From legacy benefits to Universal Credit

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Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,467 Championing

    That would only reduce it if your housing element increases from what it originally was. The TP will reduce by the same amount as the increase in housing element.

  • knucklehead
    knucklehead Online Community Member Posts: 31 Connected

    Sorry to have to ask but Kimmys response at 15.16 is blank and just says ‘edited’ then jumps to Poppys reply that doesn’t make any sense in this context. Would like to know if moving to a different council borough would trigger a significant change in circumstances and mean losing Transitional Protection in UC. Thanks

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,467 Championing

    Maybe kimmy commented on the wrong thread, I have no idea because I didn't see the comment before the edit.

    The advice I gave in my comment here is correct.

    Moving to a different LA will not be a reason to erode your TP completely, unless any increase in rent is higher than your TP.

  • Kimmy87
    Kimmy87 Online Community Member Posts: 3,181 Championing

    Are you meaning a house move while you are still on legacy benefits, which means claiming UC via natural migration as opposed to getting a migration letter?

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,467 Championing

    If you move to a different LA and you haven't received the migration letter at that point then yes this would mean a claim for UC if you need to claim for help with the rent. Unless you're living in either supported or temporary housing.

    This would mean that your UC would include the SDP Transitional Element, which I believe would mean you could be slightly worse off.

  • knucklehead
    knucklehead Online Community Member Posts: 31 Connected

    Thanks for explaining Poppy I get it now. My original thinking was. I am at the moment receiving ESA and if I moved to another property in a different area that would trigger an automatic move onto UC. I wasn’t sure if once on UC, moving to another area would cause me to lose the TP on my UC claim. At least I now know I’d be able to move to any area without any penalties. Looking at your previous response though has made me think about the housing element aspect of UC. I am currently single and living in a 2 bed house but am freely and willingly paying the bedroom tax on the second bedroom as I could no longer go on living in a claustrophobic 1 bed poky flat with people and noise from all sides and below. Is the situation basically the same with the housing costs being covered by UC instead of the Council .. if there is an increase in rent as there is at around this time every year, is that increase covered by the housing element of UC or are there stipulations attached? Surely TP doesn’t have anything to do with the housing costs side of things right?

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,467 Championing

    No problem. I'm afraid TP is also affected if your housing element increases. In this case TP would decrease by the same amount, so you won't be any better or worse off. TP is affected by any increased in other elements or being entitled to other elements after your first assessment period. When you migrate to UC through managed migration, once your TP is calculated your benefits are actually frozen until TP decreases completely.

  • knucklehead
    knucklehead Online Community Member Posts: 31 Connected

    wow I can’t believe they are including housing costs in the TP, I thought it would just be the money you have to live on. Having said that the housing costs are paid directly to the claimant as well as the other payments so I guess it makes sense how very sly of them. I will need to start setting reminders for myself, this is going to be a nightmare for me to get used to I’d better find my old ESA award letter with the breakdown of what I receive and get ready for the ordeal. What would be classed as the ‘assessment’ period, is that the first month of your claim?

    At this rate it won’t take very long for TP to erode completely 😧

  • Kimmy87
    Kimmy87 Online Community Member Posts: 3,181 Championing

    When you apply is the start of your Assessment Period.

    And this carries on each month.

    So if you applied today your Assessment Periods each month would be 10th to 9th.

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,467 Championing

    UC is one benefit made up of many different elements. When they do the figures to work out if there's entitlement to TP they look at the figures for your previous benefits, then look at what your maximum UC entitlement is. The difference between the 2 will be what your TP is and this will show on your statement as TP.

    If you prefer them to pay your landlord directly for your rent you can ask them do that. Your rent will then be sent to your LL on the same date as you receive your payment. This way, you will know the amount you receive will be for you because your rent will have been paid, unless there's a shortfall and then you will be responsible for paying that.

  • knucklehead
    knucklehead Online Community Member Posts: 31 Connected
  • knucklehead
    knucklehead Online Community Member Posts: 31 Connected
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,467 Championing

    You're welcome.