Hi, my name is Thomas1938! Moving from one sheltered housing accommodation to another council

Thomas1938

Hi I'm very scared I'm on esa pip and sdp I'm moving from one sheltered housing acomadation to another council to an entirely different council but also to sheltered accommodation due to my vulnerability. 
I get housing benefit now . Will this trigger a change of circumstances where they will force me to apply for universal credit. Will I still get to keep my same benefits I get now??? Plz help because I can't cope?

poppy123456

Assuming this isn’t supported housing you’re moving too then, as you’re moving to a different local Authority then you will need to claim UC for help with any rent. 

A claim for UC will end any Income Related ESA you’re claiming after 2 weeks.

If any part of your ESA is contributions based then this will continue (£129.50/week) but it will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement. 

If you’re in the Support Group then you’ll be entitled to the LCWRA element of UC from the start of your claim. 

When you move if you’re still entitled to SDP then the UC will include the SDP transitional protection. This erodes over time so if other elements increase the TP will decrease so so be aware of that. 

Thomas1938

So I will be totally with out means and nothing to pay rent or bills

poppy123456

Thomas1938 said:

So I will be totally with out means and nothing to pay rent or bills

No, not at all and that's not what i advised. Please have another read of the advice i gave. I said you'll need to claim Universal Credit (UC), this will include help with your rent as well as standard allowance, LCWRA (if you're currently in the Support Group for ESA) and SDP Transitional protection.

PIP will continue as normal and council tax reduction needs to be claimed separately because it's not part of UC.

Thomas1938

I don't pay council tax now as I'm classed as severely mentaly impaired.  I have a support worker here and I'm scared as I can't handle any kind of change or crisis I'm not able to cope with multiple mental tasks. I'm severely mentaly impaired with epilepsy . With FMD . EPD . IN CONTINENCE SLEEP APNEA CORDIA EQUINA MOBILITY PROBLEMS AND LOTS OF MEDS AND I DONT GO OUT THE HOME
Also strong family history of huntingtons also short term memory problems and a service dog for ptsd and emotion support to remind me to take my meds.
I hope I haven't offended you I find it hard to understand instructions. 

poppy123456

You haven't affended me at all. Can i just check that where you're moving to isn't classed supported housing?

Thomas1938

It is sheltered housing flat run by sanctuary housing association it has pull cords but the wardens don't live on site . There is no carers or no food like meals provided it's adapted. And in Devon by my only daughter I'm in Oxfordshire in a bungalow with a pendant alarm 

poppy123456

That's what i thought but needed to check just to make 100% sure. This means that my advice about needing to claim Universal Credit for help with your rent is correct.

Once you claim UC then any Income Related ESA will end after 2 weeks and then everything will be paid with your UC as 1 monthly payment.

Are you in the Support Group for ESA? Is it just yourself or with a partner? Is ESA and PIP your only benefits? no tax credits?

Thomas1938

I'm on my own and I'm in support group .
The property says.
Please note to qualify for this property you must be over the age of 55 and in receipt of either DLA /PIP OR OVER THE AGE OF 60
I don't want to be paid monthly can they pay my rent straight to landlord as I wouldn't cope also my universal credit 2 weekly ?

Thomas1938

Also how will my bills get payed I heard people have waited 2 months to get payed .also will I still be entitled to my rent being paid here and there whole I'm moving 

poppy123456

Your ESA will continue for 2 weeks once you claim UC. If any part of it is contributions based then this will continue (£129.50/week)

Your UC will include the following..

Standard allowance (25 and over) £368.74/month

LCWRA element £390.06/month

SDP transitional protection amount £132.12/month.

Then your housing element for your rent, i don't know how much this so you'll need to add that onto your UC maximum entitlement.

Total UC without the housing element £890.92/month. Plus housing element.

Yes, you can ask for your UC to be paid twice a month so your monthly payment will be split into 2 equil payments. You can contact UC to ask them to set up an alternative payment arrangement.

Your first UC payment will be 1 month and 6 days after you first claimed. You can ask for an advance payment but please be aware that this will need to be repaid back and your future UC payments will be reduced to pay it back.

Yes, they can also pay your landlord directly.

Citizens Advice have a support helpline to help those with difficulties to claim UC. You can ring them to ask them for some help, if you have no one to help you with this. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/contact-us/help-to-claim/ If you ring them for help then please tell them that you're currently claiming ESA and need to claim for UC because you've moved house and need to claim for help with the rent.

Call our national phone line

You can contact an adviser through our free Help to Claim phone service. Advisers are available 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday:

England: 0800 144 8 444

Scotland: 0800 023 2581

Wales: 08000 241 220

Thomas1938

Thank you poppy I know I bang on but I find it hard to digest information my mind gets overwelmed apologies 

Thomas1938

Also I'm not computer litirate so I will find it impossible to set some kinda online account they make you have.
To be honest I'm finding it distressing as I'm not able to process it all.
Will my landlord be able to help it's a housing accociation all I'm worride about is not ending up on the street with my dog.
Will they make me attend a work assessment. 
I'm panicking so much 

Hannah_Scope

Hello @Thomas1938

Welcome to the community! I'm so sorry you've been so scared with all these changes. I see Poppy has been able to give some great advice and I hope you keep us updated. I have moved your post into our Housing and Independent Living section of the forum, in case you had any other questions or queries. 

You may be expected to have an assessment, but you can request this to be via phone or video call. Turn 2 Us has a walkthrough of what to expect during the process that I'd encourage you to read. 

Thomas1938

Thank you . I just don't want to end up homeless

Thomas1938

Just one more thing when I start my claim for UC will my pip stop till the uc is being paid all will I still get it as usual ?

poppy123456

Thomas1938 said:

Thank you . I just don't want to end up homeless

You will not end up homeless. Your UC will include help with the rent. You do not have to have access to an online journal if you don't want to and your claim can be paper only but it's very very easy to keep the online journal and everything you need access to is on your journal. This includes your statements each month will a full breakdown of everything that's included.

Thomas1938 said:

Will they make me attend a work assessment. 

As i advised because you're in the Support Group for ESA then you'll be entitled to the LCWRA element from the start of your claim. It's very unlikely that a move to UC will prompt a review, if it does then it's a total coincidence.

PLease see the link i posted above to Citizens Advice because they have a "help to claim" helpline you can access and they will help you to claim UC.

Thomas1938 said:

Just one more thing when I start my claim for UC will my pip stop till the uc is being paid all will I still get it as usual ?

As i advised, PIP will continue as normal because it's not part of UC.

Thomas1938

I want to thank you all so very much I wish I could think properly and problem solve but I have lost that ability everything is blown up and traumatic. Thank god for such caring people like you .

poppy123456

You're very welcome. Always happy to help where i can. If you have any further questions once you've moved house then please do come back and ask. I've also heard good feed back for the Citzens Advice help to claim line so hopefully they'll be able to help you as much as they can.

Thomas1938

Universal credit is inevitable anyway isn't it if I move or not ?

poppy123456

Not until at least 2028 for those claiming Income Related ESA. (with the exception of those claiming Tax Credits) Unless a change of circumstances prompts a move in the meantime.