Experiences of managed migration

claraelle

Hello, after receiving the migration notice from hmrc I have made the online application for universal credit. The whole thing has sent my anxiety levels through the roof.

My husband moving from IR ESA support group, and me as his partner on IR ESA claim. I work a small amount of hours per week self employed to fit around caring for my husband and my own health conditions. I've been asked to attend a meeting at the jobcentre to check I am gainfully self employed, which I'm not.

If UC recognise I'm a carer for my husband will I still be required to increase my self employed hours/look for more work? On the UC application I told them I do spend more than 35hours a week caring for my husband but I do not claim carers allowance. Only carers credit.

Any thoughts? Thank you

Clara

poppy123456

Income Related ESA will continue for 2 weeks and then stop. Same applies to housing benefit if you claim that.

Your UC will include the LCWRA element from the start of your claim because your husband is in the Support Group for ESA. They will not know this because they won't receive any information from ESA prior to your claim. ESA do not send that across until after you've claimed.

For this reason your husband needs to put a message onto his journal to say he's in the Support Group for ESA.

I'm assuming your husband is claiming either daily living PIP/ADP or DLA mid/high rate care because you're claiming carers credits.

This means your UC will include the carers element. As a carer you will have no work requirements and can't be found to be gainfully self employed. However, before they add this information to the system they will need to check his disability benefit award. It may take a couple of weeks for them to do that.

Is there any reason why you weren't claiming carers allowance?

claraelle

Hi Poppy

Thank you very much for your reply and all the information you have provided, that's really helpful.

My husband recieves daily living PIP and I recieve both rates of ADP for my health conditions. I have been advised by Citizens Advice a couple of times to apply for carers allowance but I have had a few not so pleasent experiences with the DWP over the years while I have been working a small number of hours self employed and any contact makes me so anxious I just kept not getting round to it. Having ADHD I find it difficult to complete the forms as well. Do you think me not having applied for Carers allowance will go against for me recieving carers element in UC?

I am also wondering if because I have said on my UC application that my health conditions effect the amount of hours I can work (as well as caring for my husband) whether I will also be sent for a Work Ability Assessment or do you think if I recieve the carers element UC will not need/want to do this?

Many thanks

Clara

poppy123456

You're welcome. Ah, as you're both claiming a qualifying disability benefit did your ESA include the Severe disability Premium couples rate?

If your ESA included the SDP and you've now reported being a carer for your husband, your UC will include carers element but this will affect any Transitional Protection due to claiming carers element in the first assessment period.

Were ESA aware that you were working?

To answer your question about the carers element, no not claiming carers allowance will not impact the carers element. You don't need to claim carers allowance to be entitled to carers element.

You will not be sent a UC50 form if you don't provide a fit note. Please also note that because your UC will include the LCWRA element for your husband, even if you do go through the work capability assessment and are found to have LCWRA you will not receive any extra money because it's only one element per claim.

claraelle

Hi Poppy

Thank you so much for all the information, it's really helpful.

My husband receives daily living PIP and I receive both elements of ADP for my health conditions. I was advised a couple of times by the Citizens Advice to apply for carers allowance but I have had such awful experiences of being in touch with the DWP over the years due to me working a small amount of hours self employed to be honest the anxiety of making the application kept me putting it off and having ADHD I find it difficult to complete the forms. Do you think not having applied for Carers Allowance will go against me in UC making a decision as to whether I am a carer?

Do you think because I have let UC know on the application form of my own health conditions that they will want to send me for a Work Assessment? Or if they accept I am a carer will that element over ride them needing/wanting to access my capability to work more hours?

Thank you

Clare

poppy123456

I answered your questions in my previous comment here.

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/900843#Comment_900843

claraelle

claraelle

Hi Poppy

Sorry I am new sending posts and think maybe I replied twice to your first message!

Thanks for your 2nd reply and this is my reply …

We don't get the SPD couples rates with ESA because when ESA phoned us to check if we were eligible for this after I recieved ADP they said we were not because our son who was 19 at the time was also living with us and he recieves no disability benefits.

I am guessing that is a good thing though that we are not recieving SPD couples rates as you say this would of affected the TP?

Yes ESA are aware I work self employed part time. Over the years they have been in touch to ask me to provide all my self employed accounts etc which I have always done and kept them up to date with my earnings.

I think I have been asked to send a fit note when we first made the claim (as you said this may because no information has come over from ESA yet about me and my husband) however I wouldn't be able to send a fit note from my GP because I am working and able to work for amount of hours I do work so not actually signed off work as not fit for work if that makes sense?

You have been so helpful Poppy and I really appreciate all your knowlegde!

Thanks

Clare