Moving home and ending HB claim. Forced onto UC?

astressedlady

I am receiving esa (support group) with the enhanced disability premium, PIP and housing benefit at the moment.

I'm being forced to move out of my rented home as it's being sold and out of the county due to obscene housing costs.

Because I'll be in a new county I cannot apply for housing benefit for my own place so I'll be moving into a friend's spare room so technically homeless but not enough to get any help. I am VERY grateful as I have a cat which I'd never get into new rented housing.

I'll be ending my claim for housing benefit and not making a new one so I'm wondering will I be forced onto UC?

Do you think I'll be able to keep my ESA claim as is until I'm naturally migrated at some point in the future?
 
I do need to pay for my own food and bills so I'm really worried about being forced onto the lower rate uc.

poppy123456

If you don't need to claim for help with any rent when you move house then you will not need to claim UC because moving to a difference LA isn't strictly a change of circumstances that prompts a move to UC. (unless you need to claim for help with the rent)

However, unless your ESA includes the Severe disability Premium. (SDP) then UC wth LCWRA pays more than ESA Support Group. Although the EDP isn't payable when claiming UC, you're still better off. Though you should still use a benefits calculator before doing anything else.

If your ESA does include the SDP then once you move this will end unless your friend is either claiming a qualifying disability theirself or they are registered blind. You will need to report the changes to ESA when you move in with your friend.

astressedlady

Thank you very much poppy.

I will of course be letting the relevant departments know I'm moving house.

I have done the calculators and I am far worse off moving to uc due the transitional protection offered if they move me so maybe it is sdp I get. I didn't even know i could apply for it originally so I've only been receiving it for a year.

I now understand how they are so many millions in unclaimed benefits.

Thanks again.

Albus_Scope

Hey there @astressedlady, I can see our wonderful regular Poppy has already helped you out, but I just wanted to give you a big welcome to the community.  

It's a total minefield with benefits, but I hope you can get your situation sorted out asap with minimal fuss. 

poppy123456

astressedlady said:

Thank you very much poppy.

I will of course be letting the relevant departments know I'm moving house.

I have done the calculators and I am far worse off moving to uc due the transitional protection offered if they move me so maybe it is sdp I get. I didn't even know i could apply for it originally so I've only been receiving it for a year.

I now understand how they are so many millions in unclaimed benefits.

Thanks again.

Those that have SDP included in their ESA will be worse off when claiming UC. This is because the disability premiums aren't payable when claiming UC. If do you have to move to UC without managed migration and your ESA includes the SDP then you will be entitled to SDP transitional protection. However, for those that are in the Support Group for ESA then TP is less than what SDP is.

If you do find somewhere else to live in the future and you'll be living alone i'd advise you to reclaim the SDP again before you start a claim for UC for help with any rent. This way when you do claim UC you will at least have the TP included. Whereas if you claim UC for help with any rent before claiming SDP there will be no SDP TP included.

astressedlady

poppy123456 said:

astressedlady said:

Thank you very much poppy.

I will of course be letting the relevant departments know I'm moving house.

I have done the calculators and I am far worse off moving to uc due the transitional protection offered if they move me so maybe it is sdp I get. I didn't even know i could apply for it originally so I've only been receiving it for a year.

I now understand how they are so many millions in unclaimed benefits.

Thanks again.

Those that have SDP included in their ESA will be worse off when claiming UC. This is because the disability premiums aren't payable when claiming UC. If do you have to move to UC without managed migration and your ESA includes the SDP then you will be entitled to SDP transitional protection. However, for those that are in the Support Group for ESA then TP is less than what SDP is.

If you do find somewhere else to live in the future and you'll be living alone i'd advise you to reclaim the SDP again before you start a claim for UC for help with any rent. This way when you do claim UC you will at least have the TP included. Whereas if you claim UC for help with any rent before claiming SDP there will be no SDP TP included.

I checked and it is SDP I get. I think I can apply for housing benefit after 2 or 3 years in the area so some light for the future as to getting on own place again since I really shouldn't have to share at my age. I'm just lucky to have a good friend to put up with me as I do not have family to help me.

And good advise thank you, only I suspect everyone will be on UC by the time I qualify for housing help again but I'll print this message out and pop it in my paperwork so it's not forgotten. 

Thank again.

poppy123456

astressedlady said:

poppy123456 said:

astressedlady said:

Thank you very much poppy.

I will of course be letting the relevant departments know I'm moving house.

I have done the calculators and I am far worse off moving to uc due the transitional protection offered if they move me so maybe it is sdp I get. I didn't even know i could apply for it originally so I've only been receiving it for a year.

I now understand how they are so many millions in unclaimed benefits.

Thanks again.

Those that have SDP included in their ESA will be worse off when claiming UC. This is because the disability premiums aren't payable when claiming UC. If do you have to move to UC without managed migration and your ESA includes the SDP then you will be entitled to SDP transitional protection. However, for those that are in the Support Group for ESA then TP is less than what SDP is.

If you do find somewhere else to live in the future and you'll be living alone i'd advise you to reclaim the SDP again before you start a claim for UC for help with any rent. This way when you do claim UC you will at least have the TP included. Whereas if you claim UC for help with any rent before claiming SDP there will be no SDP TP included.

I think I can apply for housing benefit after 2 or 3 years in the area

I'm not sure where you got that from but it's not correct. As you're moving to a new local Authority then any future help with the rent will need to be through UC. This will then end any Income Related ESA you're claiming after 2 weeks.

New claims for housing benefit for working age people is only possible if either living in supported or temporary housing.

I think what you mean to say here was that you can apply for social housing after 2-3 years in the area.

astressedlady

Yes, that is what Meant. Any claim for what was housing benefit would now be though UC.

poppy123456

Help with the rent through UC is known as housing element. Housing benefit is a completely different benefit and it's important to know they are different.

astressedlady

Thank you. I do know the difference.

Jimm_Scope

It's very easy for miscommunications to happen when so many things are named so similarly. Often only communicating through text can also make that more of a challenge, especially when you cannot hear tone of voice! It can be a challenge but we must remember we are here to help each other, even if we disagree sometimes.