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Need advice with benefits

Lox

Hi there, I'm in need of some advice and guidance. I've been on contribution based support group esa and pip for a few years now. My partner recently had to stop working due to health reasons and Is currently on sick pay. He is in the process of applying for UC and I've learned we had to do a joint claim. Does anyone have any advice as to how to proceed with all of this? We both get overwhelmed by the forms and want to make sure we are doing everything right. Is there any we need to look out for? Or anything else we should be applying for? Citizens advice mentioned him applying to be my carer but I'm not sure if he'd be better off to apply for pip instead? Any help on this would be greatly appreciated 🙏

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Comments

poppy123456

Universal Credit is a means tested benefit so yes you will need to claim as a couple. You will both need to start the claim and one of you will be sent a linking code to join both claims together.

As you're in the Support Group for ESA then your UC will include the LCWRA element from the start of your claim, you will not need to provide any fit notes. Your ESA will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement and payments for ESA will continue as a normal.

If it's the old contributions based ESA that you're claiming this will revert to New Style ESA automatically.

If your PIP includes the daily living part then he can claim carers element of UC for looking after you. To claim this he will need to report being your carer.

Yes, he will be able to start a claim for PIP himself, whether there's any entitlement will depend on how his conditions affect him.

Does his sick pay include SSP? if it doesn't and SSP? If it doesn't and he has the correct NI contributions in the previous 2 tax years then he will be able to claim New Style ESA in his own right. He will need to provide a fit note and the SSP1 form to claim this. This would also be deducted in full from any UC entitlement.

If SSP hasn't yet ended then he will need to wait before claiming ESA because it can't be paid at the same time as SSP.