I'm being moved from income related ESA to contributions based New Style ESA?

Bunn1
Bunn1 Online Community Member Posts: 4 Listener

Hello. I'm currently getting income related ESA (support group). I've been ill my whole life so I've never worked.

I recently received a migration letter saying I had to apply for universal credit, which I did.

However I've been informed (by UC journal and a letter) that I will now be receiving contributions based New Style ESA?

Is this right? I have read that only people who have worked in recent years can receive this? And as I have stated I have never worked, due to illness.

Also I never applied for it. They informed me I will be getting it.

Comments

  • worried33
    worried33 Online Community Member Posts: 807 Trailblazing

    Potentially is a mistake, I think it wont affect your financial outcome, but if you want everything transparent then it might be worth asking if it is actually happening, and hint that you have never paid NI in your life.

    Have you ever received a tax summary for your ESA? as ESA NI based pays NI contributions on your behalf, Sorry I cannot remember the name of the summary as it does have a code.

  • Ranald
    Ranald Online Community Member Posts: 766 Championing

    Did your parents claim DLA for children on your behalf? Maybe that is why you can claim NS ESA. I don't know that btw.

    Only the Income Related ESA is ending, the Contribution Based automatically becomes New Style ESA and is paid fortnightly, the amount is deducted from your Universal Credit.

    I didn't realise I had both IR and CB ESA, not until i applied for Universal Credit.

    While you receive NS ESA, you get Class 1 NI credits, which help with your State Pension.

  • silmarillion
    silmarillion Online Community Member Posts: 25 Contributor

    That’s weird because contribution based ESA is based upon you paying a national insurance stamp and it’s generally people who’ve been working in recent years that get it. If you’re on it it means you won’t get any cost of living payments or cheap internet etc. I would call the DWP and double check this. It may be a mistake.

  • Ranald
    Ranald Online Community Member Posts: 766 Championing

    You must have been credited NI contributions when in receipt of ESA? You need 2 full years in the years before your claim for NS ESA.

  • Kimmy87
    Kimmy87 Online Community Member Posts: 4,067 Championing
    edited February 6

    If you were ever on the old Incapacity Benefit then when that ended it converted into CB ESA with an IR top up if applicable.

    There were Youth rules to qualify for IB even if you never worked.

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

    DLA doesn't include NI credits for children. Even for adults disability benefits such as PIP/ADP and DLA do not include NI credits.

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

    No, not always. If someone is claiming carers allowance on the last complete tax year then this does count towards entitlement to New style ESA because they will look at your NI contributions in any tax years.

    In addition to the Incapacity benefit in youth that Kimmy mentioned, there was also ESA in youth, which qualified them for contributions based ESA even without needing to work in the 2 previous tax years. Though this ended in 2011, I believe.

  • Bunn1
    Bunn1 Online Community Member Posts: 4 Listener

    I'm thinking this must be it. I'm pretty sure (my mum used to handle all that stuff for me) I did receive Incapacity Benefit when I was younger.

    Also on the same letter I got telling me I receive Cont' Based ESA, it also told me that my IR ESA will be ending and will be replaced by universal credit.

  • Kimmy87
    Kimmy87 Online Community Member Posts: 4,067 Championing
    edited February 6

    That's correct. When someone is on both CB & IR ESA, upon migration to UC the IR ESA ends and is replaced by UC, the CB ESA converts automatically into New Style ESA.

    You will need an appointment for NS ESA which is usually done by phone. It will be very brief. This is just to agree to your commitments which will only be to keep them updated with any changes. Ignore anything about a work coach/medical evidence etc as that only applies to new claims, you are not a new claim but a transfer 🙂

  • Bunn1
    Bunn1 Online Community Member Posts: 4 Listener

    Some more information, if it's useful.

    I'll be 47 this year and I started receiving benefits in my late teens.

    I've already been rung by the jobcentre and have already made a "claimant commitment' to new style ESA.

  • Bunn1
    Bunn1 Online Community Member Posts: 4 Listener
  • Digger933
    Digger933 Online Community Member Posts: 1 Listener

    Hi 🤗 I'm new here but found this post after searching like forever regarding similar situation.

    Recently had to migrate to UC.. Previously my partner was the claiment and we received ESA & almost 100% sure it was only IR. I received benefits through this claim but not ESA, I'm sure a letter a long time ago once said mine was made up from income support.

    Anyway we gave all the information for our UC claim. Had telephone appointments to agree to commitments which was expected.

    Then surprised to see a telephone appointment arranged for partner regarding ESA. They phoned and a few basic questions were asked, basically were you getting ESA and how long for. Then told this appointment was to protect partners ESA so that they would still receive it. Agreed to commentments (basically if any changes we would inform ESA) The payment gets deducted from our UC as expected. Oh well glad they kept us right as we were unaware about this.

    Gets the usual annually letter from ESA as you do because April's on it's way. Actually does that pic icon mean I can post a pic of it? I'll try.

    Partners never worked but this says they are entitled to contribution based. I'm sure I've read somewhere about Child Benefit contributes to NI idk I'll have to check

  • Kimmy87
    Kimmy87 Online Community Member Posts: 4,067 Championing

    Was your partner ever on the old Incapacity Benefit?

    This (and CB ESA in certain circumstances such as youth rules) could be claimed even when you hadn't worked.

    Incapacity Benefit converted into CB ESA when it ended, with an Income Related top up where applicable.