savings and contributionary esa

Hi there
Could anyone advise me of the rules relating to savings when claiming contributionary esa. I know with income based esa if you have any savings this is taken into account when you claim.
But in the case of Contributionary Esa is there a limit on how much savings you are entitled to have without it effecting the Esa claim.

Your savings are not taken into account for Contribution Based ESA, just any pensions income above £85/week.

I thought I'd got my head round these changes but increasing pain, lack of sleep and changes to medication are impacting on my ability to think straight.

Sorry.

Pensions are disregarded for IB but from what you've said I'm assuming that's not the case anymore when you are moved to ESA.

Savings don't matter at all - so that's not changed.

Do these rules come into effect as soon as you are migrated or do you have a year's grace before the means testing is enforced?

If you are placed in the Support group there's no time limit or means testing so in effect nothing changes, nothing matters - other than having potentially endless checks to make sure they can't kick you out of it so you can fulfil your life's ambition to be a fire fighter or an astronaut.

Thanks,
Tired and disillusioned, Walt.

I am afraid there is no grace period for pension income with ESA(CB).

We expect IB claimants to be put on ESA(CB), which is not means tested as is ESA(IR).

This is where my brain is struggling to keep up. If you have a pension above £85 per week the loss of benefit kicks in immediately so to me that reads as means testing. Any income above £85 per week reduces contribution based ESA - your means are being taken into account. You go to your ATOS medical, they place you (let's say) in the WRAG, you declare your Occupational Pension and they immediately reduce your benefits. Have I missed something? Even if you appeal because you think you should be in the Support group they will reduce your benefits until the tribunal? However if they are not taking savings into account you could have (this is a theoretical illustration) a million pounds in the bank but no other source of income and your benefits would not be reduced for a year.

Thanks,
walt