ESA & Group Income Protection

Dear forum members, my query is with regard to ESA and Group Income Protection.

Here are the facts of the matter:

1. I am currently employed full time and on long term sick leave.
2. I am not receiving SSP as this has been exhausted.
3. I am due to receive a monthly payment from my employer's Group Income Protection Scheme, starting at the end of August 2020.
4. I have not made any contribution towards the payment of premiums for this Group Income Protection Scheme (GIPS).
5. The GIP is only payable to employees who remain in the employment of my company.
6. The GIP is not payable to employees who retire or leave the company for whatever reason.
7. The GIP is payable for a defined period of time (up to 5 years [or death / or upon leaving the company]).
8. I will still be paying NI, tax, and pension contributions from my GIP payment.
8.I have received a letter from DWP stating that I am entitled to ESA and my claim is being assessed, but they did not know about the GIP as i think the questionnaire only asked about pensions..
9. I have written to the DWP outlining all the facts above to make my situation transparent.
10. The DWP ESA Regs 2013 state that: "permanent health insurance payment" means any periodical payment arranged by an employer under an insurance policy providing benefits in connection with physical or mental illness or disability, in relation to a former employee on the termination of that person's employment.

I don't believe that my GIP payment meets the description above and therefore should not be taken into account when assessing my claim for ESA.

My query is this, am I entitled to claim ESA if I am in receipt of a regular sickness payment from my employer, in terms of the GIP.

Many thanks for taking the time to read this post.

Regards.

Thanks for your reply Gordon which is much appreciated.

I have written to the DWP in great detail and provided all of the facts, as I don't want to unwittingly make a fraudulent claim.

I'll let this group know the outcome as soon as I hear back from the DWP.

Regards.

I wrote to the DWP outlining my full circumstances, including my group income protection. I have had a telephone assessment and been placed in the support group. I also followed up with DWP to get confirmation that they had received my letter detailing my circumstances and was told that the Decision Maker had taken my letter into account when assessing my claim. I have also requested a copy of my medical report which was compiled by a medical doctor, following my 20 minute telephone assessment. I hope this info assists others. Regards.