Severe Disability Premium

[Watt]

I live alone and are in receipt of ESA and PIP, daily living and mobility components both at the standard rate.

 

I have been receiving these benefits for the last three years.

I was recently informed that because of the above i should also be in receipt of a severe disability premium.

 

I have never been informed by DWP about this premium and knew nothing of its existence until recently.

 

I have now applied for this premium and have been granted it by DWP but there is a dispute over the length of time this premium can be backdated.

 

On the DWP website it clearly states "You don't have to claim disability premium, it's automatically added to your income support(ESA) if your eligible".

 

I was never informed by DWP of my ability to claim this premium.

I am also informed that the award of a premium is effective from the day the qualifying benefit for the premium was awarded.

 

I interpret this as i became entitled to the severe disability premium immediately i was awarded PIP on top of my ESA and the DWP should have informed me.

 

Has anyone any experience of a similar situation to this or any advice please?

Thankyou.

[Bazooka Boo]

I'm going through the exact same lethargic process myself.

 

AFAIK, this should be backdated to the time your qualifying benefit was awarded, so if that's three years ago, then it's three years.

Although I have been informed that they are moving the goal posts, again, but it shouldn't affect you.

 

I am still waiting to apply for this, as they are acting with impunity and failing in their duty of care, by ignoring my requests for the correct forms to be sent out, their funeral though.

[speedfreek]

Have a look at this thread and also the thread linked to in one of my posts in that thread.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?437802-Tribunal-preperation-for-back-dating-of-SDP

 

The DWP tend to get confused by the term "backdate" (which in DWP speak means up to 3 months) and "paid from the date I became eligible for it" due to a benefit award.

[daverules]

Hello

just to say I was awarded the SDP back in November 2014

and it was back dated to when I was awarded ESA and I was

pleased to see over £5000 paid into my account.

 

I discovered the SDP by accident, DWP did not award it to me

automatically i had to apply for it.

 

Regards to all

[antone]

The SDP should be considered where there is an indication that the claimant might be eligible. Basically that means that the systems indicate live claims to ESA(IR), PIP/DLA at the relevant rates, and that they live alone (or everyone else in the household is disregarded). In such cases form IS10 should be issued without the claimant having to request it, so if it is not issued that's a DWP error. But as others have noted, SDP is payable from the first day of eligibility and isn't subject to the usual 3 month limit as you shouldn't really need to "claim" it at all, just confirm your living situation.