New to ESA

sarah1972

Hi everyone
My husband is terminally ill and sick pay ends this month so we applied for ESA a couple of months back giving the dates. 

My question is, I saw that the disability element is automatically paid but how do they know that you cannot physically work unless we tell them? 

Sorry if this is a silly obvious question, I’m new to all this x 

poppy12345

sarah1972 said:

Hi everyone
My husband is terminally ill and sick pay ends this month so we applied for ESA a couple of months back giving the dates. 

My question is, I saw that the disability element is automatically paid but how do they know that you cannot physically work unless we tell them? 

Sorry if this is a silly obvious question, I’m new to all this x 

When you say terminally ill, do you mean 12 months or less left to live? If so has he claimed under the special rules using the SR1 form? (previously known as DS1500) If she then he will automatically be placed into the Support Group without the need for an assessment. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-factual-medical-reports-guidance-for-healthcare-professionals/e5b3b502-9067-4b20-93c0-1006d9cb0edb

sarah1972

poppy12345 said:

sarah1972 said:

Hi everyone
My husband is terminally ill and sick pay ends this month so we applied for ESA a couple of months back giving the dates. 

My question is, I saw that the disability element is automatically paid but how do they know that you cannot physically work unless we tell them? 

Sorry if this is a silly obvious question, I’m new to all this x 

When you say terminally ill, do you mean 12 months or less left to live? If so has he claimed under the special rules using the SR1 form? (previously known as DS1500) If she then he will automatically be placed into the Support Group without the need for an assessment. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-factual-medical-reports-guidance-for-healthcare-professionals/e5b3b502-9067-4b20-93c0-1006d9cb0edb

Yes pip was given from a SR1 form but ESA, I have applied normally as our nurse sent the form so we don’t have a copy ?

I’m aware he will be placed into the support group but a friend of mine said about an additional disability add on? X

poppy12345

I would advise you to use the SR1 form because he would be placed into the Support Group straight away, rather than having to wait 13 weeks. 

There's no disability premiums payable with New style ESA because it's a contributions based benefit only. ESA Support Group is £138.20/week and that's the maximum amount. 

Are you both claiming Universal Credit as well?

8dayweek

I would give ESA a call and just tell them you’re claiming under special rules / due to terminally illness. 

The SR1 will be logged if PIP have already had it (HCP sends it via a dedicated email portal thingy), but unless you prompt someone at ESA to “look” it might go unnoticed. 

sarah1972

poppy12345 said:

I would advise you to use the SR1 form because he would be placed into the Support Group straight away, rather than having to wait 13 weeks. 

There's no disability premiums payable with New style ESA because it's a contributions based benefit only. ESA Support Group is £138.20/week and that's the maximum amount. 

Are you both claiming Universal Credit as well?

We don’t have a SR1 form but I will call them. 
We’re not eligible for Universal credit. 

I was told that he should get this https://www.gov.uk/disability-premiums/what-youll-get 

8dayweek

Those disability premiums relate to income related legacy benefits rather than new style ESA. It’s the Support Group / LCWRA premium that would be added to the NS ESA as a result of the SR1 form. 

poppy12345

sarah1972 said:

poppy12345 said:

I would advise you to use the SR1 form because he would be placed into the Support Group straight away, rather than having to wait 13 weeks. 

There's no disability premiums payable with New style ESA because it's a contributions based benefit only. ESA Support Group is £138.20/week and that's the maximum amount. 

Are you both claiming Universal Credit as well?

We don’t have a SR1 form but I will call them. 
We’re not eligible for Universal credit. 

I was told that he should get this https://www.gov.uk/disability-premiums/what-youll-get 

I'm afraid you've be given incorrect information. As I advised, New Style ESA is a contributions based benefit only and doesn't include any disability premiums. 

sarah1972

8dayweek said:

Those disability premiums relate to income related legacy benefits rather than new style ESA. It’s the Support Group / LCWRA premium that would be added to the NS ESA as a result of the SR1 form. 

poppy12345 said:

sarah1972 said:

poppy12345 said:

I would advise you to use the SR1 form because he would be placed into the Support Group straight away, rather than having to wait 13 weeks. 

There's no disability premiums payable with New style ESA because it's a contributions based benefit only. ESA Support Group is £138.20/week and that's the maximum amount. 

Are you both claiming Universal Credit as well?

We don’t have a SR1 form but I will call them. 
We’re not eligible for Universal credit. 

I was told that he should get this https://www.gov.uk/disability-premiums/what-youll-get 

I'm afraid you've be given incorrect information. As I advised, New Style ESA is a contributions based benefit only and doesn't include any disability premiums. 

Thank you both. 

I got confused as it says 

If you get income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) you cannot get the disability premium, but you may still qualify for the severe and enhanced premiums.

So our nurse said that he will get the severe or enhanced but obviously not. 

X

Newcad

Hi @sarah1972

I'm afraid that your nurse is a few years out of date with her information.

Those premiums only apply to Income Related ESA - and nobody has been able to make a brand new claim for that since 27th January 2021. (so those premiums can only apply to IR ESA claims made before that date).

The ESA that you can still claim now is Contribution Based ESA which does not include those premuims. It is also referred to as 'New Style ESA' to point out that it has different rules.

However UC has replaced 'Old Style' Income Related ESA for new claims, and if you qualify for UC then you can claim UC as well as New Style ESA.
If you do that then although what you get paid as ESA is deducted from the UC you do end up with more money overall because the LCWRA element of UC is much more than the Support Group Element of ESA.

UC LCWRA Element is currently £416.19 a month, ESA Support Group Element is currently equivalent to £128.91 a month.
You will also get the UC standard allowance for a couple of course.
If you tell UC that you are caring for your spouse then you should also get a UC Carer Element of £198.31 a month.
Overall you may be much, much, better off each month by claiming UC too, so you should also claim UC if you can, ie. if don't have over £16,000 savings/captal between you, and you yourself are not earning a high wage..

Enter your circumstances into one (or more) of the benefits calculators here to find out what you should be claiming now, and how much you should get overall if/when you do: https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators

sarah1972

Newcad said:

Hi @sarah1972

I'm afraid that your nurse is a few years out of date with her information.

Those premiums only apply to Income Related ESA - and nobody has been able to make a brand new claim for that since 27th January 2021. (so those premiums can only apply to IR ESA claims made before that date).

The ESA that you can still claim now is Contribution Based ESA which does not include those premuims. It is also referred to as 'New Style ESA' to point out that it has different rules.

However UC has replaced 'Old Style' Income Related ESA for new claims, and if you qualify for UC then you can claim UC as well as New Style ESA.
If you do that then although what you get paid as ESA is deducted from the UC you do end up with more money overall because the LCWRA element of UC is much more than the Support Group Element of ESA.

UC LCWRA Element is currently £416.19 a month, ESA Support Group Element is currently equivalent to £128.91 a month.
You will also get the UC standard allowance for a couple of course.
If you tell UC that you are caring for your spouse then you should also get a UC Carer Element of £198.31 a month.
Overall you may be much, much, better off each month by claiming UC too, so you should also claim UC if you can, ie. if don't have over £16,000 savings/captal between you, and you yourself are not earning a high wage..

Enter your circumstances into one (or more) of the benefits calculators here to find out what you should be claiming now, and how much you should get overall if/when you do: https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators

Thank you for such a detailed reply. 

we aren’t eligible for UC but thank you for your help x