UC transition.

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humbug
humbug Online Community Member Posts: 29 Contributor

Hi I support my 50 Yr old son who has Autism & other health issues. After being on esa for over 6 yrs he has had to migrate to UC. I am finding it very difficult to negotiate this journey I don't even know if he has been transferred to lorca. I am a 70 Yr old woman who finds technology very difficult. Can some please help me to negotiate this transition.

Thankyou Lynda Ayre.

Comments

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 5,932 Championing

    If he was in the Support Group for ESA then yes he will get LCWRA automatically.

    It often takes a few weeks to be added.

    When did you claim UC for him, and do you have access to his UC Journal (online account)?

    If so there is some advice here on how to find out about the LCWRA before his first statement.

    Or you can check the first statement to make sure LCWRA element is listed.

  • humbug
    humbug Online Community Member Posts: 29 Contributor

    Hi Kimmy, thanks for your reply I manage his online account because he is unable to do it. We went to cab on the 9th of this month they helped us to fill in his application form. On the 14th of this month we attended the local job centre to confirm his identification, which was a nightmare for him because of his social issues. So I am doing his journal because of his learning difficulties. I'm worried about the transition of his rent & payment, this is causing me anxiety. Any advice you can give me would be much appreciated. Thanks again.

  • humbug
    humbug Online Community Member Posts: 29 Contributor

    Sorry Kimmy, I forgot to say that yes he was in the support group.

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing

    His rent will be paid in with his UC unless he's living in either supported or temporary housing and then it will continue to be paid through housing benefit.

    Income Related ESA and housing benefit continue for 2 weeks after a claim for UC was submitted.

    If any part of his ESA was contributions based this will continue as normal but be deducted in full from any UC entitlement. The contributions based ESA will revert to New Style ESA and be paid at the rate of £276.40/week. The deduction from UC will be £598.86/month. It looks more than he receives but there's 4.3 weeks in a month, not 4 weeks.

    He will not need to provide any fit notes and will not need another work capability assessment. His UC will include the LCWRA element from the start of his claim but I can take a few weeks for ESA to send his details across.

    His UC will include standard allowance, LCWRA element, Housing element (unless living in supported or temporary housing) and also Transitional Protection if he UC entitlement is less than what his ESA was.

    Once the claim is up and running there should be very little contact needed from yourself and UC.

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 5,932 Championing

    The thread I linked to has advice on how to check if LCWRA element has been added before the first statement, or as I advised you can wait until the statement is available.

    Click the purple "view more" to read it.

    The statement will be available 4-6 days before his payment date.

  • humbug
    humbug Online Community Member Posts: 29 Contributor

    Hi Poppy, thanks for that information, I think I understand that now. Mark has never worked because of his limited abilities, he recieved ££481.10 fortnightly on his esa. He lives in a 1 bedroom housing association flat, where I support him to live independently. I have informed his housing association & our local council of these changes on the advice of the cab.

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing

    You're welcome. That means that help with his rent will be included with his UC. You didn't need to inform his local Authority when you claimed UC for him because they would have received notification from UC that a claim had been made.

    His UC will include Transitional Protection due to the SDP being included with his SDP.

    If he's unable to manage monthly payments for his UC you can request an Alternative Payment Arrangement. (APA) This would mean he would receive a payment twice a month, rather than once a month. You can also ask UC to pay his rent directly to his landlord, if that's easier for you to manage.

    Details here for APA.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-alternative-payment-arrangements/alternative-payment-arrangements

  • humbug
    humbug Online Community Member Posts: 29 Contributor

    Thankyou Poppy, you have been so helpful, when we went to cab for them to help fill in his application I did ask for his rent to be paid directly to his landlord. That is one less thing for me to do, & I asked for him to recieve his money twice monthly. So will that be automatically done?

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 5,932 Championing

    If you log onto his Journal you should be able to see if those things were requested at the application stage.

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing

    Yes the APA should be put into place but please be aware that for this when he receives his first UC payment it will be for half the amount, not the whole amount. He will receive the other half between 14 and 16 days later. It's always more difficult to manage finances in the first month when you request an APA.

    On his first statement for UC it should same something like "payment to landlord" X amount.

  • humbug
    humbug Online Community Member Posts: 29 Contributor

    Thanks Kimmy I will, and thankyou so much for your time.😊

  • humbug
    humbug Online Community Member Posts: 29 Contributor

    Thanks Poppy, it's a nightmare for me trying to get all this into my head. They said they will get in touch with him on the 11th of next month to say what his payment be, he will then be paid the 15th of February.

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 5,932 Championing
    edited January 26

    The statement might be available on the 9th or 10th, so it's worth you checking the Journal on those days.

  • humbug
    humbug Online Community Member Posts: 29 Contributor

    Thankyou Kimmy, I will keep checking it. Thanks so much for your advice, you have been so helpful 😊

  • humbug
    humbug Online Community Member Posts: 29 Contributor

    Hi Kimmy, my son has just received a letter from DWP this morning, it's regarding his esa. It says that he has to attend his local job centre with a work coach, either by phone or face to face, where he has to explain how his illness or disability affects him to work. Mark has autism which I explained about and would not be able to work. Please could you advise me what to do, I thought he would automatically be put in the lcwra group.

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing

    This is because part of his ESA was contributions based and this will now revert to New style ESA. He will not need to attend an appointment as this is a standard letter.

    His ESA will be £276.40/fortnight but it will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement. The amount deducted will be £598.86/month. It looks more than he will receive but the amount is correct because there’s 4.3 weeks in a month.

    He will need to agree to claimant commitments for ESA but this will just be a phone call.

  • humbug
    humbug Online Community Member Posts: 29 Contributor

    Hi Poppy, thankyou so much for explaining that to me....all this is so unnerving. So we don't need to do anything but wait for the phone call.

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing

    You’re welcome. Yes, that’s correct. Once both claims are up and running there shouldn’t be any issues.

  • humbug
    humbug Online Community Member Posts: 29 Contributor

    Thankyou very much for all your help, I really am very grateful.

  • humbug
    humbug Online Community Member Posts: 29 Contributor