Suzi wrote: I hope somebody can help me with this problem.
I am currently in receipt of Income Support and Carer's Allowance as I was a Carer for my Daughter but as of today I will no longer be her Carer and therefore my entitlement to Income Support will end and I have just been informed my Carer's Allowance will also end at the end of this week.
I am Disabled myself and am currently in receipt of DLA High Care Rate, High Mobility Rate.
I know I now have to claim ESA and hopefully be in the Support Group but I am worried that I will lose all monies from Income Support until my entitlement to ESA comes into force and I know people wait months because of the backlog.
Question:
Will Income Support stop straight away and if so what am I supposed to live on and what about my Rent or will they continue to pay Income Support until my ESA comes through?
Please help, I'm worried sick over this.
Many thanks
Hi S,
Once your entitlement to CA ends, your entitlement to Income Support (IS) payments will end.
See :
IS Eligibility CAB Advice on IS &
turn2us IS Information. With regards to this statement from the first link above :
" unable to work because you’re sick or disabled" This would only be if you were in receipt of SSP from an employer, or you were a recipient of Incapacity Benefit, (IB) SDA or IS on the grounds of Incapacity for Work who had not yet been transferred over to ESA.
If you are unfit for work, you should obtain a fit note (sick note) from your G.P. ASAP, you can then make a claim for ESA :
www.gov.uk/employment-support-allowance/overview As you will see :
www.gov.uk/employment-support-allowance/how-to-claim The quickest way to claim is over the phone, and you can date the start of your claim from the day that your IS payments cease.
You will then receive the ESA1 Form which will include the information that you have provided over the phone, for you to sign and return, with your fit note. (Keep Copies)
Sending Documents to the DWP or ATOS Your NI Contribution Records will then be checked to see whether you are entitled to Contribution Based (CB) ESA, and/or Income Related (IR) ESA.
If you don't have the requisite number of NI Contributions for entitlement to payment of CB ESA, and your capital, assets, and savings do not exceed £16,000 :
Asset rule for ESA(IR) Nor does any household income, (if you have any, DLA is not counted as income) or any hours worked by a partner if you have one, exceed the allowed amount :
24 hour work rule for ESA(IR) You would be entitled to payment of IR ESA.
It should take no more than a week or so to process your ESA Claim. Payment should then be backdated to the start of your claim, and will be paid fortnightly in arrears.
You will initially receive IR ESA at the Assessment Rate which is currently £72.40/Week :
Benefit Rates 2014 If it is IR ESA, then you would be entitled to the same passport benefits as with IS, e.g. HB, CT Support, free prescriptions and dental care, etc, etc.
You would be entitled to payment of the IR ESA amount applicable to your own personal circumstances.
As I see that you are in receipt of HR Care DLA, this may also include The Severe Disability Premium, (SDP) see :
ESA Premiums These Premiums can be paid whilst in receipt of Assessment Rate ESA, before you are assessed and placed into the main phase (A group, WRAG or SG)
You should inform your Landlord of the change in circumstances, and The Local Authority that administers your HB and/or CTS.
So IR ESA payments have taken the place of IS with ESA Claims.
It may help, if you read through our : "Understanding Employment and Support Allowance. Our 42 page introductory guide to ESA."
2nd link down this page :
ESA Claims Guides You will also see our ESA Claims Guides on the same page, which should be used when you receive The ESA50 Questionnaire through the post, see also :
Using The PDF Version Of The ESA50 Questionnaire From our :
ESA FAQ’s The delays that you mention are with attaining an assessment to be placed into The WRAG or The SG, they do not seem to be with actioning a fresh claim and payment of The Assessment Rate.
You may want to Bookmark/Favourite this page in your browser, you can then return to it easily to pose any other queries that you may have.
bro58
