ESA Success

Today I was stunned to receive the news that I have been granted ESA and placed in the support group. I have also been awarded an "enhanced disability premium" as well which came as a surprise... never even heard of that until today. It was a long wait for the medical - that took place a couple of weeks ago, rearranged from January because they couldn't comply with my request for it to be recorded (a good piece of advice I gathered from here!) The rearranged medical was recorded and a deeply harrowing experience for me personally. I expected the worst, a nil points scenario and having to appeal, so this is a nice surprise.

It comes a year since I won an appeal for DLA. My Mum has been a rock throughout the last two years of navigating the DLA and ESA business and I can't thank her enough for her support but equally important is the help and advice you have given us on this fine site. We used your guides, templates and help and it worked. Many times it felt futile but we got there in the end.

Just one small query - will I still need to provide sick notes from my GP?

Thank you once again.

jen wrote: Today I was stunned to receive the news that I have been granted ESA and placed in the support group. I have also been awarded an "enhanced disability premium" as well which came as a surprise... never even heard of that until today. It was a long wait for the medical - that took place a couple of weeks ago, rearranged from January because they couldn't comply with my request for it to be recorded (a good piece of advice I gathered from here!) The rearranged medical was recorded and a deeply harrowing experience for me personally. I expected the worst, a nil points scenario and having to appeal, so this is a nice surprise.

It comes a year since I won an appeal for DLA. My Mum has been a rock throughout the last two years of navigating the DLA and ESA business and I can't thank her enough for her support but equally important is the help and advice you have given us on this fine site. We used your guides, templates and help and it worked. Many times it felt futile but we got there in the end.

Just one small query - will I still need to provide sick notes from my GP?

Thank you once again.

Hi j,

Congratulations on The SG Award !!!

Thanks for letting us know and for your positive feedback !

If you have actually received The SG Award Decision Notice letter from The DWP, you no longer have to submit fit notes.

If you haven't received written confirmation of The SG Award yet, you should continue to submit fit notes until you are told to the contrary.

I gather that this was a fresh claim for ESA and not a transfer over from another benefit.

That being the case, the extra Support Group Component addition and The EDP should be paid from the start of week 14 of your ESA claim.

As it appears that you are entitled to Income Related (IR) ESA, and you must be as all ESA Premiums are paid as IR ESA, : ESA Premiums.

If you are also in receipt of Middle Rate or Higher Rate care of DLA, and can fulfill the other qualifying criteria, as seen in the blue ESA Premiums link above, you may also be entitled to The Severe Disability Premium. (SDP)

If so, you would also receive that on top of your ESA payments.

If you think that you may also be entitled to payment to The SDP, you should contact ESA : THE ESA PHONE NUMBER DWP : 0345 608 8545 Press Option 3 for ESA. (Open 8AM-6PM. Mon-Fri.)

Ask them if they can send you a form out to assess whether you are entitled to payment of The SDP.

As you are already in receipt of IR ESA, it will most probably be an IS10 Form :

Sample IS10 Form

The EDP is generally described as the "disability income guarantee" in your ESA benefit breakdown letter.

If you were in receipt of Higher Rate Care Component of DLA from the start of your ESA Claim, you may have also been entitled to payment of The EDP & The SDP from that time.

IR ESA Premiums are payable on top of Assessment Rate ESA before you are assessed and placed into a "group".

See 2014/15 and : 2015/16 Benefit Rates

Further, being entitled to payment of IR ESA Premiums (currently The EDP) also passports you to other "benefits" such as free prescriptions and dental care.

Housing Benefit / Council Tax Support, (Contact your Council/LA Re : this) or help with your mortgage if you have one:

SMI Scheme

Plus, receipt of IR ESA may also entitle you to a credit of £140 on your electricity account in March 2016 under : The Warm Home Discount Scheme

The other positive is that if any part of your ESA is IR ESA there is no 365 days entitlement to payment rule, no matter which group you are in.

Finally, if you wish to obtain copies of the information/documentation used in making The SG Award, you can gain information on how to do this from : This Post.

Please reply to this topic if you have any further questions.

bro58