SDP, Guaranteed Pension Credit and PIP Enhanced Daily Living award confusion.

Hi Mods,

Sorry if this post might clash ( and too long) with my recent one about Severe Disablement Premium being paid on top of a possible Guaranteed pension credit award.

Bear with me I have severe Dyspraxia and have real problems being concise to address conversation and getting things in sequence etc.

Applied for PIP in 2022 which the DWP took my claim from 1st September 2022 - 27th July 2023 and got back payment for this period. I was awarded Enhanced Living and Standard Mobility PIP for a lengthy period of 10 yrs until July 2033. All ok no issues get monthly pip each month in bank a/c.

When I applied for pip I was still in receipt of ESA (SG) Income Related following reassessment first in July 2013 and last time July 2017. No call for reassessment after 2017 got this type of ESA with just disability income guarantee or if its called enhanced disability premium that's what was on DWP letters until 15/7/23. 15/7/23 reached state pension age so transitioned to full state pension. Have small workplace pension not much that was activated from 15/7/2023 and get small amount each month after taking a tax free lump sum.

Made query in my last post asking if I would qualify for SDP backpay due to my pip award and "enhanced daily living" award covering the period I was still getting ESA sg with only enhanced disability premium. Got kind reply outlining the 3 criteria by which is needed to request back pay:
ESA IR, enhanced daily living, live alone, no one gets carers allowance against my pip ward etc. I meet all these. So have written to DWP ESA office with copied evidence etc in order to claim backpay.

Back to pension credit, I applied initially in May 2023 leading up to the July date when SPension kicks in but later told didn't qualify due to ESA income ( my only income by the way) I guess it was over the threshold.

So subsequently later checked on the p'credit calculator gov site, inputted my PIP details and all the other Info needed. Long story short, said I qualified for an estimated amount nothing accurate I know but minimum sum but still decent monthly amount. So I applied 18th October 2023 with downloaded form from online gov site. Printed off made drafts etc.

18th October 2023 reapplied and sent all requested sensitive financial docs with copy of PIP award
letter and very small monthly workplace pension paperwork outlining taken tax free lump sum etc. Tax free cash ISA where you can dip in if you want with no fixed restrictions. Small current a/c docs etc. Made my own copies of stuff before sending to the DWP.

Yesterday 13/12/2023 got letter from DWP and been awarded pension credit backpay from July 2023 through to roughly present when I asked my application to be considered from. That being from July 15, 2023, state pension age etc. So I now get small Guaranteed pension credit award.

What confuses me is just like asking ESA to consider back payment of SDP payments due to my pip award period aligned with that ESA, there's no mention of additional SDP payment added to my small monthly guaranteed pension credit. As I saw on the site somewhere a topic explaining that if getting PIP enhanced daily living and pension credit then you qualify for a top up of SDP additional amount added to your pc claim. Am I wrong or is it right, or is there more qualifying criteria that I'm not aware of even though I get PIP enhanced daily living award. What do you advise?

Sorry if this is all sounds convoluted and disjointed but I've done my best to try and get to the crux of SDP additional amount on top of a guaranteed pension credit award.

D60


PS: After recently getting my MP involved because of the fact they, the DWP, had still not returned my private sensitive docs I sent them in May 2023 nor the ones enclosed with my new application on 18th October 2023, 7 months on still waiting for return of them when they state they'll get then back to you within 5 working days in the pc notes section of the forms.

So beware forum members of my experience maybe different for others.

Gordon,
Thanks for clarifying that it should be paid on top of pc guarantee credit benefit.

Obviously I'm not asking you to draft any letter to alert the DWP about this omission for me. But if possible could you possibly suggest the best way in which I approach and structure the basics/gist of my response to them without being abrasive and just wanting to remind them that SDP is a premium additional allowance that P'credit disabled applicants get on top of guaranteed credit. As its aligned to a qualifying pip award and meets the criteria for the top up due to enhanced daily living being the element needed to receive the SDP.

d60

Hi Mods
Did as suggested... long story short sent qualifying evidence by special delivery before xmas 2023 and come Tuesday, 12 3 2024, it will be 60 long DWP working days without any response from Pension Credit allied to my claim for SDP backpayments etc. Got evidence it was signed for etc.

Any suggestions, to contact MP etc, as I'm unable to use the phone speaking to them ?

D60