Letter out of the blue about ESA premiums

Hi, my sister whom I care for receives Contributory ESA at support group level and is in the second three-year award period. Out of the blue, we have had a letter from an unfamiliar Benefit Centre (Hackney) saying they want to telephone us to discuss eligibility for income-related ESA and decide if she can get additional premiums, possibly backdated up to 4 years.

They mention that we can send back an enclosed form saying we don't want the eligibility check, but it only has tick boxes for various savings situations and work hours situations. It doesn't mention an income threshold above which a person is disqualified for income-related ESA, I assume there must be such a threshold?

She does have pension income deriving from her deceased Father's pension as a provision made for dependents with permanent severe disability, which is why I declined the income-related ESA questions during the initial "you've been awarded ESA" telephone call four years ago.

Why on earth would they be bringing this up now, four years into her ESA award? This kind of thing makes me uneasy. Contributory ESA is relatively clear cut to cope with - we don't want to be ensnared in some admin nightmare, with constant means-testing and sudden unexpected overpayment clawbacks, not to mention the UC sword of damocles!
Nervous! Any thoughts?
w.

Dear Gordon,

Thank you for your reply and pointer to that info page. I am my sister's appointee.

Yes, the DWP are aware of the pension - they sent me a form to complete about it from Taunton FEPS requiring full details and documentary evidence.

My sister used to get the means-tested Income Support alongside her SDA whilst Father was alive, but this stopped when he died and she started to get income by virtue of his pension provision, which bumped her over the means test income threshold of the time.

It was for that reason I told the DWP lady who telephoned to inform us of the initial ESA award in 2014 that I didn't believe she was due any means-tested ESA, and she didn't pursue the matter further, just putting her down for ESA(CB) alone.

So, not really the DWP's fault - my fault for making assumptions about mean testing thresholds being synchronised across the various benefits.

Anyway, it's all moot now because I got an unexpected call today, Saturday ("but that call's not due until next Thursday", I protest - "well, it's happening now" was the brusque no nonsense reply!) so after going through the above points my sister will indeed be sent a "deselection" letter stating that she won't be getting any ESA(IR), backdated or otherwise. Oh well, c'est la vie, LOL!

Again Gordon, thank you very much for your help.