Incapacity in youth to ESA

Hello all,

This is my first post here, but I have been reading all the guides and they have been fantastic!

I do however have a question that I canno't seem to find a clear answer to.

My daughter has been on IB since she was 17, so I think this would have been counted as an incapacity in youth claim.

She is now 26 and is due to be reassessed, currently completing the ESA50. However what isn't clear, and having read various conflicting information, is that when she (hopefully) changes to the support group, would she be on contribution based or income related ESA?

I can see if she was to just apply for ESA it would be income based due to no NI contributions, but will it be different because she is moving from IB and this started as an incapacity in youth claim?

I am just concerned that she would go through all the stresses of the form and potential assessment, to be told she only qualifies for income based (which it seems would be £0 due to her husband's work - 37 hours a week, around 18k annual gross salary)

Any help would be appreciated!

Hi GS,

Everyone on IB will be transferred to ESA (as long as they meet the medical criteria). If placed in the Work Related Activity Group payment would be limited to 365 days, after which the claimant would be means-tested to see if they are entitled to income-related ESA. There is no such time limit if placed in the Support Group.

What will I be transferred to?

Thanks Mrs Hurtyback,

This is what I thought (and hoped), but I had read various things mentioning that you would only be transferred to contribution-based ESA if you met the National Insurance criteria, is this definatly not the case?

So *everyone* on IB will be transferred to contribution-based ESA (as long as they meet the medical criteria) no matter what their circumstances (albeit limited to 365 days if in the WARG) ?

Many thanks!

Thank you both for clarifying this, it makes me feel more confident; she is in receipt of just IB with no additional IS so will hopefully be placed in the support group *fingers crossed*

Now to get on with the helping her with the ESA50...

Kind regards