ESA IR PREMIUMS

Hi there everybody
Are esa ir premiums taken as disregarded income like DLA/PIP or do they go into pot when calculating things like housing benefit, tax etc.

Thanks Tango

tango wrote: Hi there everybody
Are esa ir premiums taken as disregarded income like DLA/PIP or do they go into pot when calculating things like housing benefit, tax etc.

Thanks Tango

Hi T,

As one can only receive IR ESA Premiums if one can pass the IR ESA financial "Means Test" with respect to capital, assets, savings, household income and any hours worked by the partner if you have one :

Asset rule for ESA(IR)

24 hour work rule for ESA(IR)

Any payments of IR ESA are not classed as income with respect to HB, Council Tax Support (CTS), etc, although they should be declared.

Far from it, receipt of just a penny of IR ESA will passport you to such things as free prescriptions, dental care, maximum HB & CTS entitlement and SMI.

bro58

The reason why i asked this is that currently i am in the support group and get contribution based esa. I also get enhanced mobility/standard rate care PIP.

I also get £60.95 per week occupational pension which does go into pot for hosing benefit which means i pay a bit of rent.
I do realise that if i was to claim IR esa that the pension i get would be knocked off my esa money but this would be covered by the IR ESA premiums.

Then the amount of money that will be considered for housing benefit will be £109.30 - £60.95 = £48.35 which will give me full housing benefit.

Am i correct with this line of thinking.

tango wrote: The reason why i asked this is that currently i am in the support group and get contribution based esa. I also get enhanced mobility/standard rate care PIP.

I also get £60.95 per week occupational pension which does go into pot for hosing benefit which means i pay a bit of rent.
I do realise that if i was to claim IR esa that the pension i get would be knocked off my esa money but this would be covered by the IR ESA premiums.

Then the amount of money that will be considered for housing benefit will be £109.30 - £60.95 = £48.35 which will give me full housing benefit.

Am i correct with this line of thinking.

Hi T,

No !!!!

As things stand, if you are in receipt of CB ESA only in The SG, your CB ESA and your Occupational Pension (OP) would be classed as income against any HB entitlement.

If you wanted to be financially assessed for entitlement to payments of IR ESA top-ups to your CB ESA you would need to request and fill in an ESA 3 Form.

Sample ESA 3 Form

When financially assessing you for IR ESA Premium top -ups, they would first work out your maximum IR ESA entitlement, this may be an increased amount if you are entitled to The Severe Disability Premium (SDP) due to your Standard DL PIP Award and The Enhanced Disability Premium (EDP) for being in The SG.

ESA Premiums

They would then deduct your current CB ESA payments, your OP payments and any other household income from your maximum IR ESA entitlement.

If there is any shortfall between your total household income, as above, and your maximum IR ESA entitlement, the shortfall would be made up with IR ESA top-ups.

Even if these IR ESA top-ups only amounted to a penny, this would passport you you to full HB entitlement and the other "benefits" mentioned in my previous post.

If your total household income equals or exceeds your maximum IR ESA entitlement, you would not receive any IR ESA payments, even though you may have a "potential entitlement" to The SDP and The EDP.

i.e. No entitlement to payment of IR ESA = No payments of ESA Premiums.

Your first step would be to fill in an ESA 3 Form.

PIP payments are not classed as household income for The IR ESA means test or HB purposes.

bro58

Thanks bro

so iwould continue to get my contribution based esa and if i am entitled to any esa ir i would get this as well?

tango wrote: Thanks bro

so iwould continue to get my contribution based esa and if i am entitled to any esa ir i would get this as well?

That's correct T !!

Payment of CB ESA if you are entitled, will always take precedence over payment of IR ESA.

So in your situation, if you were entitled to payment of IR ESA top ups, you would continue to receive your maximum CB ESA entitlement, topped up to your maximum IR ESA entitlement with IR ESA payments.

bro58