ESA 2019 increases

Am I mistaken in my belief that ESA rates altered in April for the Disability Premium, Severe Disability Premium and Support Group element? I was expecting a small increase of approx £2.85 per week. But I have just received this coming Monday's payment (early cos it's a Bank Holiday) and the rate has remained at what it was last year. Do I have the increase dates wrong, or do these very small increases only apply to Contribution based ESA? Mine is income supported ESA. I am loathe to contact them for what amounts to £148.20 per year and put myself into their line of sight, having recently gone through a DLA to PIP transfer I would prefer NOT to have to do it all again for ESA.

Yes Gordon I am comparing it with pre-April's ESA payment and it hasn't changed at all.. So it is a mistake then? I am now in a quandry as to whether to complain or not because it only works out to £2.85 per week and I don't feel it's worth me bringing myself to their attention in case I am overdue an ESA re-assessment. It did just cross my mind that it was only those on CB ESA who were getting a rise and not those on IB ESA, which would have explained my not getting it. Whereas PIP is not based on contributions (or at least I don't think it is), so that rise went ahead as normal.

TwistedWitch wrote: Am I mistaken in my belief that ESA rates altered in April for the Disability Premium, Severe Disability Premium and Support Group element? I was expecting a small increase of approx £2.85 per week. But I have just received this coming Monday's payment (early cos it's a Bank Holiday) and the rate has remained at what it was last year. Do I have the increase dates wrong, or do these very small increases only apply to Contribution based ESA? Mine is income supported ESA. I am loathe to contact them for what amounts to £148.20 per year and put myself into their line of sight, having recently gone through a DLA to PIP transfer I would prefer NOT to have to do it all again for ESA.

Hi TwistedWitch and all

SNAP This has happened to me too TW, ie those constitients of ESA income related that should have gone up in April havent! I phoned the DWP, the person I spoke to checked my 'record' and said that there did indreed seem to be something wrong as my ESA should have increased in April. He said he would pass this query on to another part of the service. I was phoned back the same day and the 2nd official said yes there had been an error, she apologised for this error, said it would be corrected and I would also receive a letter from them and payment of arrears from when my ESA should have gone up. I really do appreciate your reluctance to contact them TW, many of us will feel exactly the same, however if you, or someone acting on your behalf, don't contact them and have in fact been underpaid in error then of course you may never actually get your full legal entitlement! The 2 officials I spoke to were perfectly pleasant and the one who phoned me back was quite apologetic and you may well find the same if you do ring them. I hope you will and I'm sure everyone on B&W wants you, and everyone else, to get the full amount of any benefit/s you're entitled to.

Kind regards

Mr B

PS sorry for any typos in my previous post, for some reason I couldn't see how to correct them before submitting! I am having to send these posts via my mobile, which is harder to see, as my pc is on the blink atm