ESA & WTC Advice

[kazT141]

Hello,

I wanted to ask for some much needed help and advice.

I am currently receiving PIP and WTC as I am self employed and mainly work from home not making much to be honest next to nothing.

My care team have mentioned I am entitled to ESA but never looked into it as I don't want to go through all the assessments, paperwork and stress of it all, as the PIP was so much work just to get that and took me a long time.

I am receiving Working Tax Credit and classed as self employed, making less than £30 a week sometimes not even making anything, would this be a problem if i was to claim ESA as well?

My carer told me that I would already be in the DWP system due to me receiving PIP and would definitely be entitled as I get enhanced rate for both the care component and mobility components.

I rather ask a forum as I don't want to cause any disruption or problems to what I receive already.

Many thanks
Kazzy - East Midlands

PIP components have nothing to do with claiming ESA.

You apply and are assessed same as everyone else. There's no 'definitely entitled'. You need to get some professional benefits advice e.g. CAB and decide if it is worth trying. Sometimes refusal of one benefit can have a knock on effect e.g. Found fit for work so no ESA, you're then reassessed for PIP.

I volunteer filling in PIP/ESA forms. If you get enhanced rate care/mobility it is very unlikely indeed that you wouldn't be entitled to ESA. PIP enhanced rate mobility is very difficult to get. Two questions:
a) If you only earn £30 a week what are you living on?
b) If you get enhanced rate mobility do you use an powerchair? How far can you walk can you walk/push without pain?

My experience is personal. I don't know exactly how it works but I know someone who gets high rate for both and didn't get ESA (I know because they showed me their letters).

You are right, they are not the same system but there is a significant amount of overlap between the two. Generally, someone who can't wash their own hair without assistance ("assistance to wash upper body", PIP), for example, can also not lift their hands over their head ("cannot raise either hand to top of head", ESA). Someone who needs prompting to wash (PIP) would likely not be able to complete a "two step personal action"-so wash and dress or cook and eat-reliably and so should qualify for ESA. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, it's just really quite rare. Usually there's either a problem with the evidence or they've had a dodgy assessment. This is why the appeals process exists. It's usually pretty obvious to tribunal that someone who uses crutches can't move cardboard boxes or milk cartons(!).
The reason I ask about the OP's mobility is that "cannot repeatedly mobilise 50m with a manual wheelchair or other walking aids" is a Support group descriptor and so, if the OP uses a power chair, it's a reasonably easy way into the support group.

Thankyou for taking the time to explain. It's very useful to know.

Unfortunately our appeals are held in court, and, you're treated like a criminal, there's no CAB or similar available and the person I know couldn't cope in that environment, so probably that's why they lost it.