Natural migration ESA support group to UC

Jurassic123

Hi, my husband is in the support group and I want to go and find a job as we've just been told the landlord is selling up and all the rents around here are much more expensive than what we are paying now. I understand that this will trigger a migration to UC. Is it better to go onto UC first before starting to look for work as my husband would struggle mentally with a capability assessment again on top of the stress of finding a new home and moving. Or should I try to find a job first and apply for UC when I have found one but before actually starting work? I am very unclear about to timings of it all so any advice will be much appreciated. Thank you.

poppy123456

None of those are a change of circumstances that will prompt a move to UC. If you move house you'll only need to claim UC if you're currently claiming housing benefit and you're moving to a different local Authority and you need to claim for help with the rent. If you'll be living in the same local Authority then housing benefit can continue.

If you start working and your husbands ESA is Income Related then any earnings you receive that's above £20/week will reduce his ESA £1 for £1. If you work more than 24 hours per week then Income Related ESA stops. In this case it's better to claim UC before you start work.

If his ESA is either all contributions based or New style then you working will not affect it because it's not means tested.

If you claim UC then you'll both need to claim. One of you will be sent a linking code to join both claims together. As he's in the Support Group then he'll be entitled to the LCWRA element from the start of his claim.

Jurassic123

Thanks for a quick reply. My husband receives ESA income related and I'll probably have to work more than 24 hours to cover any increase in rent. So should we apply for UC before starting work if I find a job or before starting the process of applying for jobs? 

poppy123456

You should wait and apply if you successfully find a job and then claim UC before starting work. If you wait until you start working then his ESA will end.

poppy123456

Having said that, you can use a benefits calculator now to check if you'll be better off claiming UC now. Some (not everyone) are better off financially claiming UC. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator

Jurassic123

Thanks for clarifying that. I'll wait until I hopefully find a job as I don't think I can deal with the stress of the application process on top of everything else at the moment. Thanks for your time and help.

Hannah_Alumni

@Jurassic123 I'm so sorry to hear you are having a stressful time. Do you have any support around you? 

If you are in the England or Wales and have a disability, Scope has brilliant employment services programme to help support you if needed.