Hi, I’m Tracy, an unpaid carer, and terrified about UC switch!

tracyroll23

poppy123456

It will help to know which benefits exactly you're currently claiming.

jamiebear

Hi Tracey, switch to UC?

tracyroll23

I have MS and claim pip and I also claim carers allowance for my adult daughter. My husband has severe mental health issues, also in receipt of PIP. We have made application today for UC and my husband had a message saying will be receiving a phone call. This has caused his (and mine’s) anxiety to go through the roof!

poppy123456

You mention "switching" to UC but the benefits you've mentioned are not part of UC so none of them would have meant "switching" (migrating) to UC. Are either of you claiming any other benefits, such as Income Support, Tax credits, ESA? I'll happily advise you but I need all the information before I can do that.

tracyroll23

sorry, meant migrating. Were told had to. We claim housing benefit and income support. That’s it I think! Thank you 😊

Albus_Scope

Hi @tracyroll23 and welcome to the community.

I can see the community is already rushing to help you, but I just wanted to stop in and say a quick hello. 😊

poppy123456

The phone call is part of the claims process. As you're claiming carers allowance for your daughter when you claimed UC did you report that you're a carer? If so then the carers element will be included in your UC maximum entitlement.

Carers allowance will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement. As a carer you will have no work commitments.

Now comes the options.. Your husband can report his health condition and provide a fit note and this will start the work capability assessment process off. He will be referred for a work capability assessment usually from day 29 of your claim. See link for details of UC with a health condition.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-if-you-have-a-disability-or-health-condition-quick-guide/universal-credit-if-you-have-a-disability-or-health-condition#:~:text=When%20you%20make%20a%20claim,Work%20Capability%20Assessment%20(%20WCA%20).

However, he will be treated as a job seeker while he waits for a decision. It's a work coaches discretion whether they turn off or reduce commitments, some do and others don't.

He can also report being a carer for you, as he will not have any work commitments by doing this while he waits for a decision on the WCA. If he's found to have LCWRA then the carers element will stop and your claim will include the LCWRA element from the 4th month of your claim. This is because the same person can't receive both carers element and LCWRA element at the same time.

Also only one LCWRA element can be received per claim, which Is why I only advised one of you going through that process.

One thing I'm unsure about, if your Income Support included the couples SDP I'm not sure if claiming carers element in the first assessment period would affect any Transitional Protection. I know it does for natural migration but unsure for managed migration. You may want to get some expert advice on that one. Or he can claim carers element on the 2nd assessment period.

tracyroll23

@poppy123456 , thank you so much for all this information. I didn’t consider myself stupid before this process, but I’m finding it so complicated! I was dreading it, knowing it was coming, and we’re at a really early stage so trying to navigate through it. It has helped so much finding this community with so much knowledge and support. I can’t thank you enough 😊

ChrisSCOPEhtfc94

Tracy, I don’t like the fact that the DWP think that every single claimant can cope with monthly pay to suit their agenda. I have been on ESA for such a long time and I have always preferred the fortnightly frequency that I have on ESA at the present time. We don’t all have the ability to adapt to monthly pay just to please the Department for Work and Pensions.

ChrisSCOPEhtfc94

I know I can ask for an Alternative Payment Arrangement so I can still get the fortnightly frequency, but the fact still remains that the DWP would prefer a claimant to move to monthly pay and cope with it 😡.

I certainly will be asking for an APA, I am not going to be forced onto monthly pay without a fight. I just hope whoever makes that decision on my APA request will make the right decision.

ChrisSCOPEhtfc94

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/897902#Comment_897902

An opinion posted on the Benefits and Work website, someone agrees with me on the monthly pay. I knew many would have the same opinion as me on this “monthly” UC.

It is so an angering 😡 man that the DWP think that all claimants up and down this country can live under monthly pay. Not all claimants can move to that frequency of payments (I AM ONE OF THOSE, FOR DEFINITE).

I will be getting more on UC but I cannot be expected to just accept a lump sum of just over £800 on my monthly basis and cope. 😡

ChrisSCOPEhtfc94

I am severely autistic, I am not the best with money at all, using it wisely, handling it with care. I don’t handle change well and monthly pay is ABSOLUTELY a change that I condemn is the strongest possible way. How dare the DWP think that I’ll be able to cope with monthly pay when I’ve been able to live off a fortnightly frequency for years and years. I’ve been on ESA for 10 years or longer.

ChrisSCOPEhtfc94

My time will be coming, sadly, to do the swap. They’re meant to be sending out the letters from autumn 🍂. I was actually hoping Labour 🗳️ would delay the transition for ESA only claimants. Obviously, that’s not the case.

ChrisSCOPEhtfc94

I should be getting an APA when I fall under Tier 1 factors (highly likely or probable need for Alternative Payment Arrangements. I am autistic - and my lack of ability to financially cope with a single monthly payment is linked to my disability. It’s just whether the decision maker will use this guidance. They’re meant to.