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Migration Notice from ESA Support Group to Universal Credits

iza

Hi,

I just received today on Sunday a migration notice to migrate to Universal Credits.

I am receiving ESA support group, won my case in the court in 2018.

I am receiving also Child Tax Credit and Housing Benefit.

I am single mum to teenager. My son was diagnosed with Autism in May 2024 so I made also claim for DLA for him. Still awaiting decision.

My migration notice stated dedline of 8th of November.

Please advice me how migrate with all my rights of ESA support group saved and protected? I know I have to do this before deadline but I want make sure that ESA will cooperate with UC without delay because I don't have any family in this country to support me financially in between payments.

Please advice.

Iza

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Comments

poppy123456

You will be entitled to the LCWRA element from the start of your claim. Once you submit your claim for UC your ESA and housing benefit (if you claim it) will continue for 2 weeks. Tax credits will end once you submit your claim for UC.

If any part of your ESA is contributions based this will continue but be deducted in full from any UC entitlement.

Once you submit your claim your first UC payment will be 1 month and 6 days later. You will then receive your money on the same day each month, unless payment date falls on a weekend on bank holiday and then it will be paid on the Friday before.

You can ask for an advance payment but this will need to be repaid back and your future UC payments will be reduced until it's repaid back.

Jimm_Alumni

Hey @iza, I hope Poppy covered everything you weren't sure about? Let us know if there's anything you would still like cleared up. I know migrating is probably a bit of a worry, but migrating before the deadline is important!

iza

Thank you @poppy123456 , thank you @Jimm_Scope

iza

Hi @poppy123456, I wanted to ask about one thing in relation to migration process:

I made my transition and awaiting it to be to finalised transfer from ESA to Universal Credit. I received letter that my income related ESA stopped but contribution related will continue and the money will be deducted from Universal Credit. Is this standard procedures ?

poppy123456

The contributions based will revert to New style ESA and yes it's deducted in full from any UC entitlement. You will receive ESA payments of £276.40 every 2 weeks and UC monthly.

iza

Hi @poppy123456, thank you very much for clarifying.

I was wondering as I thought everything will be paid under Universal Credit.
Thank you .

poppy123456

You're welcome. That's because you thought all of your ESA was Income Related. Contributions based benefits are not part of UC because they are not means tested.

iza

Hi @poppy123456 , can I please message you directly about my Council Tax? I don’t want to share details on the forum.

poppy123456

I'm really sorry but I don't give advice through private message because it's not something the scope team support and I really don't have the extra time to give any individual advice through PM.

Not only that, for council tax reduction all local Authorities have their own rules so I won't be able to give advice on that anyway. All I know is that usually it's based on your UC award.

Are you able to speak to an advice agency near to you? This link will help you find what's local to you.

https://advicelocal.uk/welfare-benefits

sandra123

hi i get E S A and pip im blind and have had my migration letter to change to U C i get the support group on my E S A when i change over will i get less money becourse my sister is my carer and she gets the cares element on her U C claim

Thanks

poppy123456

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/981810#Comment_981810

Those that are in the Support Group for ESA are financially better off by claiming UC. This is because LCWRA with UC pays more than ESA Support Group, when your ESA doesn't include the Severe disability Premium. If you're 25 and over then I would expect your UC entitlement to be about £120/month more than ESA Support Group.

sandra123

thankyou for replying been worried about changing over

Landslide1978

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/898916#Comment_898916

I had migration letter 2 weeks ago to claim universal credit by the 25th April I'm in the support group I get sdp to because I have pip i have done my journal with uc and I have work coach ringing me for interview about my claim committnent but not work related stuff I'm in the support group will I be on the new style esa in the support group automatically and still receive my sdp

Kimi87

What's happened to your ESA, means before you were getting both Contributions Based & Income Related.

When someone is on both CB & IR ESA, upon migration to UC the IR ESA ends and is replaced by UC, the CB ESA converts automatically into New Style ESA.

You will still be in the Support Group for NS ESA & automatically receive the UC equivalent (LCWRA).

NS ESA will be paid separately from UC, fortnightly at a rate of £276.40.

This will be deducted in full (598.68) from each UC payment.

As UC is a monthly benefit and ESA weekly, the numbers may look wrong- but are correct.

Universal Credit will add Transitional Protection to your award for the SDP.

Transitional Protection is added to UC to ensure at the time of transfer you aren't worse off compared to legacy benefits. This does erode over time as other elements go up or you become eligible for new elements.

Your only commitment for NS ESA will be to keep them informed of any changes.

See this thread for other experiences with this appointment.

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/128927/new-style-esa-telephone-appointment