Hi, my name is Be_kind2000! Any advice about benefits for my sister and her baby?

poppy123456

There seems to be a lot of confusion here! I wouldn’t expect her to be placed into the Support Group without having been referred and receiving the ESA50 form. It’s not an automatic process.

How much more she would receive for the Support Group will depend on whether her claim started before or after 3rd April 2017 and what PIP award she currently has.

If she’s still in the WRAG then when she claims UC she will not be entitled to the LCWRA element, it will just be the LCW element. Whether entitled to extra money for this will depend on when her ESA claim started.

When she claims UC it would only be a dual claim with ESA if part of her ESA is contributions based. If it isn’t then all of it will stop 2 weeks after she claims UC.

If you can tell me how much ESA she receives, when her claim started and what PIP award she has I maybe able to tell you which group she’s in.

Be_kind2000

hi poppy, I know im sorry this is very confusing for me too.. so she receives pip enhanced on both parts…

She receives £448 a fortnight on esa with severe disability element & disability income guarantee & extra for work related group. Which amounts to £448 a fortnight…

So I since spoke to DWP & they said they had sent out a work assessment as I called telling them her conditions had changed as she’s had baby. But someone gave out wrong information on phone and said she was moved to support group. Then someone else called saying if it was causing her stress she doesn’t need to do it or fill it in they will cancel it if it’s affecting her mentally they said she would have to go for assessment if she wanted to go ahead and fill out the form or you Could cancel it said it’s abt £14 a week she’s losing but will save assessments & stress said because she been on ESA a long time even tho she’d not in support group she technically is if that Makes sense???? I’m not sure they went to keep her on this like this to save money for dwp when the switches to universal credit she will lose money.. then they said she can make a dual claim if she likes??? Can’t trust them don’t know what to and what will be best for her…. I’m thinking she might be best just staying as she is on esa & not bother claiming for baby to save all this hassle & might not even be any better off will end up worse of than she is right now . She also gets full housing benefits right now renting from private landlord. Any info will be kindly appreciated thank you for taking you time to reply to me poppy I really appreciate it!! Xx

Be_kind2000

I don’t know exactly when her claim started but he said because your sister have been on esa for such a long time it won’t affect her something along those lines… think was maybe 2016/2017!” They were making out they were helping her by her not having to attend assessment to be moved into support group but Is this a trick so when they get her on UC she’s not entitled to lwcra & only low rate??? Do you think I’m better telling them to go ahead with asssebrnt form & take her assessment they basically made out wouldn’t make much difference & best to spare her the trauma??? Like they were on her side but I know they want everyone to receive as less as possible nowadays xxx

poppy123456

I can confirm that the amount she receives is work related group and not Support Group and her claim started before April 2017.

As I advised previously if she claims UC due to the change of circumstances then she’ll be entitled to the SDP Transitional Element. She can’t be worse off if she claims UC because she will receive extra money for the baby.

I can’t tell you whether she should report changes and go through the work capability assessment.

Be_kind2000

thanks poppy but will she not be better off getting into support group before claiming UC??? Or will it not make a difference??? Also Is that correct she’s only missing around £14 a week??? Xx

Be_kind2000

as before you said she will not be entitled to lwrca as not in support group or does this not affect her because of how long she has been claiming esa?? Xx

Be_kind2000

also is there a cap in universal credit? As now she receives housing benefit, esa, pip is a round £2200 a month Is there a cap on universal credit claims?? I’m concerned she will end up getting less housing benefit if she makes universal credit claim xxx sorry but appreciate your help so much Thank you xx

Be_kind2000

@poppy123456?? Not sure your getting my messages sorry I know apologise as I know you have your own stuff going on xx

Be_kind2000

it’s abt the UC cap as I explained all in just now what she’s receiving cxx

durhamjaide2001

it might just take a little while for her to respond give her a little while to respond be patient I know its hard

Be_kind2000

Hi, Could you help with any of this?? Xx I’m basically bottom line wanting to know if it makes a big difference from being in support group or not when moving UC as they have advised me it no big deal and my sister is only losing £13 a week and if she’s not wanting assessments then I should just cancel the forms they have sent her, j mean she should 100% be in support group the care team were shocked she wasn’t but it’s putting her through the assessments to get it but id only want to make sure she was on support group before moving to UC if it’s going to make a big difference when applying for UC if she will lose out on slot of money for the fact she was not in support group, the dwp Made out it wasn’t a big deal but feel they are tricking people to pay as less out as possible xx

OverlyAnxious

Hi,

When she moves to Universal Credit she will get Transitional Protection if the Universal Credit rates are less than her Legacy Benefit rates overall. So she will not be worse off at the point of migrating.

However, as Support Group pays more than WRAG group for ESA, she will still technically be losing that ~£12 a week as it won't be included in the Transitional Protection.

Benefit cap question is an interesting one. People on Support Group or LCWRA are exempt I believe, but WRAG or LCW don't appear to be included. The cap for a single person with a child is £1835 a month, but PIP is not included in that, which is around £800 a month if she gets both at Enhanced rate, so she should not be affected by the cap anyway.