Esa contribution based query re savings etc

Hi

My partner was receiving esa income based and contribution based before we moved in together. Now we stay together I assume my wage affects the income based part(18k per annum) and she was moved onto contribution based esa when we notified them of the change a couple of years ago.

On reviewing old paperwork, when entitlement to both income and contribution based she received a premium for being severely disabled of £61.10 plus £35.75 for being in the support group.

The last couple of calculations have said extra money for being in support group £35.75 then it says your income related amount is £35.75 less £0.00 however because your entitled to contribution based esa we will pay you £112.05. This includes a top up of £3.90 which I assume is from IB migration.

There is no mention on the calculations stating enhanced/severe disability premium, would I be right in thinking they are no longer valid due to not being on income based esa anymore?

She receives a small occupational pension of £85 per week they used to deduct this figure when getting income and contribution based esa but seems to be no mention of it on the calculation now that it is contribution based. Is this normal? they do write asking each year how much the occ pen has increased by, if it increases at all it is like £2/3 a month.

Thanks

Thank you Gordon. That was how I read it but I wanted confirmation.

When I moved in my partner lost her income support (which had her enhanced/severe disability premiums), which included a small amount for mortgage interest, she also lost her council tax benefit. The combined loss was several hundred pounds per month, however we expected this to happen and now have my wage to pay the bills and make up the shortfall.

This leads me onto my next question about esa contribution based. I am aware that on esa you can only have 6k savings and a maximum of 16k before your benefits are stopped.

However if I am reading that correctly that is when you are receiving income based esa or both income and contribution based.

In our instance my partner currently gets dla at the highest rate of care and contribution based esa, she doesn't get any other benefits or reductions.

Does the dla (current pip migration) and the contribution based esa mean that we don't need to worry if we did end up with more 6k in savings or even the 16k if there was an inheritance in the future?

The way I am reading the rules is that both dla (soon to be pip) and the contribution based esa are not means tested but I would like confirmation that I am understanding the rules correctly.

That is assuming that my partner stays in the support group of esa that contribution based esa doesn't run out.

Thanks

Thanks appreciate your help. I don't think we qualify for working tax credit due to my 18k wages but I am away now to read up on carers allowance but again not sure if would qualify as I work full time but I do the majority of my partners care needs as well as her elderly mother when I am not available.