Claiming esa: Hi, after 17 years I've... - Fibromyalgia Acti...

Fibromyalgia Action UK

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Claiming esa

Sar280363 profile image
6 Replies

Hi, after 17 years I've finally been diagnosed with fibromyalgia.

I get enhanced mobility and living allowance, but was recently advised that I should claim esa, my husband works full time and my son looks after me, and gets carers allowance.

Can anyone tell me if I would be entitled to it. thanks

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Sar280363 profile image
Sar280363
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6 Replies
ukmsmi4 profile image
ukmsmi4

I'm afraid probably not if your husband works full time. Here are a few links to check out.

gov.uk/employment-support-a...

turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guid...

citizensadvice.org.uk/benef...

TheAuthor profile image
TheAuthor

Hi Sar280363

Welcome to the forum and it is wonderful to make your acquaintance. I have pasted you a link below to our mother site, FMA UK which hosts loads of useful Fibro information:

fmauk.org/

I think that ukmsmi4 is probably right as your husband is working but it is always worth a try? I want to sincerely wish you all the best of luck, and please take care of yourself.

All my hopes and dreams for you

Ken

Fra22-57 profile image
Fra22-57

Well I claim ESA and my husband works.I claim lower amount of DLA.

Mine is contribution based which entitles your partner to work.I have been receiving it for about 4- 5 years.I am in the support group

I know circumstances are different if it is income related

Hello - just copied the following info from the ESA claim form notes:

You will not be entitled to income-related Employment

and Support Allowance if your partner is working more than 24 hours a week or they have savings in excess of £16,000.

There is also contribution-related ESA based on your National Insurance contributions. I was in receipt of this for a year even though my husband was working full time. Info on claim form notes:

You may get contribution-based Employment

and Support Allowance if you have paid or been credited with enough class 1 or class 2 National Insurance contributions in the last two relevant tax years. Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance may be limited to a maximum of 365 days depending on the outcome of your Work Capability Assessment. We may reduce your contribution-based

Employment and Support Allowance if you get

a)l other social security benefits

b) a personal or occupational pension

c) a public service pension

Hope that helps.

bd79og profile image
bd79og

Like they said above if you have national insurance contributions in the last two years it is worth applying for contribution based esa. It is a very stressful process though but qualifying for the other benefits will hopefully help. If you get classified in the "work" group you will only get paid for a year, if you are lucky enough to get in the "support" group you can carry on getting it. It is not dependent on your level of savings or your husband's income but you need to check carefully the effect on any other benefits you get. Advice from benefits and work web site might help or from the citizens advice, don't do it alone. The assumption they work on is that if you can do anything you can work and they have a horrible (and in my experience justified) reputation for assuming that for example typing a comment on a bulletin board means you can work and they are looking for you being a benefit cheat and assuming you are lying. My husband is a lot happier now the esa does not get paid (he is in the work group) and he no longer has regular stressful assessments. Only you can tell if it is worth the significant hassle.

bluebell99 profile image
bluebell99

Great replies from our friends here. It would be worth investigating further, you have nothing to lose.

Xx

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