Is Support Group ESA means tested?

Dear Forum,
I would like to know whether the ESA Benefit paid to those who qualify for the Support Group is means-tested (as I am assuming the ESA Benefit for the WRAG Group would be). I do not know which group I may finish up in, but I do know that my tiny Civil Service Medical Retirement Pension of £415.35 will not be enough to cover my mortgage of £181, plus Council Tax of £98, plus minimum Electricity bill of £80, plus Water bill of £40 (£399 already), plus food, toilet rolls, bus fares, mobile phone top ups (when my Landline has been disconnected), NHS Dental bills etc,etc,etc....
Also any additional suggestions on how I might survive at all would be welcome.
Thank you,
Jean.

Jean wrote: Dear Forum,
I would like to know whether the ESA Benefit paid to those who qualify for the Support Group is means-tested (as I am assuming the ESA Benefit for the WRAG Group would be). I do not know which group I may finish up in, but I do know that my tiny Civil Service Medical Retirement Pension of £415.35 will not be enough to cover my mortgage of £181, plus Council Tax of £98, plus minimum Electricity bill of £80, plus Water bill of £40 (£399 already), plus food, toilet rolls, bus fares, mobile phone top ups (when my Landline has been disconnected), NHS Dental bills etc,etc,etc....
Also any additional suggestions on how I might survive at all would be welcome.
Thank you,
Jean.

Hi J,

Having checked back on your previous posts, I note that you will be migrated over to ESA from IB.

If succesfully assessed as qualifying for the WRAG or SG, you would be entitled to payment of Contribution Based, (CB) ESA, see :

What will I be transferred to? from our : IB, IS, SDA, Migration to ESA FAQ’s

The type of ESA that you are entitled to CB ESA or Income Related, (IR) ESA is dependent on your previous NI Contribution history, or which benefit you were in receipt of before migration to ESA.

The group that you are placed into, is dependant on the outcome of The ESA WCA, ESA50, etc.

As it would appear that you would be entitled to CB ESA, then if you are placed into The WRAG, you will only receive payment of CB ESA for 365 days.

If you are placed into The SG, there is no such 365 day limit of payment of CB ESA, and you will continue to receive payment for as long as you remain in the SG, see :

12 Month Limit for ESA(CB)

With regards to your pension, see : Will my pension be disregarded under ESA?

You would not be liable to a "Means Test" if in receipt of CB ESA, so your pension would not be classed as income with respect to that.

If your pension was disregarded whilst in receipt of IB, then it may also be. if successfully transferred to ESA, see this similar topic from yesterday :

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/forum?view=top...id=10&id=96612#97527

bro58