go for 2 weeks and never tell DWP because it's less than 1 month.

any other inputs from others would still be appreciated.

I'm not sure what other advice you would like. There's no other advice to give other than what i advised.

HumanPerson

poppy12345 said:

HumanPerson said:

poppy12345 said:

Going abroad for 1 week will not affect your benefits entitlement. You're allowed to go for up to 1 month. ESA and PIP are based on how your conditions are the majority of the time. 1 week, is not the majority of the time.

I claim the same benefits and when i go abroad i go for 2 weeks and never tell DWP because it's less than 1 month.

any other inputs from others would still be appreciated.

I'm not sure what other advice you would like. There's no other advice to give other than what i advised.

I'm grateful for the advice, I just wanted to leave it open for others to comment in case they might have had any irregular problems related to the subject or encountered any problems with the DWP when traveling abroad. 

williewonder

I'm on ESA/PIP and have been abroad for 28 days before. Never told the DWP. its never been a problem.

I was told on here that I probally cut it too fine with he 28 days that if I missed my flight I would go over the limit. I'm now going to go away for 24 days next time.

calcotti

poppy12345 said:

Going abroad for 1 week will not affect your benefits entitlement. You're allowed to go for up to 1 month. 

Brain not be functioning properly today but I think it's 28 days rather than one month (and I can't remember whether days of departure and return count as in or out of the UK).

poppy12345

calcotti said:

poppy12345 said:

Going abroad for 1 week will not affect your benefits entitlement. You're allowed to go for up to 1 month. 

Brain not be functioning properly today but I think it's 28 days rather than one month (and I can't remember whether days of departure and return count as in or out of the UK).

I think you're right about the 28 days. Can't rememeber the departure and return though. It's never applied to me as the longest i go for is 14 days.

Spoonie_Turtle

poppy12345 said:

calcotti said:

poppy12345 said:

Going abroad for 1 week will not affect your benefits entitlement. You're allowed to go for up to 1 month. 

Brain not be functioning properly today but I think it's 28 days rather than one month (and I can't remember whether days of departure and return count as in or out of the UK).

I think you're right about the 28 days. Can't rememeber the departure and return though. It's never applied to me as the longest i go for is 14 days.

Got me curious, so here we go:
ADM chapter C4  https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/661494/admc4.pdf

Days of arrival and departure
C4008 With regard to any particular day, a person should be regarded as present if they are in GB for part of a day: thus the day when a person arrives in GB and a day when they leave count as days when they are “in” GB.   


(Not relevant to the OP but the wording for absence in the case of UC is in months, whereas for all other benefits calculated on a weekly basis, the wording is in weeks.)

calcotti

Spoonie_Turtle said:

poppy12345 said:

calcotti said:

poppy12345 said:

Going abroad for 1 week will not affect your benefits entitlement. You're allowed to go for up to 1 month. 

Brain not be functioning properly today but I think it's 28 days rather than one month (and I can't remember whether days of departure and return count as in or out of the UK).

I think you're right about the 28 days. Can't rememeber the departure and return though. It's never applied to me as the longest i go for is 14 days.

Got me curious, so here we go:
ADM chapter C4  https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/661494/admc4.pdf

Days of arrival and departure
C4008 With regard to any particular day, a person should be regarded as present if they are in GB for part of a day: thus the day when a person arrives in GB and a day when they leave count as days when they are “in” GB.   


(Not relevant to the OP but the wording for absence in the case of UC is in months, whereas for all other benefits calculated on a weekly basis, the wording is in weeks.)

Thanks spoonie, I knew I would find it there but I hadn't got the energy to look earlier. (Oddly there's still an idea in the my mind that the rule night be different on arrival/departure for HB - but I haven't got the energy to look that up either!).

TELLIT01

The only other advice I would give is to ensure that the travel insurance provider is made aware of the OPs health conditions.  If not, and the OP does have a breakdown of some kind whilst away, they may not get any support in getting back home.  There have been a few reports recently of passengers either being refused boarding or removed from aircraft when they panicked about flying.