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Severe disability premium and housing benefit

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JumpingJames
JumpingJames Community member Posts: 43 Courageous
in Benefits and financial support
Can someone tell me if I am entitled to this?

I am on universal credit. I was formerly on income-based ESA until September when I changed due to a change in circumstances, I have been on PIP since October but waiting for back payments. I live alone.

I know that SDP is not paid under universal credit. HOWEVER, I get housing benefit (which is normally paid through UC, but because I live in supported accommodation cannot be paid through UC and has to paid through housing benefit). Housing benefit is a legacy benefit, which on the government's website says should make me eligible for SDP. 

I read that SDP on housing benefit however only makes it so that I can have a higher level of income before I get housing benefit taken away from me, rather than directly giving me £65.85 to spend. Therefore, why does the government website say that I should get an extra £65.85 per week.

It says: 'Disability premiums are extra amounts of money added to your:
  • Income Support
  • income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
  • income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • housing benefit

    Severe disability premium

    You’ll get:

    • £65.85 a week for a single person

Any money you get is added to your benefit payments automatically so you usually do not have to apply for a disability premium.

How you’re paid

All benefits, pensions and allowances are paid into an account such as your bank account.'


Can someone clarify?
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  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,978 Disability Gamechanger
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    Hi,

    The SDP through housing benefit is totally different to when it's paid through other legacy benefits such as Income Related ESA/JSA and Income Support. It's worded badly on the gov.uk website.

    Through housing benefit it's automatically added to your personal allowance and included in the calculation to determine your housing benefit calculation. The personal allowance is the amount of income you are allowed to receive before deductions are made due to other income when calculating your Housing Benefit.

    It can be useful in situations where someone is claiming Contributions based benefits, pensions and when someone is working because if they didn't have the SDP added then they would be receiving a lower amount of housing benefit.

    For your housing benefit award because you're claiming PIP, if you're under 35 then this will mean you're now entitled to the 1 bedroom rate of local housing allowance rather than the shared rate. Otherwise your housing benefit will remain the same.

    Check the amount you're entitled to here. https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/search.aspx




    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
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  • JumpingJames
    JumpingJames Community member Posts: 43 Courageous
    edited July 2019
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    I don't live in a privately rented property so thats ok.

    But am I right in that if I got ESA I would get around £60 per week extra still directly to me because of the SDP, but as I am on UC I get nothing?

    James. 
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  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,978 Disability Gamechanger
    edited July 2019
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    Yes that's correct if you live alone because it's paid with the ESA but no premiums are paid on UC unfortunately.

    May i ask why you claimed UC if you can't claim the housing element of UC? did you move house and claim UC and the housing element before you moved into supported housing? Then moved again but had to claim housing benefit because of the supported housing?
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
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  • JumpingJames
    JumpingJames Community member Posts: 43 Courageous
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    No I was on esa and then got a job, but because of my schizophrenia couldn't stay in the job and only lasted a month so once I quit I had to go onto UC as I lived in a UC area and not back on ESA.
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