Mixed age couple & ESA premiums

Hi
I have a query on new rules on how mixed age couples are dealt with when one partner reaches state pension age.
I am 57 and claim IR ESA in the support group. My wife will reach state pension age on 6th September. She is my carer but will loose CA payment but retain underlying entitlement. We both receive enhanced rate PIP for both daily living and mobility. With my ESA, we receive both disability income guarantee and severe disability premium.
I have just received a letter from ESA with a recalculation due to my wife’s upcoming pension. This has left us £91 worse off.
I rang the call centre, who told me that as we will be entitled to the pensioner premium, we will no longer be entitled to either of the disability premiums as they cannot be paid as well as the pensioner premium.
I have found nowhere that this is stated, but she quote that these are now classed as overlapping premiums, and that it is either/or now. As we have missed out on pension credit by a few months, but cannot be transferred to UC because I get severe disability premium now, I don’t quite understand what my options are?
I would appreciate some advice, because I thought I understood matters when it came to benefits, but I am stumped with this news.
I have used the turn2us benefit calculator many times, but you cannot input a calculation from a future date.
Many thanks in advance
Fred

Gordon
Many thanks for this advice. I thought the severe disability premium was right. But, on the “how we calculated your entitlement” page, they missed out my wife details regarding her PIP details.
When I asked the lady, she said my wife would be transferred to Attendance Allowance anyway. I explained that her PIP award was until 2023, she had to talk to her supervisor.
I have just had a reassessment medical for ESA, which went well, as I was only asked questions pertaining to Question 1 on Mobility and then she said she had enough information.
It does worry me that these call centre staff do not have a clue about the regulations.
I am waiting for a call back from the benefits section, which I should get by Thursday !!
I will let you know how it works out
Fred

Hi Gordon

I have been having a nightmare trying to get my situation sorted out.

I have phoned this ESA phone line twice and explained the situation. Both times, I have been told that because my wife is going to receive her State Pension, she will no longer get PIP and will have to claim AA ( wrong), that because I will get pensioner premium, I will loose all my disability premiums and basically, I should be grateful as my wife will have her pension money, and why should I think I should get disability premium on top of that.
Also, because of this , housing benefit cancelled my claim as from her state pension date and told me I will have to claim UC.
Do they not train the staff. I was promised on Monday that I would get a callback from the benefit section within 3 days( I did not) and today, I escalated the procedure to , hopefully, get a call back with 3 hours.
I have downloaded the ESA regs you gave me a link to, and quoted them, to no avail. I have also downloaded the guidance sent to all Housing benefit staff regarding the new rules for Mixed Age couples which I have linked below. I can see this affecting a large number of people, as the staff are still clueless as to how this will work, and seem to be blanket cancelling all Housing benefit claims with these criteria.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/housi...les-further-guidance

This query may come up more and more.

Thanks
Fred