ESA stopping mortgage interest payments, confused

I've had a letter from ESA headed:

Your claim for Employment and Support Allowance
Changes in social security benefits

Everything is staying the same I think apart from the bit that says

'Extra money towards your housing costs'

They are continuing this until April then they are deducting it completely so I will get no help with mortgage interest from then.
I'm really confused as to why. Could it be that they may have me on contribution ESA rather than income related?

I'm in the support group and changed from IB to ESA almost a year ago, they have never said which type of ESA I am on but I assumed it would be income related as I have not worked for some years and was on incapacity and income support previous to ESA so couldn't have had enough contributions for contribution ESA.

It says on the second page

How Employment and Support Allowance has been worked out
The Employment and Support Allowance Award

The payment of Employment and Support Allowance is based on your National Insurance Contribution records and any additional amount the law says you need to live on.

Does that sound like they have put me on contribution ESA? as I'm not sure if that kind of ESA gets help with mortgage interest?

Thankyou Gordon,

I understand you cant help with the mortgage advice, I did not expect anyone here to be able to its just the confusion of why the change has happened.

I was on income support with the long term disability benefit added to it. What is a transitional payment? does it change after the first year? How could I be on anything else but income related because I've not worked for so long?

From the section on my letter below does it sound like I may have been put on contribution ESA?
'The payment of Employment and Support Allowance is based on your National Insurance Contribution records and any additional amount the law says you need to live on.'

Gordon wrote: LiB

If you were on IB you will have been put on Contribution Based ESA.

Unless you were already receiving Income Support as a top-up to your IB then it is unlikely that you will also be receiving ESA(IR), but rather a Transitional Payment.

I am afraid we cannot offer advice on your Mortgage Interest payments, you need to get face to face advice, from somone who can sit down with you and go over all of the figures.

Gordon

Hi G,

It looks like the OP may have been in receipt of IB with an IS top-up :

" I have not worked for some years and was on incapacity and income support previous to ESA so couldn't have had enough contributions for contribution ESA."

Can you confirm this Lib ? as if that was the case, it is highly likely that you would now be in receipt of CB ESA with an IR ESA top-up.

bro58

Lady_in_bed wrote: Thankyou Gordon,

I understand you cant help with the mortgage advice, I did not expect anyone here to be able to its just the confusion of why the change has happened.

I was on income support with the long term disability benefit added to it. What is a transitional payment? does it change after the first year? How could I be on anything else but income related because I've not worked for so long?

From the section on my letter below does it sound like I may have been put on contribution ESA?
'The payment of Employment and Support Allowance is based on your National Insurance Contribution records and any additional amount the law says you need to live on.'

If you became "sick" straight after having to stop work, and had the necessary NI Contributions at that time, you would have been entitled to IB, and would have continued to receive IB, as there was no limit to how long you could receive IB, as there is now with CB ESA if not in The SG

Some claimants get IB with an income support top-up, because of their personal circumstances, such as being entitled to Disability Premiums as they are in receipt of MR or HR Care of DLA.

bro58