IB to ESA will it immediately be means tested?

[Soyamocha]

I have been on Incapacity Benefit since 2004 but prior to that date I had worked non stop full time for 24 years paying my NI Contributions. I have just received "the letter" telling me they will contact me in 2 weeks and send me the ESA50 for completion so it is only a matter of time for I have the medical etc. I appreciate that I may not qualify for ESA but I do have medical problems and if I do quality for the ESA workgroup , will the first 12 months be contribution based or income based. I ask because I have savings. I thought I would get 12 months and then it gets means tested.

[Pillow69]

If it's just IB you get now then it will be a Contribution based part of ESA you will be transferred over to. If you're in the Work Related Activity Group then yes, it is only paid for a year. Only paid for longer if you're in Support group.

[Soyamocha]

Thanks for that I was concerned that it would immediately be Income based. All I get at the moment is Incapacity Benefit and Disability Living Allowance. I did get income support but when they found out I had savings I had an IUC about three weeks ago and I am awaiting the outcome. Whilst awaiting the outcome and letter regarding migration dropped through the door - not sure if that is a coincidence or not but the woman who ran the investigation disliked me immediately and I would not be surprised if she was behind this. I was concerned because I thought if I get put on Worked Related JSA for 12 months and it is income based, then I won't get it and at the moment I am paying full council tax, prescriptions, glasses, dentist and on top of that will have to pay back any income support so all a bit worrying

[MIKEY DABODEE]

To not be entitled to I.S you must have capital over 16k or between 6k and 16k if tariff Income has knocked you off.

They will have found the capital as a result of a GMS match.

You will go over to ESA its not because of a IUC everyone on IB is going over before 2014. So its just your turn.

If you go in the support group you will be ok, as you will automatically be on ESA conts, but if you get put in the WRAG then you will have twelve months of ESA conts

then ESA IB....

You would have to support yourself on the capital and apply when under 16k.

But be careful how you spend it or it may be looked at as deprivation.

If you have an OP of I.S you can elect to pay it back in one lump sum or weekly out of your ESA.

[Soyamocha]

Thanks for all the help. Thing is I was brought to pay your bills and always put a bit aside. I have seen so many elderly people scared to turn on the heating, living in just one room of their flat etc and going without even though they have worked their whole lives. So I have always put a bit aside from my wages. I could easily have replaced my old sofa, car and 21 year old kitchen but as I was not working I was worried and kept my money aside. Now they want the IS back. If I had bought a new car, new kitchen and sofa I would not be in trouble now nor threatened with court action. If I don't buy these things now at the end of my 12 months I will not get any ESA.

[debt4get]

if you bought those things they would treat that as deprivation of capital and you would still be in same boat....do you know how much the overpayment is likely to be?....wishing you all the best

[Nystagmite]

You can buy those things if your current one needs replacing. But you couldn't spend £1000 on a sofa.

[debt4get]

thats an interesting point Nys...why should spending say a grand on a new sofa be treated any differently? personally i would rather buy something that is going to last me a long time..than some cheap rubbish that i would have to replace in a couple of years...and how do you prove that your say 10 year old car needs replacing? it may be in perfect condition...or would you have to take a rusting non running hulk down to the dwp for them to decide?...next thing is they will want to go shopping with us...

[count orlok]

£1000 is not a lot for a sofa, ours cost £1800 (bought while working), in fact I would say that was about the average cost. Don't forget you get what you pay for and generally cheap sofas do not last long. We've bought enough in our time to know that is so.

 

You don't want to spend half the money on a cheap sofa and find 2 years down the road you have no sofa and no capital to replace it.