Severe Disability Premium & Industrial Injuries Benefit Info Please?

[DMG123]

Hi

 

Just trying to get some info for a family member, if anyone might be able to help.

 

My uncle has been on Incapacity benefit for a couple of years due to an accident caused at work. He has been assessed for ESA and has been placed into the support group.

 

He has been in receipt of Industrial injuries benefit during this time.

 

Well, a couple of weeks after being placed into the support group, he was sent an application form to apply for Severe disability premium.

 

He is confused by this as he is currently in receipt of the following.

 

DLA Care - Middle Rate

DLA Mobility - Higher Rate

ESA - Support Group Rate - Contributions based

Industrial Injuries Benefit - Around £49 per week

 

Is it worth him applying for the Severe disability premium as he assumes he wouldn't be entitled due to the other benefits he is currently receiving.

 

He is now living on his own, and his mother helps him out, but no one received carers allowance for him.

 

Any advice would be great.

 

Thanks.

[id6052]

it is worth applying for - it can be worth up to about £61 for most ppl - although IIB will reduce this - so might only be about £12

[DMG123]

Thanks for your reply.

 

Is either IIB or SDP a means tested benefit then, and if so which one cancels the other out, would you know?

 

The reason I ask is as he is on contributions based ESA, I assumed that if granted one of the benefits would be reduced, but I thought that may only happen if he received Income based ESA, not CB, if that makes any sense?

 

Also would you know which benefit has triggered the SDP? The only thing that has changed is he has gone from IB to CB ESA, so as far as I can see there is no means tested benefit to trigger the SDP.

 

I was thinking that if there had always been an underlying entitlement, I could try and get some of it backdated to when he was entitled, as he has been receiving DLA Middle Rate care for some time now and if that is the trigger then it hasn't triggered it until now rather than when he was placed into that band?

[id6052]

DLAc (higher or middle rate) is the trigger for SDP

 

you can only get SDP with a means tested benefit - it increases the level of income-related ESA

 

if the higher level of ESAir is greater than ESAc and IIB together - he will get his ESAc topped up with ESAir

[DMG123]

Wow, confusing isn't it, but thank you, I appreciate your help.

[DMG123]

Oh one more thing, as he is on CB ESA, I assume when calculating his benefits, they must have added an IR ESA top up then (he may have been advised to apply for ESA IR also, but I can't remember, there was a form they sent him which he sent back) and this must be the trigger that prompted the application for SDP? So I assume around 99% of his ESA benefit must be CB, with a very slight addition of IR ESA to top it up, does that sound about right?

[id6052]

it is possible in some instances - but hard to tell without knowing rates of benefits in payment

 

best thing to do is contact the DWP and ask if he would be eligible for Enhanced Disability Premium and Severe Disability Premium

 

If they say yes, all good and well

 

If they say no, then ask for an explanation, so that others here can check it for you

[DMG123]

Some information from his letter below, would you know if any of these benefits he gets are income based or means tested?

 

Your living expenses - £72.40

 

Extra money because of the disability income guarantee - £87.95

 

Extra money because you are in the support group - £35.75

 

Which gives a total income-related amount of £123.70

 

Income and Benefits.

 

DLA care comp for you is not counted as income towards ESA

 

Ind Inj Dis Ben for you - £49.80

 

Your total income £49.80

 

Your income related amount is £123.70, less £49.80 so you would have been entitled to £73.90

 

However, because you are entitled to CB ESA we will pay you £115.10

 

Top up payment £6.95 (this is the guarantee to prevent you from being worse off when migrated to ESA)

 

The amounts on this page apply from 9th August 2014

 

The actual amount of ESA he receives each fortnight is £230.20

[id6052]

based upon information you have supplied and assuming: -

• no other income
  
• capital is less than £6000.00
  

 

he is currently receiving ESA© of £115.10

 

if he applies for SDP, he would get ESA (mixture of c & ir) of £135.00

 

so an additional £19.90 per week