Couple claim together?

Hi, I am writing on behalf of a friend who is also a member.

Her and her husband both have significant health problems. I was unsure whether they should apply together for ESA and PIP, or seperately? Is it possible to do a joint claim?

Also, do you know approximately how long it takes them to process a claim for ESA at the moment, is there any way to spped it up / prioritise them?

Is there someone from the council who can come round do the forms for them?

Finally, I've mentioned to my friend they could claim Cont based ESA as she has been working. She is concerned about having other income e.g. pensions, but i have assured her this doesn't matter with cont. based, this is correct isn't it? Is there any way they wouldn't be eligable for the cont. based? (I just want to make sure I'm saying the right thing).

My friend has already put in sn application for PIP for herself.

Many thanks.

Orangeblossom wrote: Hi, I am writing on behalf of a friend who is also a member.

Her and her husband both have significant health problems. I was unsure whether they should apply together for ESA and PIP, or seperately? Is it possible to do a joint claim?

Also, do you know approximately how long it takes them to process a claim for ESA at the moment, is there any way to spped it up / prioritise them?

Is there someone from the council who can come round do the forms for them?

Finally, I've mentioned to my friend they could claim Cont based ESA as she has been working. She is concerned about having other income e.g. pensions, but i have assured her this doesn't matter with cont. based, this is correct isn't it? Is there any way they wouldn't be eligable for the cont. based? (I just want to make sure I'm saying the right thing).

My friend has already put in sn application for PIP for herself.

Many thanks.

Hi Ob,

A couple could make entirely separate individual claims for ESA.

However, to do this, they would both need to have the requisite number of NI Contributions gained from employment for the relevant Tax Years, (Currently 2012/13 13/14) for entitlement to payment of Contribution Based (CB) ESA.

So they can only have separate ESA claims if they are both entitled to CB ESA.

If one or none of them is entitled to CB ESA one of them can make a joint ESA claim as a couple.

Once a fit note has been obtained from one's G.P. you can make a claim as seen : Here.

Payment of ESA generally starts within a week or so.

Totally separate claims can be made for PIP, as NI Contributions or a means test does not come into it.

There is a rule regarding CB ESA and Works Pensions (WP) in that the first £85/Week of the WP is disregarded, then 50% of any excess of the £85 is deducted from the weekly amount of CB ESA.

e.g. Weekly CB ESA payments = £100.

Weekly WP = £105.

This gives a WP excess of £20/Week above the £85/Week WP disregard.

50% of £20 = £10.

This would mean that £10/Week would be deducted from the weekly CB ESA of £100/Week leaving an ESA Weekly payment of £90/Week.

If there was any entitlement to Income Related (IR) ESA payments, any WP would be deducted £ for £ from any IR ESA.

They should capture all there finacial and personal details when an ESA Claim is made.

See : Where to get advice

Or try putting Welfare Rights/Advice for your Town/Postcode into Google.

For over 50 year olds, Age UK. can be pretty helpful.

bro58