DLA-PIP -ESA

I was getting contribution ESA and DWP never mentioned the extra money so I contacted DWP myself. They sent me a form , I completed it then DWP lost it. I chased up DWP they got a manager to phone me , I then got back pay of over £2000

Hello Gordon,
I did understand only I'm to scared of going to all that trouble and triggering off an ESA assessment and then not be entitled to it anyway. I did look at the pdf version of the ESA3 and I didn't know how to answer the first question lol.
When they receive this form back from me saying that I may be entitled to SDP, wouldn't they check to see if I should receive this ESA(IR) top up so I can claim SDP or am I being really stupid. Why send me this form if they know I'm on ESA(CB . If anything they should have sent me a ESA3 first.

Ploppy

Hi,
I just need to confirm this about having a carer and trying to get SDP. ON the form I sent back it says,

'Some of the questions are about Carer’s Allowance. Carer’s Allowance is a social security
benefit to help people who look after someone who gets
●Attendance Allowance,or ● Constant Attendance Allowance,or ● Personal Independence Payment, etc. Send the form back to us ASAP.'

As I mentioned, I have a private carer who gets paid by the council by direct payments, I just want to be sure this is not the same as Carers Allowance because of what it says above. To me it sounds like the same thing.
This is all so confusing to me, sorry.

DWP are under no obligation to point claimants to other benefits they might be entitled to. They will send out the SDP letter to all claimants who might qualify and then leave it to the claimant to do the rest.

Carer's Allowance is a DWP benefit that is paid to people who are not caring in a professional capacity. It is totally different from wages paid to people who provide care as a means of earning their living. For a start, it is nowhere near minimum wage!!

Thankyou Mrs HB, you and Gordon are great, so informative and knowledgeable. It's such a relief to know you're there to help, it does give back the strength to carry on.
Thankyou both.

No wonder they lost it, they didn't want to give you all that money lol. Yes, I think I'll probably do the same, just wait for a reply from them telling me I can't have SDP then I'll get that ESA3 form too.
Here we go again, it's never ending.
Thankyou Rh, its encouraging to hear.