ESA Contribution rate & Permanent health insurance

Hello,

Please could you advise on the following:

recently my ESA support group contributory rate has been reduced by the DWP from £109 p/w to £27.10 after I informed them voluntarily at a compliance interview I was receiving permeant health insurance remuneration on a monthly basis they have said this is classified as a pension income? I completely disagree with this due to the following reasons:

1- My employer sky has setup the group income protection directly with the insurer Unum
2- Sky are the policy holder not myself
3-The monthly remuneration is paid directly to sky (not myself) who then forward it to me as a continuation of my salary therefore I feel that I should still be entitled to my contribution remuneration from DWP as this is based on my NI contributions
4-I am still employed by my employer but on long term sick
5- My contribution pension & my defined pension have not been touched by me so how can the DWP classify my permeant health insurance as income


I am subject to regular insurance reviews 4 times a year and have even seen Occupational Health Consultants who have confirmed to my employers and the insurers that I am unfit for work. This also means that my NI contributions are fully paid therefore my ESA contribution sum should not be reduced as the DWP have done

Thank you

Bill

Payments from this type of policy are classed as pension payments for the purposes of ESA, however, the Regulations require this to be on the "termination of that person’s employment". so if you are still employed, then as far as I can see the money should not be deducted at this time.

To be clear, your points; (1), (2), (3) and (5) are not relevant to the argument.

Gordon