Benefits advice please

ilovepink97

Hi everyone  

I won my tribunal for PIP and recieved a backdated payment which I put into savings as I don’t go out due to my poor mental health. I currently claim esa contribution based as it’s non means tested I was told it’s fine if I save the backdated payment and my PIP if I want to. 

I am in the support group for ESA due to my poor health. I was wondering whether it’s posisble to claim Univeral credit also as I have 10k worth of savings which is from PIP. 

I am planning to retake my GCSEs at college so I will be a full time student but I wanted to help pay the rent as I live with my family for free and I feel ashamed for not working as I am over 25 years old now and I feel like I’m not contributing and my family really struggle with money. 

Is it possible to get : ESA contribution based (new style), PIP AND universal credit all at once? Especially because I’m gonna be a full time student  

I would really appreciate some help I’m worried if I apply for UC they may stop my ESA or something so I just feel proper worried to even apply

poppy123456

Yes you can claim both at the same time. 

The backdated payment you received from your PIP claim is disregarded from savings for means tested benefits for a period of 1 year. After this time then it will be counted as savings.

Other savings outside of the backdated money will be counted as savings for all means tested benefits, including your PIP. The payments you receive every 4 weeks are not counted as savings until the end of the period they are paid for. This includes your ESA.

If you claim UC your ESA will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement. As you’re in the Support Group you’ll be entitled to the LCWRA element from the start of your claim.

You said you’re living with family, if it’s close family such as parents, step parents, brothers, sisters and their partners then you will not be able to claim for help with any rent. 

Once you become a full time student if there’s any maintenance loan available to you then it will affect your UC, even if you decide not to take that loan. 

ilovepink97

am I better off not claiming UC as I receive 259 pounds every 2 weeks with ESA and for UC I would probs only get 360 a month? so overall if I claim UC and ESA will my benefits be reduced from what Im getting now?

poppy123456

For UC you will be entitled to the following.
standard allowance (over 25) £368.74/month plus
LCWRA element £390.06/month. 
Total amount £758.80/month.
Deduction for your ESA will be £561/month. Total UC £197.63/month. 

Which family members are you living with? 

You also mentioned savings of £10k how much of that was from your PIP backdated money and how long ago did you receive that? 

ilovepink97

hi poppy, 

thanks so much for ur reply!

I live with my brothers and sister and I got my backdated pip last week but because I'm on ESA contribution based in the support group I was told I was allowed to save as much of my pip as I like as its non means tested.

so if I do switch over to UC I will receive £197.63/month overall and my ESA contribution based will stop?

my breakdown of payments 

ESA new style contribution based: 259 pounds every two weeks
PIP: money paid every two weeks

would u recommend I apply for UC or is it best to avoid it incase I get less money?

im a full time student

poppy123456

As you’re living with your brothers and sisters then unless you’re named on a tenancy agreement you will not be able to claim for help with any rent.

If you claim UC your ESA will continue as normal. The ESA will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement. You will not receive less money by claiming it. PIP is separate so doesn’t affect any UC entitlement. 

Yes you can save your PIP and it won’t affect your ESA because it’s not means tested. 

UC is means tested so savings/capital affect the amount you’re entitled to. The backdated money that you received from PIP is disregarded from savings for means tested benefits for 1 year from the date you received it. Any other savings you had before you received your PIP lump sum will be counted as savings. 

As a full time student if there’s any maintenance loan’s available to you then it will affect any UC entitlement, even if you decide not to take that loan. 

ilovepink97

Thanks so much everyone for your advice and support 

ilovepink97

@poppy123456 Will I stop receiving esa contributions support group if I’m taken off universal credit if I return to education full time? 

ilovepink97

As I’m not sure if I would return to education or not but I was able to get esa when I was in school as I was too I’ll to work. 

As UC isn’t indefinite like my esa is 
I would really appreciate your help if you are free and thank you 🙏 

ilovepink97

@poppy123456 I have spoken to universal credit and they have advised me not to make the claim and they said I won’t get any help and my esa might close if I return back to uni or college full time 
she said there’s no point 

poppy123456

ilovepink97 said:

@poppy123456 I have spoken to universal credit and they have advised me not to make the claim and they said I won’t get any help and my esa might close if I return back to uni or college full time 
she said there’s no point 

You spoke to someone from a call centre who will have very little benefits knowledge other than to read from a screen. For this reason I wouldn’t advise anyone to ring them for any advice like this. 

The advice you’ve been given from them is quite shocking and not correct.

As I advised your ESA will continue as normal, it will not stop. You will be entitled to the LCWRA element of UC from the start of your claim. The ESA amount will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement. 

If you returned to college your ESA will not be affected and will still continue as normal. UC might be affected depending on circumstances. 

ilovepink97

Poppy thanks so much I’m going to have to reapply because they closed my claim. They do have very little knowledge the woman was just saying to me that I should’nt expect to get more. 

poppy123456

It's not about "expecting more" it's being entitled to more due to your circumstances. There are so many people not claiming the benefits they are entitled to and I don't see why you should be one of them. Please do start another claim as soon as you can. 

ilovepink97

Thanks poppy, she also said to me ur gonna have to come into the job centre and do a work related programme even though I’m in the support group it was really awful  

poppy123456

You're welcome. Well, clearly she doesn't know what she's talking about. You will not need to attend any appointments because you will have no work commitments, other than to agree to report any changes. 

If they ask you to attend your local Job centre as a first appointment and you're unable to do this then you can request a telephone appointment. 

ilovepink97

Thanks poppy your advice has really helped me 
I contacted citizens advice so they said they will call DWP tomorrow for me and she advised me to go to the identity appointment. I’m finding it quite difficult to talk to them so it may be helpful to have them advocate for me. 

I really appreciate your time for me you have been so helpful loving and supportive towards me. Like taking time out of your day just for me it means the world 
may god bless u ♥️