ESA means-tested?

Your £78pw pension wouldn't be taken into account for your contributory-based ESA because it is under £85, but if you get a top-up of income-related ESA, your pension may affect that.

My understanding of it is that ESA C is like IB and not means tested at all so your savings should not be taken into account. I believe that contribution based JSA is limited to six months after which it becomes income based which means your pension and savings will have an effect on your benefits. An article in the DM yesterday suggested that ESA C will be time limited and further to that is a suggestion that it will also be means tested. I think Jim made a post about this in which he stated that the DM had got their facts wrong and as yet there have been no government announcements re:time limits or means testing of ESA C. There's a lot of speculation going on at the moment so I've decided that I won't believe anything until next week's spending review - if I believed everything that's being written I think my head would explode! I'm no expert so if I'm wrong about the ESA C issue hopefully someone who knows different will correct me.

While we're on this subject does anyone know what the situation is when someones been receiving contribution based IB and then during the transfer to ESA fails his medical and has to appeal and claims assessment rate ESA whilst he's waiting, that means tested isn't it? Even If they end up winning their appeal and receiving all the money they should have had If they had been passed the first time around.

It means that they're never going to be claiming contributions based ESA ever again as their claims can't be linked anymore, is that correct?

Anyone got an answer to this?

Hi Sueworld,
I posed a similar question on a
different thread recently, and have since phoned the D.W.P E.S.A helpline with regard to E.S.A contribution based benefit.
The advisor was adamant I would still receive E.S.A until the appeal. As far as I am aware Contribution Based E.S.A is not means tested however, income based is.
Still awaiting results of recent E.S.A medical assessment so in the event of an appeal I guess I will possibly soon find out.
Note the only difference being I am already in receipt of E.S.A and not going through the transition from I.B.

So effectively if you continue to receive ESA until the Tribunal it should be what you're already receiving - ESA C? If you win your appeal ESA C should be continued. I know the rules are changing about linking benefits and as all of these changes are about saving money it's hard not to be cynical and assume if they don't get you one way they'll come up with something else. I can't think of any proposed changes that are actually going to help people who are 'genuinely' too sick or disabled to work. 'Genuine' and 'vulnerable' are words open to interpretation by the government.