DLA to State Pension Help Please

I’m currently receiving ESA (Support) & DLA Mobility (High) & DLA Care (Middle).

I’m 64 and am heading to receiving My State Pension. What happens to my benefits once I receive my pension?

I have been getting DLA in one form or another for about 17 years and my current rates were set about 5 years ago for an indefinite period. I transferred from IB to ESA 4 years ago. I understood that my ESA Award was to be re-assessed at some future time but I never did find out how long my ESA Award was to last.

My GP has suggested that I should re-apply for increased (Care) DLA as he believes that I should also be on the High Care rate as well and indeed I have been thinking about doing just that as my disabilities have worsened greatly over the last few years. It has been suggested to me that I will lose my DLA and ESA once I reach my 65th birthday and start receiving my pension, but I’m totally lost as to the process works and precisely what happens when I reach 65. I understand that if I reapply now for DLA I will be automatically assessed for PIP.

Can anyone help with the process about applying for benefits once I am 65? Should I do it now or just wait until my birthday. Has anyone on the site gone through this process that could help or point me in the right direction where I can get further information? I’m getting more than a little anxious about it all.

I’d appreciate any help or advice please

Best Regards


Andy

Hello Sirian

There is always a danger if you apply for increased rate of care and/or mobility you might lose the allowance altogether. You have to decide whether it is a risk you are quite sure about taking.

Once you start to receive your pension your DLA will stay as it is; it isn't means tested so it should not affect your rate of pension. If you decide to apply for PIP then there is always the chance that both of your rates of award will alter.The ESA I am not sure about - maybe other Mods will be able to help there.

Leave things as they are until you are given the option/choice then decide what to do next.

Thanks very much to both Shelam and Gordon for your replies. Your information is very useful. I think that it is best for me to wait until I am invited to apply for PIP. I get really rather anxious filling in forms and don't want to overload myself. I am in the UK Mainland and I think now it is best for me just to wait a few months until I am invited to apply for PIP.

Can you please clarify one thing that you mentioned Gordon.

You said "Your ESA will stop when you become eligible for the State Pension". Does that also mean that I will loose the extra money I get for being in the support Group, as well as the Severe Disablement allowance etc. If what you say is correct I will actually receive quite a lot less if I only receive the state pension. I struggle now so I guess it is only going to get worse if indeed you are correct and I actually loose money. My stomach is really churning over, just writing this and thinking about surviving on less money.

Guess that I need to do a little more research so I more fully understand moving onto the basic state pension.

Thanks for all your help. It is much appreciated.

Kind Regards to All

Sirian