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Would I be better off on UC?

66Mustang

My current ESA is £318.20 every 2 weeks which from what I can work out seems to be made up of the £138.20/week base amount and £20.85/week enhanced disability premium, as this totals £159.05/week which is exactly what I get

With Universal Credit it looks like I’d get the base amount of £393.45/4 weeks, plus, if I was put into the group equivalent to what I’m on now, another £416.19/4 weeks which works out at £809.64 or £202.41/week

I assumed it was a difference of like £20 a month which wasn't worth the risk of a reassessment but if I switched I’d be better off by just over £40 a week which is not to be ignored

Have I worked this out correctly, or is there anything I’ve missed?

Would it affect my PIP or the Carer’s Allowance that a family member gets for me?

I get my National Insurance paid with my ESA, would I lose that with UC, as that’s worth quite a bit…

We don’t get any other benefits, I live with my parents who work and the house we live in is theirs

Thanks

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Comments

poppy123456

Yes you would be better off by claiming UC. This is because your ESA doesn’t include the SDP. LCWRA with UC pays more than ESA Support Group in this case.

UC is paid monthly and not 4 weekly. If you work out the ESA as a monthly payment you can see the difference between the two much better.

ESA Support Group £159.05/week = £689.21/month.

UC standard allowance (25+) £393.45
LCWRA element £416.19 = £812.61/month. Which is an extra £123.40/month more than ESA.

Your PIP will not be affected and same applies to the carers allowance that a family member claims for you.

For UC you would also receive class 3 NI credits towards your state pension.

If you claim UC your ESA would continue for 2 weeks and then any income related would stop. If any part of it is contributions based this would continue but be deducted in full from any UC entitlement.

Hope this helps. Happy to answer any other questions you may have.

66Mustang

Thanks very much Poppy

I never realised UC was paid monthly, I always assumed that when they referred to a month they meant 4 weeks, so I can see the difference is a little less, but still significant!!

Thanks again

poppy123456

You’re very welcome. There’s actually 4.3 weeks in a month.

If you do claim please make sure you put a message onto your journal and tell them you are in the Support Group for ESA. They will likely as you to provide a fit note as part of the usual claims process BUT this is not needed because you are in the support group. It will take a few weeks for ESA to send your details across to UC but once it’s done your claim will be updated.

Your first UC payment will be 1 month and 6 days after you submit your claim.

It’s definitely a significant increase in payments each month. This was the reason why they did originally delay the managed migration process.

Kimi87

At current rates UC Standard Allowance +LCWRA pays £809.64.

Your ESA would be deducted in full £598.86 (UC is a monthly benefit and there are 4.3 weeks in a month).

Leaving you with £210.78 of UC payable a month.

Total income £809.64

(£598.86 ESA & £210.78 UC).

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