SDP query

I have a client who has won his ESA hearing.  He has received his ESA and is in the support group.  This means that his Contributions based benefit will continue as he was receiving CB when it stopped. He also gets PIP.  After the success of the hearing he received a ESA3 form to determine if he was eligible for the SDP.  He filled it in and handed it in.  He was told that he didn’t qualify because he had too much in savings.(I was told he had under the £6k which is another matter!) Is it correct that SDP is means tested even when the client is receiving Contributions based ESA?

Thank you in advance for any advice

Entitlement to income-related ESA is means-tested yes and the SDP only applies to the income-related part, not the contributory element. However, if your client has less than £6,000, then that shouldn’t affect any calculation of his entitlement to income-related ESA so that’s certainly something to check.

Paul_Treloar_AgeUK - 29 June 2021 10:22 AM

Entitlement to income-related ESA is means-tested yes and the SDP only applies to the income-related part, not the contributory element. However, if your client has less than £6,000, then that shouldn’t affect any calculation of his entitlement to income-related ESA so that’s certainly something to check.

Thank you so much, I had a feeling that would be the case.  I told him to fill it in because he said he had less than £6K so will investigate that.