Any ideas why my Contibutions based ESA has not ncreased since 2012

annie_5

Hi all
I have a complex medical history and was medically retired from Nursing in1994.

In 2002 pain program encouraged me to claim Incapacity Benefit and i was awarded higher rate for health and mobility.
My ealth has continued to decline and in 2012 i was moved from IB to contributions based ESA. I have not seen an increase in this award since it commenced in 2012.

I Have  a mortgage and my main income is my NHS Pension  £10,600.

I also am on higher award for PIP health and mobilty.

I have spoken to DWP but didnt really understand their rationale for no yearly increments.

I would be very grateful if someone could shed some light.Thank you 

Spoonie_Turtle

What is your current amount of ESA? 

No yearly uprating suggests you had transitional protection to make sure you didn't have a drop in benefits (in cash terms anyway) and that normal benefits haven't yet reached that level.

Dazed_and_C0nfused

annie_5 said:

Hi all
I have a complex medical history and was medically retired from Nursing in1994.

In 2002 pain program encouraged me to claim Incapacity Benefit and i was awarded higher rate for health and mobility.
My ealth has continued to decline and in 2012 i was moved from IB to contributions based ESA. I have not seen an increase in this award since it commenced in 2012.

I Have  a mortgage and my main income is my NHS Pension  £10,600.

I also am on higher award for PIP health and mobilty.

I have spoken to DWP but didnt really understand their rationale for no yearly increments.

I would be very grateful if someone could shed some light.Thank you 

Has your NHS pension increased with some element of inflation protection each year?

annie_5

Spoonie_Turtle said:

What is your current amount of ESA? 

No yearly uprating suggests you had transitional protection to make sure you didn't have a drop in benefits (in cash terms anyway) and that normal benefits haven't yet reached that level.

Thank you that makes sense. I get £7040

annie_5

Dazed_and_C0nfused said:

annie_5 said:

Hi all
I have a complex medical history and was medically retired from Nursing in1994.

In 2002 pain program encouraged me to claim Incapacity Benefit and i was awarded higher rate for health and mobility.
My ealth has continued to decline and in 2012 i was moved from IB to contributions based ESA. I have not seen an increase in this award since it commenced in 2012.

I Have  a mortgage and my main income is my NHS Pension  £10,600.

I also am on higher award for PIP health and mobilty.

I have spoken to DWP but didnt really understand their rationale for no yearly increments.

I would be very grateful if someone could shed some light.Thank you 

Has your NHS pension increased with some element of inflation protection each year?

Yes my Pension goes up each year. 

huckster

Is all of the information on the claim accurate ?  e.g. your pension income.

ESA will have issued you with letters stating how your benefit amount was assessed.

If you are doubting amount of ESA being paid, you might be best to contact Citizens Advice or other benefits advice service and provide them with the ESA award letters you have received. 

What is your ESA weekly award amount ?  What components are being paid ? E.g. Support group.

calcotti

If the transfer from IB to ESA included the contribution amount of ESA including the Support Group topping up with a transitional additional top up (also contribution DLA awarded) to ensure the total of the ESA was not less than the previous amount of IB. Each year as the standard elements increased the transitional amount was reduced such that the total ESA remained unchanged. If the transitional has eventually reduced to nil the ESA would then just have been based on the standard elements and that would then have rises as these increased.

Pension income would have likely meant no intention to any income based ESA.

The contribution based ESA payable is also reduced by 50% of any pension over £85/week. 

Newcad

Whilst most Transitional Additions from the IB/IS 'migration' have now been exceeded by rises in ESA there are still some in payment. (Mainly because of the benefits freeze from 2016 to 2020 meant ESA rates didn't rise).

For those still in payment then until standard rates of ESA catch up and 'erode' the TA there will be no increase in payments.

You may have noticed some discussion about 'erosion' of the Transitional Element that those who will be managed migrated to from ESA to UC will get.
It's nothing new as this sitation with the Transitional Addition from IB/IS to ESA shows.
Transitional Additions/Elements have always eroded over time.

annie_5

huckster said:

Is all of the information on the claim accurate ?  e.g. your pension income.

ESA will have issued you with letters stating how your benefit amount was assessed.

If you are doubting amount of ESA being paid, you might be best to contact Citizens Advice or other benefits advice service and provide them with the ESA award letters you have received. 

What is your ESA weekly award amount ?  What components are being paid ? E.g. Support group.

I get £135pw in lncldng Sevvere Disablement Allowance.  Yes all my figures are correct. Support group higher rate mobility and care.

annie_5

calcotti said:

If the transfer from IB to ESA included the contribution amount of ESA including the Support Group topping up with a transitional additional top up (also contribution DLA awarded) to ensure the total of the ESA was not less than the previous amount of IB. Each year as the standard elements increased the transitional amount was reduced such that the total ESA remained unchanged. If the transitional has eventually reduced to nil the ESA would then just have been based on the standard elements and that would then have rises as these increased.

Pension income would have likely meant no intention to any income based ESA.

The contribution based ESA payable is also reduced by 50% of any pension over £85/week. 

Thanks for your post. Very helpful. I get taxed on my pension so 11yrs is a long time to not have an increase.  Am l right in thinking that as my pension goes up each year then its unlikely that my ESA will never go up.

annie_5

Newcad said:

Whilst most Transitional Additions from the IB/IS 'migration' have now been exceeded by rises in ESA there are still some in payment. (Mainly because of the benefits freeze from 2016 to 2020 meant ESA rates didn't rise).

For those still in payment then until standard rates of ESA catch up and 'erode' the TA there will be no increase in payments.

You may have noticed some discussion about 'erosion' of the Transitional Element that those who will be managed migrated to from ESA to UC will get.
It's nothing new as this sitation with the Transitional Addition from IB/IS to ESA shows.
Transitional Additions/Elements have always eroded over time.

Thank you 😊