Hmmm, is this right????

As some may be aware I recently received DLA at the first time of asking, both HRM and HRC, indefinitely.

I applied for the Severe Disability Premium and was turned down today because I live with my son - whom I am a carer for and who receives HRM and HRC himself

Surely that can't be correct???????

nonsmoker2008 wrote:

As some may be aware I recently received DLA at the first time of asking, both HRM and HRC, indefinitely.

I applied for the Severe Disability Premium and was turned down today because I live with my son - whom I am a carer for and who receives HRM and HRC himself

Surely that can't be correct???????

Hi,

The Severe Disability Premium isn't a benefit in itself. It is an amount added onto what is called your 'applicable Amount' in calculating certain means tested benefits.

However if someone claims Carers Allowance for looking after someone on Middle Rate/High Rate DLA Care, then the Severe Disability Premium isn't added to the 'Applicable Amount' of the DLA claimant (your son in this case).

If you are not claiming means tested benefits then there is nothing to add the premium to.

Pete

sorry, i should have mentioned that I get Income Support, now with added Disability Premium and Enhanced Disability Premium.

I am not claiming SDP for (or about) my son - I mention him only as he is the only person I live with (but for the record we get HRM and HRC for him too), but for me, regarding my own award of DLA HRC and HRM

My query is regarding my own award of SDP that has been disallowed as I live with my son, who incidentally receives DLA HRM and HRC too.

Hope that makes more sense now

nonsmoker2008 wrote:

sorry, i should have mentioned that I get Income Support, now with added Disability Premium and Enhanced Disability Premium.

I am not claiming SDP for (or about) my son - I mention him only as he is the only person I live with (but for the record we get HRM and HRC for him too), but for me, regarding my own award of DLA HRC and HRM

My query is regarding my own award of SDP that has been disallowed as I live with my son, who incidentally receives DLA HRM and HRC too.

Hope that makes more sense now

Hi,

It is very complex,particularly with living alone or being treated as living alone. If you look at this weblink:

www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/specialist-g.../applicable-amounts/

and follow through the Severe Disability Premium and its exceptions of who is and not treated as living alone it may explain it better than I can.

Pete

Edit to add, in the case of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit, if you are already receiving 100% HB/CTB they do not pay you any extra over the full HB amount no matter how big your Applicable amount is.

Under Local Housing Allowance, if your rent is lower than your Applicable Amount (and lower than your Local Broiad Market rental rate for house size) then you may be able to claim a maximum of upto £15 per week although this is due to stop very soon.

Pete

okay, found it, thanks:

Other people living in your household
For the purposes of severe disability premium your HB/CTB is not affected if other people living with you are:

^{children
or aged 16-17
or a person who is registered blind (if a person regains their sight, they are treated as blind for a period of 28 weeks after they cease to be registered blind)}
or receiving the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) at the highest or middle rate, or Attendance Allowance (AA)

sooooo.... it's referring to HB and CTB only, or does it also mean SDP too I wonder?

I thought it was clear when I first looked at it, but now it seems muddled

nonsmoker2008 wrote:

okay, found it, thanks:

Other people living in your household
For the purposes of severe disability premium your HB/CTB is not affected if other people living with you are:

^{children
or aged 16-17
or a person who is registered blind (if a person regains their sight, they are treated as blind for a period of 28 weeks after they cease to be registered blind)}
or receiving the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) at the highest or middle rate, or Attendance Allowance (AA)

sooooo.... it's referring to HB and CTB only, or does it also mean SDP too I wonder?

I thought it was clear when I first looked at it, but now it seems muddled

Sorry, going from your other thread this morning I thought it was your Housing Benefit you were querying about, particularly as you said in the first post it was because you were living with your son. Hence thats why I posted the link releating to HB/CTB and its calculations.

With regard to ''or does it also mean SDP too I wonder?'' as I tried to explain earlier SDP is a premium that is added to your 'applicable amount' in the calculation of various means tested benefits. It is not a benefit 'as such' which is paid into your hand like DLA etc.

You are right it isn't easy to work out any individual situation, as means tested benefits are 'individual' to the person and their curcumstances hence we can only really explain how the system works (or should work).

Pete