ESA to universal credit

rob23

I currently have LCWRA and I get esa  £117.60 p/w. My wife works full time but money is still tight. Im thinking of applying for universal credit, now it says the LCWRA payment from universal credit is £354 per month but I’m already getting £470 per month now on esa. If I apply for universal credit and get rejected for an income top up will my LCWRA payment be lower than what I’m already getting?  Any help would be appreciated. Thanks 

poppy123456

Your post is confusing because you mention that you have LCWRA, which is part of UC but then ask for advice about claiming UC.

You're currently claiming ESA and you're in the Support Group and your ESA isn't means tested. If you claim UC you will need to claim with your partner and entitlement will be based on your joint circumstances.

Your ESA will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement. You can use a benefits calculator to check entitlement. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator/Intro/Home?cid=c0deb75c-215e-4765-abb0-bec3b3161c11

rob23

sorry yes I’m in the support group with esa, so If I were to apply for esa it would be LCWRA. I’ve used the benefit calculator in fact I have used 3 different ones and the results vary. I just wouldn’t want to be worse off if I applied 

poppy123456

rob23 said:

sorry yes I’m in the support group with esa, so If I were to apply for esa it would be LCWRA.

You can't apply for ESA because you're already claiming it. You would need to apply for Universal Credit but as you live with a partner you will both need to claim. As you're in the Support Group for ESA you will be entitled to the LCWRA element from the start of your claim.

Whether there's any entitlement to UC will depend on your joint circumstances. You can't be worse off, however you look at it. If there's entitlement then you're better off, if there's no entitlement your money will remain as it is now.

rob23

thank thank you, sorry for the confusion text. I have long covid and brain fog is really bad 

poppy123456

Your ESA will just continue as normal but it will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement.
If you have savings/capital of more than £16,000 you’re excluded from claiming. 

rob23

thank you