Changes in circs: mortgage overpayment balance

Earthsong wrote: 1. With I.S., where there was an overpayment balance on an interest-free mortgage, there was no requirement to notify the DWP of voluntary payments into, and withdrawals out of, mortgage overpayments. However, with ESA, does each change to the mortgage overpayment balance count as a contributory-ESA change in circumstance which has to be notified to the DWP? Or is ESA the same as IS in this respect?

2. Would an unusual fluctuation in the mortgage overpayment balance of as much as £8k in a particular year (to finance home adaptations etc) count as a contributory-ESA change in circumstances?

3. If mortgage overpayment balance fluctuations are counted as a change in circumstance, would this precipitate loss of IS/IB to ESA bridging payments (such as severe disability premium)?

4. If an ESA claimant asked the DWP to cease contributions to mortgage interest (eg to avoid repeated notifications of change in circumstances), would that count as a change in circumstances which would precipitate loss of IS/IB to ESA bridging payments (such as severe disability premium)?

Thank you so much for any light you can shed on this!