Thought some of you may be interested to know that it is not always in your best interest to go to a tribunal and fight for ESA.
If your partner is of pensionable age, you would probably be better off by claiming pension credit. With this benefit you have added benefits of paid council tax, prescriptions, dental treatment etc.
I only found out that we would lose these benefits if I won my appeal a week before the tribunal. I cancelled the appeal and the ESA benefit and advised Pension Credit people that I no longer would be receiving ESA and they said they will now make payments up to the "couple" rate.
Wish I had done this twelve months ago and saved myself sleepless nights.
Written by
Barbykins
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They can't actually advise which benefit is more beneficial but once you've worked it out for yourself they are very helpful. ESA would have given us an extra £8 per week but we would have lost all of the additional benefits so would have been considerably worse off.
Think CAB would be able to advise people about benefits if in doubt but certainly check it out.
I have now been without ANY BENEFITS including house and council tax since 6th jan 2013 because thebpowers that be stopped my incapacity and told ne to apply for pension credits they are bogged down allegedly with confusion from my hubbys death in dec he was brit over sixty and died before he could actually recve thev10 pounds a week he had been allocated.
So sorry to read about the problems you are having and condolences for your loss. Is there anyone close to you who can help take this burden from you at this time ? You really need someone to lean on. Xxx
Be aware you cannot close IB or ESA contributory bemefit to transfer to Pension Credit but if you are on Pension Credit and FAIL ESA test then you can get Pension Credit topped up
i am getting ESA, and i still get free dental, optiatians and prescription,(in scotland so get free prescription anyway) i transfered from Incapacity benifit to ESA and i got same amount as before as they have to top it up for a certain length of time so you are not loosing out, the minimum figure you get with ESA is 71 pounds as it is equal to JSA, however depending on your circumstances you can get more add on's. i was initially put into WRAG group and got all of these extra benifits, and appealed the decision and still received ESA during appeal then they put me into support group and my money has increase to 167 a week.
If you're on the means tested Income Related ESA then that passports the free dental, opticians etc, however, if you have transferred from IB to ESA or are in receipt of Contributory Based ESA you don't get the passported additional benefits.
Yes please check everything out before migrating from one benefit to another. I did this. As I said earlier they cannot advise you what to do so you need to choose your words carefully or visit CAB or other body who understand the ins and ours of the benefit system.
My intention is not to screw over the government but to get what I am entitled to after 46 years of hard graft when I now find myself in the unfortunate position I do now.
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