sda stopped no contributions for esa

hi, had received sda for 10yrs, atos medical last year decided i am now ony 60% disabled despite that my problems are worse and stopped Sda i am waiting for tribunal date, advised to apply for esa but say they cannot pay me because i do not have enough contributions although i do have credits but have been told they do not count. awaiting outcome of reveiw of Dla but even if higher rate care is reinstated and backdated(automatic passport to sda) i will still have a few months break from sda. i eventually got appointment and help from CAB but they seem at a loss with this too. i am sick with worry and stress is playing havoc with me but if i don't win appeal it seems i get nothing, i have not received any benefit for over a year now and am struggling. any suggestions or advice please

As you have not accrued sufficient NI contributions for contribution-based ESA, can you qualify for income-related ESA or have you been told that you do not meet the conditions of entitlement?

Being in HR DLA care and mobility does not give one or has ever provided one with automatic right to SDA. Furthermore this benefit I believe was stopped from being accessed in 1995/6 unless already on it.

i am told i do not qualify for income based esa, the system seems so unfair because there is no way i could have earnt contributions during that time, even if i win appeal those this mean i still won't be able to qualify for esa?

pusscatsmum wrote:

Being in HR DLA care and mobility does not give one or has ever provided one with automatic right to SDA. Furthermore this benefit I believe was stopped from being accessed in 1995/6 unless already on it.

It was actually April 2001 when new claims for SDA were abolished.

hi pusscatsmum i am quite certain that hr care Dla was an automatic passsport for sda