Hi, my name is Lexikpc3! Migrating to UC from ESA, any advice?

Lexikpc3

hi looking for advice please I’ve had to migrate to UC from esa contribution based support group main phase I feel so sick and anxiety is so bad about losing money and having to have interviews to work when I can’t due to my mental illness . Any advice welcome ?

Biblioklept

Awwww try not to worry @Lexikpc3!! It's not as bad as it sounds for most people!! You'll have transitional protection so shouldn't see a drop in your income and as you have support group on ESA you'll have LCWRA so won't need work interviews but might need to have an ID appointment at your job centre at the start of your claim but after that they should leave you alone❤️

Be sure to tell them you were in the support group on ESA!!

Rachel_Scope

Hi @Lexikpc3 and welcome to the community 😊

I understand your anxiety but please don't worry. As Biblioklept has said, you'll get transitional protection so you won't lose out on money and if you're LCWRA you won't be expected to look for work or do anything to prepare for work.

Lexikpc3

thank you for help , is transitional protection permanent ? Thank you

Meg24

As long as you don't have a change in circumstances your income will remain the same, however they include any rent in this so if your rent goes up you won't get more money and you'll have to make up the difference yourself. Also if you get any additional premiums they will be deducted.

Eventually you will be on the same amount as someone who makes a new claim. But hopefully it should happen slowly enough for you to adapt.

Lexikpc3

thank you

OverlyAnxious

Hi,

If any of your ESA is contributions based, that won't be migrated to UC.

I'm not sure if that was a typo in the first post? It's income based ESA that gets migrated across to UC.

Lexikpc3

that is incorrect Google it

Kimmy87

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/908995#Comment_908995

OverlyAnxious is correct

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/before-you-apply/moving-to-universal-credit-from-other-benefits/

https://www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/transitional-protection-and-universal-credit?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwxY-3BhAuEiwAu7Y6szxo_eabOFBngmNahTSNnN9sCRA2JAxaSKCBAEw8ToHJocktJki9ixoC0PEQAvD_BwE

https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit

Catherine21

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/908777#Comment_908777

This the part that confuses me what is the amount that someone gets when they make a new claim ie how much will lose? I

Meg24

For example I get ESA support group rate which is about £20 pw less than UC LCWRA, but because I get PIP DL and I live alone and don't have anyone who claims carer's allowance for me I also get the SDP which is about £80 pw. So if someone in my circumstances made a new claim for benefits they would get about £60 pw less than me. My money (including current housing costs) will be frozen when I migrate, I won't get any yearly inflation increase and I will have to pay 100% of any rent increases. I will eventually be roughly £60 a week worse off, depending on rent increases that will take 2-3 years.

Meg24

Needless to say it's gonna hurt. A lot. There will inevitably be things that I have come to rely on for my stability that I will no longer be able to afford, and that will have a knock on effect on my health. £60 pw might be one fewer bottles of champagne to the architects of Universal Credit, but it gets me a whole lot more...