Question about ESA Disability Premiums

[Huff&Puff]

Hi all,

 

I was awarded DLA with Higher Rate Mobility and Middle Rate care for 5 years in 2008. At the time I was also on Income support, and so started getting the Severe Disability Premium. I was then changed over to ESA early last year, and placed in the Support Group. The letter awarding me the ESA at the time, had dropped the Severe Disability Premium, and paid me a "top-up" premium instead. As the money was the same, I didn't think too much about it at the time, and I assumed that the SDP had been done away with.

 

I have now been re-awarded DLA for an indefinite period, at the same level, Higher Mobility and Middle Care. Today I got the ESA reassessment letter, with the same "top-up" premium. However, when I went online to check the rates, I find that the Severe Disability Premium is still showing, so I'm wondering if I should have been getting it all along? According to my calculations, if I was still getting the SDP, I would be about £13 a week better off.

 

I'm also getting a "Disability Income Guarantee" payment of £14.80. Can anyone shed any light on what that is, please? I can't seem to find anything much about it by Googling.

[Nystagmite]

The disability income thing is the enhanced disability premium. You get this if you either receive high rate care or are in the support group for ESA.

[Huff&Puff]

Many thanks, that explains that one then, as I am in the Support Group.

[liverbird37]

As Nystagite says, the enhanced is the disability premium. To get the SDP you need to request an IS10 form and the premium will then be added.

 

When I was on Income Support, all the premiums got added automatically. When I moved over to ESA support group, the EDP got added straight away, but it appears that with most people, the SDP only gets added when an IS10 form is completed, or a change in the level of care component awarded is reported. It doesn't seem to be being added automatically. I only found out about the SDP by accident. I was not informed this was available to me when I was awarded mid rate care.

[Huff&Puff]

Many thanks for that, Liverbird. I'll get the form and fill it in.

 

Why they have to make things so damn complicated is beyond me

[liverbird37]

No problems. The form is a real easy and quick one to do. You literally only have to fill in your details and tick a couple of boxes and it's done. The SDP was added to my regular ESA payments, along with the EDP just a few days after they received my completed IS10 back.

 

I wasn't aware I could get both premiums, I thought I was only allowed one, so was a pleasant surprise to find out you are entitled to both (if you meet the living alone criteria)

[Huff&Puff]

I discovered that I filled in an IS10 way back when I first got DLA. I also found the letter where the DWP sent the form automatically. Clearly with ESA they don't tell you that you need to fill in another one, presumably in the hope that you don't claim it, just like I didn't

 

I've hunted high sand low for the form online, for all the govts claims that everything is to be done online, they seem to want to hide this one. I can't even find out where to get one. Do you think the JobCentre will have one if I call in next week?

[Nystagmite]

I seem to remember people on here saying they had to phone up for one.

 

Can't understand why when you move from IS to ESA, it's not paid automatically. The only thing that has changed is the benefit you're on.

[liverbird37]

Yes, you can only get the form by phoning through to ESA. It is a form that isn't kept at job centre offices, and can't be downloaded. I did have a couple of the helpline staff tell me to pop down to my local jobcentre plus to get one, but they do not hold them there, so don't fall for that one.

 

Just call through to ESA and they will put in a request for the form to be sent out to you. Hopefully you will receive it quickly. I agree with nystagmite. Why they don't just carry the premiums over I've no idea. I wonder how many people out there aren't claiming the SDP premium as they aren't even aware it exists. Thank heavens for sites like this or I'd never have known.

[flumps1976]

I can confirm that the form IS10 is only held at the benefit centres so can't be downloaded or collected from JCP.

You will need to request one the initial telephony contact centre and hope the message is passed to the correct processing office and team. Far to frequently we see handoff emails that aren't intended for our office or even the correct teams they are selected from a pull down menu of which office and if it isn't double checked it frequently goes to the incorrect office without the telephony team realising.

[Huff&Puff]

Please could somebody confirm that this is still the address for Belfast BDC?

 

Belfast BDC

PO Box 460

Belfast

BT1 4WP

 

I'll write a letter as well as phoning, because my experience of the telephone is that it is a device mainly used to fob people off Hopefully a two pronged request will get some results.