Moving From ESA Support Group to Universal Credit

Mikeb2102

I was on ESA in the support group and I was awarded PIP at the enhanced rate for daily living so I receive the enhanced and severe disability premiums. I have ADHD, Autism, Depression, Insomnia and Anxiety

I had to switch to Universal Credit due to my daughter's mother passing away. I went for the identity verification interview and I told them I was in the support group on ESA. I was on the understanding that if you had already been assessed then you wouldn't need to go through an assessment again and it would be a straight switch without the premiums but with transitional protection. So when she said that I had to provide a fit note I didn't understand why when I've already been assessed by the DWP as being unfit for work. She said she couldn't continue with that part of the claim until she had received a fit note and set up another appointment for a weeks time.

JBS2022

Unfortunately you may have to provide a sick note until your files has been transferred over to UC. It may take a few weeks. Once the files are transferred over you will not have to provide anymore notes and will be classed as LCWRA.

poppy123456

Yes, they usually ask you to provide a fit note when you claim UC. Once your details have been passed onto UC then your commitments will change and you'll no longer need to send any further fit notes.

For the SDP transitional protection it's an extra £120/month (single person) if you were still entitled to SDP when you claimed UC. However, the TP erodes over time so when other elements increases the TP decreases.

Mikeb2102

poppy123456 said:

For the SDP transitional protection it's an extra £120/month (single person) if you were still entitled to SDP when you claimed UC. However, the TP erodes over time so when other elements increases the TP decreases.

Yeah I understand that part, I just don't understand the fit note part because both Mind and CAB have said I shouldn't need to supply them because there's been no breaks in the claim and I should automatically be placed in the LCWRA. They said supplying one might trigger them to get me to do another assessment. They also said they think I was given the incorrect information. So I am worried that instead of having a smooth change over with a slight difference in money, my money will drop quite a bit and I'd be back to being in the assessment phase.

poppy123456

It's part of the claims process. Reviews are suspended so it's extremely unlikely that you'll have another assessment. Once your details are sent across you'll no longer need to send anymore fit notes. I can only tell you what i know.

It's a shame you didn't wait to apply for UC until after the April increase because of the SDP TP erosion.

Mikeb2102

poppy123456 said:

It's a shame you didn't wait to apply for UC until after the April increase because of the SDP TP erosion.

I was going to wait but as I am in a studio flat and need help to find somewhere bigger due to my daughter moving in. I figured having Universal Credit with the child element and child benefit would stop the council and other organisations treating me like a single man with no dependents. If I wasn't desperate for help with my housing situation then I would have waited a while longer

Mikeb2102

@poppy123456

I saw a comment from @Adrian_Scope on another post regarding the same thing and he said that they sometimes mess things up. My support group status is protected by regulation 19. He said to someone that they should write in their journal that as they already have a determined award on ESA they believe this should be transitioned to UC and shouldn't need to hand fit notes. He also said that issuing a fit note can trigger another assessment and I need one of those like I need a hole in the head right now. I've only just been awarded PIP and that took a year and a half to sort out because I had to take it to the tribunal.

CAB also told me that I should write in my journal 

"I am in the support group of ESA and should be awarded automatic LCWRA on my UC."

"I am also in receipt of SDP and should be awarded the transitional element on my UC."

They said on Tuesday I should show my work coach copies of regulations 19 and 28 and show them letters from ESA stating that I have been assessed already along with the PIP award as it is because of PIP that I have the SDP on ESA.

poppy123456

You can certainly put a message on your journal to tell them that you transferred from ESA. If you have an appointment with your work coach coming up then you can take a copy of your ESA letter with you to show them.  It can take a few weeks for your details to be passed across from ESA but usually this is done in time for your first statement. You will know when it's done because you will need to agree to your new claimant commiments.

Reviews are suspended anyway so i can't see a fit note starting a work capability assessment process off. If providing a fit note is on your to do list then you will need to provide one.

Mikeb2102

 If providing a fit note is on your to do list then you will need to provide one.

Sorry @poppy123456 but your advice is wrong. It was on my to do list and I didn't need to provide one. I had my interview yesterday at the job centre and I told them about the information I was given by CAB @Adrian_Scope and Mind. I showed her my PIP award letter and ESA award letter and it was sorted without having to produce a fit note. The woman asked someone on another desk for help and she showed her how to bypass the need for a fitnote on the system. So, I now have an LCWRA award on my UC

poppy123456

I was going by many other threads on here. Glad to hear you didn't need to provide one and it's now sorted.

Adrian_Scope

Great news @Mikeb2102, I'm pleased it's sorted for you now. 

Mikeb2102

poppy123456 said:

I was going by many other threads on here. Glad to hear you didn't need to provide one and it's now sorted.

TBH I was dreading that you were right because I hadn't told CAB that it was on my To Do List, I'd only mentioned that I'd been asked for one.

JBS2022

Mikeb2102 said:

 If providing a fit note is on your to do list then you will need to provide one.

Sorry @poppy123456 but your advice is wrong. 

Poppy isn't wrong 90% of the time they ask for a sick note when moving from ESA, you just got lucky and didn't need to provide one. Most people do.

Mikeb2102

JBS2022 said:

Mikeb2102 said:

 If providing a fit note is on your to do list then you will need to provide one.

Sorry @poppy123456 but your advice is wrong. 

Poppy isn't wrong 90% of the time they ask for a sick note when moving from ESA, you just got lucky and didn't need to provide one. Most people do.

I wouldn't say I got lucky. They did ask me for a sick note, it was even in my to do list.

If you quote their regulations to them and take a print out that shoes them Regulation 19 and you have already been assessed then they have to honour that. I also showed her proof of my PIP award and ESA letters. I'm sure she marked my sick note dates from and to based on the PIP award dates. CAB, Mind and Adrian all said there's no need to hand in a sick note if you have already been assessed on ESA. It makes no sense to hand one in if you have already been assessed. I did go to the Dr and because I haven't had a sick note for so long I would have to see the Dr first and the next appointment wasn't for a couple of weeks so I did make an appointment just in case

JBS2022

Mikeb2102 said:

JBS2022 said:

Mikeb2102 said:

 If providing a fit note is on your to do list then you will need to provide one.

Sorry @poppy123456 but your advice is wrong. 

Poppy isn't wrong 90% of the time they ask for a sick note when moving from ESA, you just got lucky and didn't need to provide one. Most people do.

I wouldn't say I got lucky. They did ask me for a sick note, it was even in my to do list.

If you quote their regulations to them and take a print out that shoes them Regulation 19 and you have already been assessed then they have to honour that. I also showed her proof of my PIP award and ESA letters. I'm sure she marked my sick note dates from and to based on the PIP award dates. CAB, Mind and Adrian all said there's no need to hand in a sick note if you have already been assessed on ESA. It makes no sense to hand one in if you have already been assessed. I did go to the Dr and because I haven't had a sick note for so long I would have to see the Dr first and the next appointment wasn't for a couple of weeks so I did make an appointment just in case

My sister had to get a sick note, even though she had her ESA award letter and lots of other proof of Support Group...it all depends who the Work Coach is at the JC..most just demand a sick note because they don't know their own rules. Most people will not quote regulations because they don't know about  them. I'm glad you got it resolved easily.

Mikeb2102

@JBS2022

Sorry to hear your sister had to provide a sick note. You hit the nail on the head with that last paragraph and its a shame that people get taken advantage of because they don't know the rules and regs. Even looking up the rules on anything I sometimes need a hand understanding them properly.

I think my landlord expected me to be someone who didn't take time to research the rules on stuff, he got a shock when he found out that I'm not like the previous tenants who lived in the other properties in this building. He's been getting away with murder for god knows how long