Uc and esa migration

chris888

Hi, I'm hoping for some help and clarification, apologies in advance if my post is long.
As a couple we recieve child tax credit and child benefit and my partner is in the support group for esa and recieves contribution based and as we are a couple it's paid as a couples rate. 
I wanted to ask when the time comes when I'm asked to migrate to u/c due to tax credits ending what would happen with his contribution based esa as its paid as a couples rate.

poppy123456

At least part of the ESA must be Income Related if you are named on the claim. Once you claim UC the Income Related ESA will end 2 weeks later.

Any contributions based will continue to be paid as normal (£129.50/week) but it will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement. 

You will at some point receive a letter inviting you to claim UC within 3 months of the date of the letter. If you don’t claim within this time then tax credits will end. 

Does your partner claim either PIP daily living, DLA mid/high rate care or ADP daily living? 

chris888

No no pip or dla. Yes the letter he receives states living expenses etc for you and your partner, income related amout is x amount, then it says as your entitled to contributions based esa we pay you x amount.
I think its paid as contributions based esa as each year I have to send yearly amount to tax credits.
When the time comes to migrate over will his esa be recalculated then at the contributions based amount £129.50?
And as he's in the support group for esa how would this work for U/C. 
Sorry for all the questions.

poppy123456

It’s definitely part Income Related, if it was all contributions based then you wouldn’t be named on the claim. 

The fact you send details of the ESA to HRMC doesn’t indicate part of it is contributions based. ESA letters are well known to make no sense at all.

Your partner will be entitled to LCWRA of UC from the start of your claim. 

If you are not claiming carers allowance for caring for someone then you maybe expected to look for work. How many hours expected will depend on the age of your youngest child. 

chris888

Yes the letters are quite confusing
So the income based will end and the contribution based continue? 
And will he need to be reassessed.
Sorry for all the questions it's all the uncertainty of not knowing much about how u/c works I think.

poppy123456

If part of it is Contributions based this will continue but it will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement.

No, he will not need to reassessed as he will be entitled to the LCWRA element from the start of your claim. He will just need to make sure he puts a message onto his journal to tell them that he's in the Support Group for ESA. It may take a few weeks for the information to be sent from ESA and for the claim to be updated. 

When you do claim please be aware that your first payment will be 1 month and 1 week later. You can request an advance payment but this needs to be repaid back and will reduce your future payments. You could receive the managed migration letter anytime from now.

WhatThe

Research and analysis

Completing the Move to Universal Credit: learning from initial Tax Credit migrations

Published 15 August 2023

Worth a read on gov.uk

WhatThe

Also, CPAG provides excellent guides