Moving from esa to universal credit

DOBBIEJ

hi wonder if any one can help me I live with my sister and also stop with my mum my mental health issues all depend where I stay as I could just go missing weeks at a time but any way I have claimed Employment support allowance to my ex partners address since 2018 since losing my flat we have two children together aged 18 and 10 the main reason I claimed to my ex partners was when we were young we got in a lot of debt so that has resulted in my family not letting me use there address even low they both own there own house and pay full council tax now I have to claim universal credit now and I don’t think she will allow me to do it anymore and as my daughter will be heading off to university shortly she will definitely not was only because of my daughter she let me

Kimmy87

You can use your local Jobcentre address for a UC claim

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-and-homeless-people/applying-for-universal-credit-information-for-homeless-people

DOBBIEJ

hi thanks for letting me know I did hear about that but I don’t really fancy going to my local job centre every week to pick up my Mail lol I hate the place I have till the end of march before I have to migrate was just going to get the ball rolling now as it’s doing my head in….also how do I no what group I am in on esa thanks

Kimmy87

Universal Credit can be managed with an online account (called a Journal). Everything is done electronically or by phone call.

I've been on UC since 2022 and nothing has ever come through the post.

Do you have any paperwork regarding your ESA claim fo look at for the group?

poppy123456

If you can tell us how much ESA you receive we maybe able to work out which group you're in.

DOBBIEJ

oh that sounds good then and no I think I would have got something at the time but as I have moved around a lot I lose things I did try phone esa last week to enquire but no one wanted to answer the phone

DOBBIEJ

I think I may use citizen advice number on the migration letter to help me sort this out

DOBBIEJ

hi poppy I get £318.10 p every two weeks

Kimmy87

That is Support Group ESA then (see Income Related ESA)

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/employment-and-support-allowance/help-with-your-esa-claim/esa-how-much-you-can-get/

DOBBIEJ

thank very much Kimmy I will contact that number on the migration letter next week and find out what’s best to do

poppy123456

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/966280#Comment_966280

I would be cautious about doing that because they are not benefits advisors. Your ESA is Support Group rate that doesn't include the SDP.

It means you'll be entitled to the LCWRA element from the start of your claim.

Citizens Advice have a help to claim phone number so it's better to ring those.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/claiming/contact-us-about-universal-credit/

I would be cautious about using your ex partners address because they could think you're living together. Unless you have proof that you don't live there.

DOBBIEJ

I don’t really have proof I live anywhere apart from that being my care of address for my esa my bank is done on line I don’t have a phone contract don’t have any utility bills my doctors is registered at my mums and that’s that all my belongings are at my mums and my sisters the only time I ever go to Sarah’s house is to pick my son up on a Sunday for his football match I am on council list bid every Wednesday but that’s like a lottery and dread to think when I do get offered something and do have to leave my mums I will have a word with her and see what she says about it worse comes to worse I will just have to ether use the jobcentre as my address or just end my claim till I do get a property with the council….

Kimmy87

I suggest you ring ESA & ask if your ESA is all Income Related or part Contributions Based.

If your ESA is all Income Related then I don't recommend ending your UC claim.

If you apply again later you will have no automatic entitlement to UC LCWRA that you currently have through your ESA migration, and would need to start the WCA process from scratch.

Now you have claimed UC, if your ESA is part Contributions Based then it will change automatically into New Style ESA, and be paid at a rate of £276.40 a fortnight.

You would still be in the Support Group and retain automatic entitlement to UC LCWRA for the future.

DOBBIEJ

thanks Kimmy I will tomorrow if they ever answer phone lol I have used my daughters mums address for 5 years and there has never been a problem I think in total I have had about 10 letters in total from esa since I made my claim and two medicals where I had to go see some one anout staying on esa all other mail is just debt letters which yes we were both foolish in a younger years and ran up large debts but it’s me suffering as I can’t use my family’s address or I have a lot of friends who would let me us theres but who wants People coming from county court to there house and saying need to set up payment plan need to do this all the **** that goes with it

Kimmy87

If I ever have to call them, what I do is put the phone on loudspeaker, place it next to me and get on with my day. It's not unusual these days to wait an hour or more to speak to someone.

poppy123456

You may do your banking online but they would still have an address for you. If that address is registered elsewhere, as well as being on the electoral roll at the same address, that's all the proof you need if they ask questions.

DOBBIEJ

found an old letter from esa it is just income related esa not contributions esa

Kimmy87

I would still phone to double check, ESA letters are notoriously complex and difficult to understand, even for experienced welfare advisors.

DOBBIEJ

hi poppy I aren’t on any electoral register mum won’t even let me order a takeaway to her house never mind put me on that I am basically of no fixed abode apart from crashing at my mums and sisters also friends houses am just going to carry on using Sarah’s address until I am successful with securing my own address with the council I have nothing to hide it’s just the situation I find myself in they could park some one out side her house 24/7 and they would maybe see me once a week on a Sunday at 9-30 picking up my son for football match…I have read on here of ex partners actually living in the same house and claiming separate universal credit which seems crazy to me

DOBBIEJ

also poppy I think it would make me look more suspicious after using this as my care of address for nearly 5 years but then as soon as my migration letter comes in I want to change my address