Benefit queries?!

Hi All , hope everyone’s well as can be. I’m hoping some of you experts can advise me about my own benefit situation cos I’m worried I might be getting more than I should, and i just can’t work it out from the gov.org site or guidelines. Basically, I retired couple years ago due to my ms, I’m married and a carer for my disabled husband age 63 who has been retired for ages and on dla and incapacity. I have been claiming carer allowance for a couple of years since stopping working, have also been awarded my nhs occupational pension early and low rate dla mobility. I also received 365 days contribution based ESA in wrag at a reduced rate of £25 a week which was taxed as is my nhs pension. My confusion now is that I have been sent forms to reapply for contribution based ESA and renewal of my low rate DLA . I am still receiving carer allowance and it says I may not be able to have it if I get contribution based ESA. Out of the blue I’ve now been awarded high rate DLA mobility and low rate care and am still awaiting my contribution based ESA claim result. My question is this, if I get contribution based ESA at same as before £25 a week in wrag or get put in support group, how is this affected by my carer allowance and dla and occupational pension? I don’t want to be accused of claiming things I’m not entitled to or getting large tax bills I can’t afford! I’ve had bad experiences before when I kept telling them about changes and they still kept overpaying me child tax credit which then got taken back in later years etc! Hope someone can advise me on this, would rather cancel a claim than get into a pickle which sends my chronic anxiety out of control! Thanx x

Hi,

If you are claiming another benefit – like ESA then carers allowance is not paid. You are classed as having underlying entitlement but get no money. It’s sometimes a bit hard to work this out as the DWP are not always straightforward about how they deal with it. Sometimes they continue to pay carers allowance but reduce your other benefit. You mentioned that you were getting £25.00 a week ESA but ESA is much higher than this so it seems that is exactly what happened. Reapplying for ESA is a normal procedure. If you get into the support group they may change the way they make payments to you.

I know it seems complicated but the DWP will sort out the situation with carers allowance and your ESA – it doesn’t matter how they make the payments the money will be the same. You are doing nothing wrong by claiming both – they won’t pay both so don’t worry about it.

Your DLA and occupational pension will have no effect on this situation at all.

I can understand that you are wary after your experiences with child tax credits but the DWP are somewhat better than HMSR at dealing with changes. You wont rack up overpayments that you have to give back. If they get it wrong – it will be their fault. Please be at rest – all is well

Jane

Thanx Jane really put my mind at rest x