Help regarding ESA Please

Hi Peeps

My husband works 40 hours a week and I have been a stay home mum!

So when I made my esa claim they told me I was not entitled for either side of the esa as I have not paid enough NI and my hubby works over 40 hours

But said to carry on with the claim and if i'm on support group that will not mater is this correct please?

Thanks in advance

pepper wrote: Hi Peeps

My husband works 40 hours a week and I have been a stay home mum!

So when I made my esa claim they told me I was not entitled for either side of the esa as I have not paid enough NI and my hubby works over 40 hours

But said to carry on with the claim and if i'm on support group that will not mater is this correct please?

Thanks in advance

Hi P,

What group you may be placed into, (WRAG or SG) and whether you are entitled to Income Related (IR) ESA or Contribution Based (CB) ESA are totally different issues.

The current Benefit Year is 2014, therefore the relevant years for NI Contribution/Credits are 2011/12 and 2012/13.

If you haven't worked and gained the requisite number of NI Contribution from employment in those years, you will not be entitled to CB ESA. (In any group WRAG or SG)

As entitlement and payment of IR ESA is bound by passing a means test with respect to capital, savings, assets, household income, and hours worked by a partner, as your partner works more than 24 hours/week, it looks very much that you will not be entitled to IR ESA either :

Asset rule for ESA(IR)

24 hour work rule for ESA(IR)

Under the assumption that you are not currently in receipt of Incapacity Benefit, IS or SDA, and this is a totally fresh claim for ESA, it looks like you have been misinformed.

If you still have any doubts, you may wish to seek face to face advice.

Where to get advice

bro58