ESA assessment phase

I applied for contribution based ESA in August last year when I took early retirement from my work as I couldn’t carry on any longer. My income is my pip payment for standard care and enhanced mobility and 2 pensions from my work. My lump sum takes me over income related ESA.

I was told that I can’t get any payment as my income for contribution based ESA is too much. At that point although I informed them of the yearly amounts I didn’t have the monthly amounts as they had only been paid for the first part month.

I’m still on emergency tax codes for both of them, so have been getting a lot less than I will do after they sort out my tax code. Going on reducing the weekly amount of my pensions that I am getting at the moment by £85 and then reducing the ESA assessment rate £1 for each £2 of pension after this I should still be getting about £10 a week ESA I figure.

Should I be getting something until the tax is sorted? Or are they figuring it will balance out in the long run?

I probably wouldn’t have bothered claiming at all, but I am one of the WASPI women, and because I was in a job which had contacted out NI contributions I still need more contributions to get a full pension.

Hello EDM.

I am wondering if your calculations have taken into account the fact that when looking at personal/occupational pensions in relation to benefits, the entitlement to benefit is calculated using the gross amounts of pension income before deduction of tax.

Ahhh! I didn’t know that. That makes the situation clearer. Thank you.

EDM,

Just to clarify, providing you remain eligible for ESA (e.g. complete ESA50, attend medical if required), you can receive NI Credits towards your State Pension, even if you receive no payments due to your pension.

Yes, thanks Izzy. That’s the only reason I am carrying out this claim really. I am hoping to be put into the support group, where I would get some money, but if it wasn’t for the NI credits, I still wouldn’t put myself through this. I just can’t afford to pay for credits out of my pension.