Esa

Hi Sunshine99,
Thank you for your query. I am glad that your assessment is finally schedulked, after such a long wait. In a nutshell, disability premiums are only awarded for means tested benefits, not contribution based ones. They provide extra money on top of various benbefits to reflect disability. If you are disabled, and fulfil the criteria, the disability premium will be awarded - but with ESA the premiums are only awarded to reflect more serious disability. However, the introduction of Universal Credit (UC), has removed premiums, so only those people who already receive the relevant benefits can continue to receive disability premiums.
You have said that you are expecting CB ESA. You may wish to take advice eg from CAB or local advice centre to see if you are eligible to receive UC - an advisor will be able to calculate what amount you could receive on UC, and will be able to tell you if you could receive more money by claiming thi.
Hope this helps, good luck with the assessement.

LL26

Hi Sunshine99

Just an observation, you say that you are awaiting for an CB ESA assessment, is this a new claim or an existing claim?

New claims for CB ESA stopped quite a while ago, claimants now have to apply for NS ESA, the form is the same but has a different name new form is called UC50 old form is called ESA50.

Gary

Hi Sunshine99

As a new claim, then it will be NS ESA, this is contribution based, see LL26 post below and bob.murison post.

Gary