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WFI for Partners of CBESA Claimants
9 years 2 months ago - 9 years 2 months ago #129950 by
Hi sbk,
Welcome to Benefits and Work
As you state that you and your wife are both in The SG of ESA, then you must both be entitled to payment of Contribution Based (CB) ESA in your own right.
As this is the case, neither of you can be compelled to take part in WFI's or WRA.
The scenario where a partner may have to attend WFI is when one of the couple is making a "joint" claim for ESA, and receives the couple rate as Income Related (IR) ESA.
The ESA 3 is to capture your financial/personal details to see whether you are entitled to any : ESA Premiums which would be paid as IR ESA top-ups in addition to the CB ESA in The SG.
If you are entitled to payment of any IR ESA top-ups, these IR ESA additions will be paid to one of the couple, even though the payments may be for both of you.
This being the case, one of you would receive payment of CB ESA in The SG, and the other would receive CB ESA in The SG with IR ESA top-ups.
Further, entitlement to payment of any IR ESA top-ups, even a penny, can "passport" you to other "benefits" such as Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support, help with your mortgage interest payments if you have one, as well as free prescriptions and dental care.
You really have nothing to lose by filling in and returning The ESA 3.
bro58
Replied by on topic WFI for Partners of CBESA Claimants
sbking wrote: My apologies to you if you have already covered this. My wife and I are both in the support group of ESA. The DWP have just sent my wife an ESA3 form to make a claim for IRESA. My question is: If my wife goes ahead and makes a claim and is made an award, am I as her partner forced to attend a WFI even though I am in the ESA support group myself?
Hi sbk,
Welcome to Benefits and Work
As you state that you and your wife are both in The SG of ESA, then you must both be entitled to payment of Contribution Based (CB) ESA in your own right.
As this is the case, neither of you can be compelled to take part in WFI's or WRA.
The scenario where a partner may have to attend WFI is when one of the couple is making a "joint" claim for ESA, and receives the couple rate as Income Related (IR) ESA.
The ESA 3 is to capture your financial/personal details to see whether you are entitled to any : ESA Premiums which would be paid as IR ESA top-ups in addition to the CB ESA in The SG.
If you are entitled to payment of any IR ESA top-ups, these IR ESA additions will be paid to one of the couple, even though the payments may be for both of you.
This being the case, one of you would receive payment of CB ESA in The SG, and the other would receive CB ESA in The SG with IR ESA top-ups.
Further, entitlement to payment of any IR ESA top-ups, even a penny, can "passport" you to other "benefits" such as Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support, help with your mortgage interest payments if you have one, as well as free prescriptions and dental care.
You really have nothing to lose by filling in and returning The ESA 3.
bro58
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9 years 2 months ago #129963 by sbking 
Thank you for your welcome and concise reply.
Replied by sbking on topic WFI for Partners of CBESA Claimants
Thank you for your welcome and concise reply. Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
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