Esa credits only. Move to UC

sammy01

Hello, can anyone please advise me.

I recieve ns esa, credits only, as not worked for several years due to illness. I am in LCWRA group, have been for over 2yrs. I do not receive any payments just ni credits. I also recieve PIP.

My questions are where do I stand if I moved over to UC? Would I recieve any payments or not as I believe UC is means tested and my partner works full time.

Will I be moved over at some point and have to set up an UC journal?

I understand a little bit, but am very confused with it all.

Esa credits have got my ni contributions up to date now over 2yrs, but I believe in order to recieve any monetary payments from esa, you also have to have had work for 24 weeks.

Hopefully you can help, so I can understand it all more clearer.

Thank you.

poppy123456

If you're not claiming any means tested benefits then you will not be migrated to UC because the ESA isn't means tested and not part of UC.

Whether there's any entitlement to UC will depend on your joint circumstances. Your partner working full time doesn't mean there's no entitlement. If you have capital of more than £16,000 you're excluded from claiming.

As you're in the Support Group for ESA you would be entitled to the LCWRA element of UC from the start of your claim. If your PIP includes the daily living part and no one is claiming either carers allowance or carers element of UC for looking after you then your partner can also claim carers element, if there's any entitlement to UC.

There would also be the work allowance included on your claim so some of your partner earnings would be ignored before deductions apply. If you'll be claiming for help with the rent it would be £404/month, if not it would be £673/month. For every £1 of earnings over those amounts the UC would reduce by 55p.

You can use a benefits calculator and put both of your details into it and see what it comes up with.

https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator/

For New style ESA you must have worked at some point in tax years 2022/23 and 2023/24 to be entitled to payments.

sammy01

Thank you Poppy.

I understand a lot more now ,thanks.

Have done several of the calculators on different sites, says no entitlement to UC.

Pip supposed to be used for my health needs, but as its all I receive, I pay all MY bills which leaves me with very little.

Last week couldn't even pay carpark charge at hospital!!!

HHubby good with help physically, but not financially. He will not claim any benefits, but he does pay most of the household bills so I can't grumble to much.

Stick with just PIP then and managed, am sure there are people worse off than me.

Thank you for your response