ESA - totally confused about Contribution/Income based

fiddlesticks0

Hi,

I've always thought I was getting Contrbution-based ESA (in the Support Group)  but looking again at my letters, I'm totally confused about it.

The letters show:

The payment of Employment and Support Allowance is based on your National Insurance Contribution records.

Limited capability for work addition:
- Extra money because you are in the Support Group __
Which gives a total Income-related amount __

Your income-related amount is ___ 

A few years ago (and nothing has changed since then) it also said 'However, because you are entitled to contribution-based Employment and support Allowance we will pay you ___ (and this was the same amount as the Income-related amount shown above)

Does anyone understand this? I've always assumed it must have been Contribution-based as the top line specifies this ESA is based on my NI contributions (I was working just before moving to ESA). Does this mean I'm definitely on CB?

Catonthemoon

From what you’ve described, you were on CB ESA a few years ago, however, CB ends after 365 days (a year). You are then moved onto IR ESA and I’m fairly confident that’s what you’ve been on for the past x no. of years (hence the wording of your award letter…”your income-related amount is”).

Spoonie_Turtle

Catonthemoon said:

From what you’ve described, you were on CB ESA a few years ago, however, CB ends after 365 days (a year). You are then moved onto IR ESA and I’m fairly confident that’s what you’ve been on for the past x no. of years (hence the wording of your award letter…”your income-related amount is”).

Not in the support group.  Cb entitlement continues indefinitely, until/unless moved out of the support group on reassessment.

My new-style ESA letters make reference to income (I forget the exact wording) even though it can never have an income-related amount.  ESA letters are notoriously unclear!

KxMx

CB ESA in the Work Related Activity Group runs out after 365 days.

CB ESA in the Support Group doesn't expire.

If you were in WRAG, CB ran out, then later moved to Support Group, the CB ESA reactivates.

fiddlesticks0

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Catonthemoon said:

From what you’ve described, you were on CB ESA a few years ago, however, CB ends after 365 days (a year). You are then moved onto IR ESA and I’m fairly confident that’s what you’ve been on for the past x no. of years (hence the wording of your award letter…”your income-related amount is”).

Not in the support group.  Cb entitlement continues indefinitely, until/unless moved out of the support group on reassessment.

My new-style ESA letters make reference to income (I forget the exact wording) even though it can never have an income-related amount.  ESA letters are notoriously unclear!

Thanks. It's so unclear and confusing - I tried to phone them but am still not at all clear, there was some mention on me qualifying for both (in which case I believe you get whichever is higher) but I've never applied for or Income-based and have only ever noticed the references to Contribution-based due to my NI records on the letters. I forgot how stressful dealing with these people is - if I don't get anywhere with them I may have to try Citizens Advice, but you'd have thought there would be a simple answer for this question.

KxMx

When you applied for ESA, DWP would have awarded you whichever type you qualified for:

Contributions Based 

Income Related 

Contributions Based with an IR top up. 

fiddlesticks0

KxMx said:

When you applied for ESA, DWP would have awarded you whichever type you qualified for:

Contributions Based 

Income Related 

Contributions Based with an IR top up. 

Hi, the thing is was it was quite a few years ago, nothing has changed since then and I've never really paid attention to the exact wording, beyond where it starts with 'The payment of Employment and Support Allowance is based on your National Insurance Contribution records' so I'd just always assumed it was all CB.

There's no clarity on the letters and I didn't get any clarity when phoning them either as they didn't seem sure themselves.