Income related ESA

I'm currently getting CB ESA of £112.05/week and lower-rate DLA of £43.10 plus a private pension of £49.31/month.

According to the calculator at benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk this means I qualify for IR ESA of £0.27/week!

I know it seems pointless claiming that but getting any IR ESA acts as a passport to other things that CB ESA doesn't, such as free prescriptions, so it would make my life a lot easier if I was getting it. I'm not sure why I would need to submit a separate claim for it though, shouldn't I have been awarded it automatically when I was moved from IB to ESA?

My friend was moved from Income Support to ESA recently and her decision letter said she was entitled to both CB ESA and IR ESA, so I assume she's automatically getting whichever amount of each she should be.

Another worry though is that if I'm only entitled to £0.27/week of IR ESA, it would only take a tiny increase in my other benefits or pension to cancel that out and I'd be back on only CB ESA again and I can't handle things constantly changing and having loads more paperwork to deal with each time I go above/below this level.

David Jones wrote: I'm currently getting CB ESA of £112.05/week and lower-rate DLA of £43.10 plus a private pension of £49.31/month.

According to the calculator at benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk this means I qualify for IR ESA of £0.27/week!

I know it seems pointless claiming that but getting any IR ESA acts as a passport to other things that CB ESA doesn't, such as free prescriptions, so it would make my life a lot easier if I was getting it. I'm not sure why I would need to submit a separate claim for it though, shouldn't I have been awarded it automatically when I was moved from IB to ESA?

My friend was moved from Income Support to ESA recently and her decision letter said she was entitled to both CB ESA and IR ESA, so I assume she's automatically getting whichever amount of each she should be.

Another worry though is that if I'm only entitled to £0.27/week of IR ESA, it would only take a tiny increase in my other benefits or pension to cancel that out and I'd be back on only CB ESA again and I can't handle things constantly changing and having loads more paperwork to deal with each time I go above/below this level.

Hi DJ,

It is up to you, but as you appear to know that being entitled to even a penny of IR ESA can passport you to other "benefits".

See : This Post.

If you think that you have an entitlement to an IR ESA top-up to your CB ESA, you have nothing to lose and all to gain.

You would need to request an ESA 3 Financial Assessment Form from ESA :

THE ESA PHONE NUMBER DWP : 0345 608 8545 Press Option 3 for ESA.

Sample ESA 3 Form

You should also consider that although there is a current "freeze" on some benefits, that any maximum IR ESA entitlement may gain a small rise annually.

bro58

Hi bro58, thanks for the reply.

Although you say I have nothing to lose by submitting a claim for IR ESA, from the ESA 3 it looks like it will involve my entire claim being re-assessed, which worries me as it could lead to an assessment under the new Maximus regime and I could lose my CB ESA. It seems a bit unfair if I have to take this risk f I should have been awarded IR ESA automatically in the first place.

The other thing I don't understand is some places say that IR ESA is a passport to Housing Benefit and SMI but I already receive Housing Benefit just on CB ESA.

As for SMI, is it really the case that someone receiving any amount of IR ESA can claim SMI but if their financial situation changes even slightly and they can then only get CB ESA (like say if my pension went up £1 and I no longer qualifed for 27p of IR ESA), they can no longer claim SMI and will thus lose their home and be made homeless?

This seems bizarre but I guess it wouldn't surprise me if the rules don't make any sense and are completely unfair!

David Jones wrote: Hi bro58, thanks for the reply.

Although you say I have nothing to lose by submitting a claim for IR ESA, from the ESA 3 it looks like it will involve my entire claim being re-assessed, which worries me as it could lead to an assessment under the new Maximus regime and I could lose my CB ESA. It seems a bit unfair if I have to take this risk f I should have been awarded IR ESA automatically in the first place.

The other thing I don't understand is some places say that IR ESA is a passport to Housing Benefit and SMI but I already receive Housing Benefit just on CB ESA.

As for SMI, is it really the case that someone receiving any amount of IR ESA can claim SMI but if their financial situation changes even slightly and they can then only get CB ESA (like say if my pension went up £1 and I no longer qualifed for 27p of IR ESA), they can no longer claim SMI and will thus lose their home and be made homeless?

This seems bizarre but I guess it wouldn't surprise me if the rules don't make any sense and are completely unfair!

Hi DJ,

An ESA 3 Form is used purely to assess your financial and personal details to see whether you qualify for any IR ESA.

It has nothing to do with The WCA and what group you are in.

The ESA50 is used for that.

If you have been entitled to IR ESA historically, there is no time limiting on backdating.

You would be entitled to payment of any IR ESA from the initial "date of entitlement" to the IR ESA.

You may be already receiving HB, but are you receiving your full HB entitlement, this is guaranteed if in receipt of IR ESA.

As already stated, entitlement to IR ESA, even a penny, passports you to other "benefits" which includes SMI.

It is obviously your decision on how to proceed !

bro58

Thanks bro58. I was just a bit scared by the ESA 3 form, which is titled "Application for re-assessment" and says they may ask me to take part in a WCA.

It asks for the date I want them to re-assess my claim from, so should I just put the date I started receiving CB ESA?

Is there anywhere I can download the ESA3 form and fill it in on my PC? I'm unable to hold a pen for long due to my health problems, so it would be much easier for me to do it that way.

David Jones wrote: Thanks bro58. I was just a bit scared by the ESA 3 form, which is titled "Application for re-assessment" and says they may ask me to take part in a WCA.

It asks for the date I want them to re-assess my claim from, so should I just put the date I started receiving CB ESA?

Is there anywhere I can download the ESA3 form and fill it in on my PC? I'm unable to hold a pen for long due to my health problems, so it would be much easier for me to do it that way.

Hi DJ,

Yes, it is a reassessment of your personal/financial details, not to assess whether you have Limited Capability for Work or Work Related Activity.

You should ask to be assessed for IR ESA from the start of the period that you had entitlement. "date I started receiving CB ESA"

I am afraid that there is no interactive PDF version of The ESA 3 that you can download.

You need to request one from ESA.

If you have trouble writing with a pen, you could always get someone else to fill it in for you , and attach a note stating that you have had to do this due to your limitations.

You would simply have to sign and date the form.

bro58