Worth trying for ESA3?

I have been on means tested incapacity benefit for several years and was migrated over in December 2012 to the support group on contributory related benefit.
My Council Tax benefit has been suspended as a result.
I have no money, no partner, no savings, and my circumstances have not changed at all.
I was not given a chance to apply for income related ESA at migration, so if I submit an ESA3 now, will I just be opening up a can of reassessment worms or will they just purely look only at the financials. and leave the rest of my assessment alone?

Many Thanks

aschscot wrote: I have been on means tested incapacity benefit for several years and was migrated over in December 2012 to the support group on contributory related benefit.
My Council Tax benefit has been suspended as a result.
I have no money, no partner, no savings, and my circumstances have not changed at all.
I was not given a chance to apply for income related ESA at migration, so if I submit an ESA3 now, will I just be opening up a can of reassessment worms or will they just purely look only at the financials. and leave the rest of my assessment alone?

Many Thanks

Hi a,

I am rather confused here, you state that "I have been on means tested incapacity benefit for several years"

Incapacity Benefit (IB) is a Contribution Based benefit, and is not means tested.

If you were in receipt of IB prior to migration to ESA, then you would indeed be entitled to Contribution Based (CB) ESA.

If you were in receipt of a "Means Tested" benefit, such as Income Support (IS) due to incapacity prior to migration to ESA, then you would now be entitled to Income Related (IR) ESA.

See : What will I be transferred to?

&

What will I be paid?

If you were in receipt of IB with an IS top up, and your personal circumstances have not changed, then you would be entitled to payment of CB ESA with an IR ESA top-up.

This IR ESA top up should have been paid automatically, without having to fill in an ESA3, further you should not receive any less on being transferred to ESA due to Transitional Protection ?

Have you queried why your CTB has ceased ?

If you did wish to fill an ESA3 in, it is only concerned with your financial details, and has nothing to do with which ESA group that you are in, WRAG or SG. The ESA50 and the ESA WCA are used to determine which ESA group you are placed in.

Here is a sample of an : ESA 3 Form

You may wish to do a quick check on this : Benefits Calculator

See also : Where to get advice?

Please repost on this topic if you have any further queries.

bro58