ESA - CB support group, Changed to UC Oct 2020 still confused!

SydRae

I have been on ESA CB Support Group for roughly 7-8 years, when I was released from work on medical grounds. I was a single parent recieving approximately £235 fortnightly plus child benefit. At the start of my claim my daughter was down as my carer, whilst also attending college.
I remember sobbing on the phone to them asking what else I could do because I couldn't cope on the money, and getting and asked about premiums, I was told cos my daughter had turned 18 btw still in FT education, she was an adult, so I was not entitled to anything else, an cos I was CB I couldn't get premiums.
When my daughter finished college she moved out and got an apprenticeship, not long after she had to stop being my carer.
Only in Sept 2020 when I gave birth to another daughter I contacted DWP to inform them.
So this is the problem I was told I would be kept on ESA with additional elements, but my ESA would be deducted from my UC. I didn't understand this, what's the point?
I have never been able to understand the letters off ESA, so last year I noticed that when I got UC , my ESA had gone down plus, so they had taken DIG off me , I queried this with ESA who said its UC, I needed to speak to them, which I did,  to no avail, getting told it was now in my UC Limited Capability for work element.

I have been look through this site , when I've just realised I must have been put on New ESA but without me knowing , is there anything I can do about this , could someone point me the right direction please.
Thank you in advance! 

Adrian_Scope

Hello @SydRae and welcome to the community.

When you claimed UC, your ESA will have changed from contribution based to New Style ESA.
Could I ask when you first claimed UC and whether the LCWRA element was included in your UC from the start of your claim?

SydRae

Hi Adrian
Thank you!
I had my daughter in the September 2020 and applied for UC end of Oct 2020, I didn't really have a clue about benefits, btw still don't nd yes LCWRA was included from the start due to my ESA and PIP award, didn't have to supply any fit notes etc 

Kimmy87

UC LCWRA pays more than ESA Support Group CB + IR premium which is what you were claiming before.

Yes, ESA is deducted from UC in full but as UC is higher, your money shouldn't have gone down it should have gone up even with the loss of ESA premium. 

As an example my circumstances are single & childless.

At current rates:

ESA SG CB with IR premium: 149.05
ESA New Style: £129.50
(per week) 

UC standard allowance + LWCRA £758.80
Minus ESA (average) £561.17
Monthly total: £197.63

Which makes a monthly combined income of £752.63 (UC LCWRA and New Style ESA) , as opposed to £617.50 (ESA SG CB & IR premium) .

(I have calculated ESA on a 30 day basis to allign with UC). 

SydRae

I really guys it taken so long for me to get u , hands full with my very confident 3 year old.

I appreciate all your knowledge and I actually understand now.
Wow I do believe Adrian u should give ESA advice on how to word letters correctly or in layman terms because this forum has given me so much of an explanation in hours than I have had off anyone DWP since I started on benefits!
Thank you all