ESA Contribution based

Thank you Gordon. Contact with the DWP is never straightforward is it? The problem I have now is that my daughter is 100 miles away and finds it difficult to cope with things like this, and it looks as though it is only going to get worse in the near future as more draconian cuts are introduced along with all the additional hoops, hurdles and other obstacles that they can come up with. I think I'll have to get her to sign a letter authorising me to act for her. What she will do when I'm no longer around I do not know. (I'm 70)

I rang them and they (finally) accepted that I had "implied consent" to speak for my daughter. The ESA payment has been suspended because they say that they need details of her partner's earnings/hours etc. I wonder why they have just stopped the payment without letting her know what's happening? GRRRR!

Am I right in saying that her ESA (CR)eligibility has nothing to do with her partner's earnings etc? I have a feeling that you may be right about them making it an Income related claim as this would bring her boyfriend's income into the equation.

Do I just go along with them and get her to send the details in or do I argue?

A's Dad wrote: I rang them and they (finally) accepted that I had "implied consent" to speak for my daughter. The ESA payment has been suspended because they say that they need details of her partner's earnings/hours etc. I wonder why they have just stopped the payment without letting her know what's happening? GRRRR!

Am I right in saying that her ESA (CR)eligibility has nothing to do with her partner's earnings etc? I have a feeling that you may be right about them making it an Income related claim as this would bring her boyfriend's income into the equation.

Do I just go along with them and get her to send the details in or do I argue?

Hi A'D,

They do tend to stop payments first and ask questions after !!

You can be assured that your daughter's Contribution Based (CB) ESA entitlement should not be affected by her boyfriend's income.

Nor is it affected by any capital, assets, savings or any other household income.

The only exception to this is with receipt of an Occupational/Works Pension.

Deductions can be made from CB ESA payments if the "Pension" exceeds £85/Week.

I gather that this is not applicable to your daughter.

It may be easier to provide all details, as failing to provide information when requested by The DWP can result in payments being suspended.

bro58

After another call they now agree that her claim is Contribution related + top-up and have suggested that the quickest way to get her ESA reinstated will be to send her a "Change of circumstances" form.
The wheels grind slow.....

After a little bit of to-ing and fro-ing they have come up trumps!
My daughter has now had her ESA reinstated as being a contribution based claim.
She has had her back -payment for this and also a further payment of back-money for her claim back to when she was switched from IB to ESA.

Summary:
She now gets ESA as before and has received about £1700 in back payments.

We would not have even known that this should have been paid without your help Gordon, so "Thank You!"

She'll be switched from DLA to PIP later this year so, in those famous words from Arnie, "I'll be back!"