help needed on UC nil award due to ESA and Industrial injuries

ladyofleisure

hi, I'm new here. 
Two years ago I had a change in circumstances which meant I had to move and apply for universal credit.

before this I was in receipt of:
esa (support group) 
SDP
Pip
industrial injuries  

when I moved over to UC I was told I could still claim ESA and Industrial injuries along side my UC  

Transitional protection was added but then stopped after being reduced gradually. 

my statements have never added up. I understand that ESA and Industrial injuries are deducted pound for pound but UC divide the payments differently to ESA and showing im getting 57 more a month than I actually am and this has been over 2 years.

My son has now left education and my updated statement is showing I am due to be paid 0.00 after these deduction. 

I should be in recept of:
standard allowance single over 25
LCWRA 
housing - which has also been reduced when this is normally paid in full. 


would I be better off cancelling the ESA? these deductions are giving me a nil award  

I hope this make sense. I appreciate all help on this matter. Any questions please let me know.

I have done a benefit calculator and this shows I have an award. 

thanks 

poppy123456

ESA is a weekly benefit paid fortnightly. UC is a monthly benefit. To work out the deduction for UC purposes then you need to do the following... £129.50 x 52 = £6,734 divided by 12 = £561.16/month UC deduction. Remember, there will be 1 month a year when you'll receive 3 ESA payments instead of 2.

For your housing element, why are you now receiving a reduce amount? are you privately renting or renting from social housing? If from social housing, do you have any spare bedrooms?

Whether you cancel the ESA is your decision. However please also be aware that the ESA isn't means tested so if sometime in the future you have savings/capital of more than £16,000 then your ESA will not be affected. Also if you receive a pension of up to £85/week this is also ignored for ESA. Not foegetting a partner that works, their earnings will not affect the ESA. You can't predict what will happen in the future.

UC is means tested so savings/capital of more than £16,000 will mean there's no entitlement to and means tested benefits. Also pensions reduce UC £1 for £1. As well as earnings over your work allowance, for yourself or a partner.

You won't be financially better off regardless of what you do at the moment.

ladyofleisure

ho the only thing that has changed is my son has now finished college. I was getting fortnightly amount of uc and now they have gone to 0. even though I am entitled to claim lcwra as I have a disability. please help as none of thsi adds up. and no I live in a irwell valley social houseing and up untill thai last statement mu rent has always been paid in full 

poppy123456

If you were claiming the child element for your son while he was in education then because he's now left you will not be entitled to any child element.

I know you're entitled to LCWRA element but your ESA and IIDB is still being deducted in full from your UC entitlement.

Are they applying a non dependant deduction for your son? If they are then because your PIP include the daily living part then there shouldn't be any non dependant deductions. However, if your son is under 21 then there's no deductions anyway, even if you didn't have a PIP daily living award.

Very difficult to advise without knowing what your maximum UC entitlement is and what deductions exactly are being made.

ladyofleisure

this is the statement I got today ? and what is a non dependant standard allowance £ 368.74 
housing £ 498.33 reduced to £ 448.37.
LCWRA. £390.06
total before deduction £ 1257.13

deductions. esa. £561.17
 iib.£ 179.92
advance. £67.67

total award 0
please help me makes sense x

poppy123456

A non dependent deduction is a deduction if you have another adult living with you like an adult son/daughter. Though this doesn’t apply because you’re claiming daily living PIP. 

For your housing element because you’re renting from social housing do you have any spare bedrooms? 

Next to the housing element it should tell you when you’re not receiving the full amount, can you please check to see what it says. 

ladyofleisure

yes its says houseing 498.33
we cam pay your landlord 448.37 towards your houseing. 
that's all its says and my son useing the 2 bedroom thanks 

poppy123456

I can see what they've done here. First though before i can confirm this can you please tell me what elements and deductions that were included in your previous statement? (not your current statement)

ladyofleisure

can I add poc of my uc awards to make it easier ? 

poppy123456

Yes you can do that but please make sure all of your personal details such as name, NI number etc are all covered or removed.

poppy123456

You mentioned your son has now left education, if this was full time non advanced education then in your last UC statement it would have included the child element. (£315/month)

As he's now left education this child element has now been removed. Your UC is as follows..

Standard allowance £368.74

housing £ 498.33 reduced to £ 448.37.
LCWRA. £390.06
total before deduction £ 1257.13/month

Deductions..

ESA £561.17
IIDB £179.92
advance payment. £67.67 total deductions £808.76/month

£1257.13 - £808.13 =£448.37/month which is what you're entitled to after all the deductions. UC pay your rent directly to your landlord and because of this your payment is reduced to zero.

The reason your rent is reduced this month by £49.96 is because of the deductions. If you were receiving your full rent then you would be being overpaid UC.

For your last statement with the child element included if all the deductions were the same as above then i would expect your last payment to be about £270.04/month, is this what you received last month? (after they paid your full rent amount of £498.33 to your landlord)

As your UC now doesn't cover your whole rent you'll need to make sure you pay the shortfall. Is your son working now he's left education?