More stress from U.c!

Jane315STARX

I have a message from u.c saying "some other benefits affect your u.c,our system show you are also claiming Esa.If this is correct you must contact the office you are claiming this benefit from and we will make the necessary deductions etc etc.So I phoned up u.c and they told me I now need to cancel the New style Esa!.I'm so stressed and utterly sick of the this crappy system

Kimmy87

You've been advised incorrectly. The UC number is little more than a call centre, the staff there don't know the ins and outs of the system.

NS ESA can be and is paid alongside UC, I've had them both for over two years.

The Journal message you've received is automatically generated because UC know you get another benefit.

I know it is automatically generated because I get them sent at around 2:20am every single time!

It's meant as a reminder to let them (UC) know if your circumstances change.

Sometimes I get them monthly for a few months, then not at all for many months.

You don't need to anything.

Jane315STARX

But I've just spoken to them and they have taken the money out of my Dec amount along with £59.98 of owing tax credit owed

Kimmy87

New Style ESA is always deducted in full from the UC. That is correct.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-employment-and-support-allowance#:~:text=New%20Style%20ESA%20is%20a,ESA%20is%20a%20contributory%20benefit

The deduction should be £598.86 as that's the monthly equivalent of a weekly payment.

It might be more if ESA accidentally paid you too much during the first UC assessment period.

Jane315STARX

I know your advice is correct but what she has told mevI can't argue with and the money has been taken.That is the exact amount which they deducted from u.c.She said I shouldn't have been claiming both.But I said I didn't claim,I migrated and was put on both

Jane315STARX

Thanks for your kind advice x I'm just going to rest I'm so stressed and utterly sick of u.c

Kimmy87

What happened to your claim was correct.

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

Both can be paid at the same time as the link states.

NS ESA is deducted in full from UC.

You were advised incorrectly by the UC helpline.

You can safely ignore both that advice and those automated messages.

poppy123456

The best thing I can advise is to please stop ringing the UC helpline because more often than not their advice is incorrect!

If you have any questions please just post on here and someone will happily give you the correct advice.

Jane315STARX

Thank you so much.H

Jane315STARX

I thought they were not allowed to take such a huge chunk from u.c £59.95 from the £235+ I owe from overpayments and £20 from the £500 advance at beginning (that I understand) is being paid over 24 months

poppy123456

For overpayments If you have no earned income the maximum is 15% of your standard allowance. If you have earned income it’s 25%.

Jane315STARX

I have no earned income

poppy123456

If this is causing hardship you can ask them to reduce the amount they take, especially as it’s a small amount that’s owed.

Don’t forget also that you get your ESA payments every fortnight.

Jane315STARX

That's a good idea.I will do that.Thank you for the suggestion

poppy123456

You’re welcome. ☺️

triskele

universal credit seems to be a rather cruel replacement for legacy benefits

Jane315STARX

It is.I think from what I'm reading for some people the T.p does cover what they had in their existing benefits.Others like myself are losing out and it's very complicated.There is nobody to speak to and it's even more complicated when you you are supposedly on dual benefits.I think it is a very sad situation

Jane315STARX

It is a great help though to have here to come just to know you are not insane.Having the experts like Poppy and Kimmy confirm what you think you know is comforting even if there is not a lot you can do