From ESA support group to UC new style ESA.

billy1234
billy1234 Online Community Member Posts: 14 Contributor

I would like to share my ESA to UC new ESA proses so far.May help someone as the DWP tell you nothing.

Firstly I am Disabled wheelchair dependent a carer stays over night to help me and I have help through the day. from family and friends to give you an idea of why I claim ..

On the 4 th of March I filled the UC form in on line after recieving the migration letter the day before. Then on the 8th of March I received a email saying I will have a phone Biographical from UC they gave me a time, they asked me various questions who do I pay rent too, who's my bank and banking details, how much is iny bank, how long had I been getting PIP. Ect, I thought that was it but oh no Received a message saying have an appointment at the job centre on the 10th had to get my brother to take me, I did ask for a home visit but they said that could take weeks and would hold up my claim the face to face was about about commitment to UC and they needed three forms of ID so I took 7 they also wanted my bank account details but they didn't ask for statements she also talked me through the journal and how to use it, told me to at least once a week check my journal to see if any messages ect. I Also told them I would like my rent paying to the landlord so it's one less thing for me to think about, received a letter today 13 march from Housing Benefit saying this had now been done. Then today 13 th of March had a missed call from UC. But they sent me an email saying they had tried to phone but couldn't reach me and gave me a time tomorrow to have a conversation about the commitments I have to accept to keep getting New style ESA and UC housing benefit. Says it's for 30 mins will update this post when iv had the phone call tomorrow 14th March. Information was also sent to my UC Journal.I will add there is no work commitments Questions (so they say )to accept when they phone as I'm unfit for work hope this helps a little as no one from DWP informs you what is going to happen or the process ...any questions please ask...Good Luck..

Comments

  • Rosie_Scope
    Rosie_Scope Posts: 5,912 Scope Online Community Coordinator
    edited March 13

    Thanks for sharing @billy1234, I'm sure other members will find it useful to hear how your process has gone. Hope the phone call goes okay tomorrow 😊

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 5,910 Championing

    Please see this thread about the New Style ESA commitments phone call 😎 Click on "view post"

  • billy1234
    billy1234 Online Community Member Posts: 14 Contributor

    Thank you, it's a work coach that is phoning, definitely let you know what happens, I'm getting abit stressed out about it, but trying to hold it together 😁

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 5,910 Championing
    edited March 13

    It will only last a few minutes, it's a legal formality ESA have to do, you'll see from the thread I linked too how quick and easy others found it.

    All you have to do is agree to keep them informed of any changes.

  • billy1234
    billy1234 Online Community Member Posts: 14 Contributor

    🤞Thank you.

  • Alienmitch
    Alienmitch Online Community Member Posts: 2 Connected

    I too am changing over from eesa to UC. I was advised to change over before the migration letter by citizen advice after changes in my circumstances.

    C.A.B did all my forms helped with the uc calls

    Had the interview by phone, then was asked to attend the job centre as home visits take longer, so struggled with my 78 old mum pushing me to the job centre, took my ID Bank papers, Tenancy agreement. The lovely lady went through everything and told me the amount I would get each month. Which is not what I have received. The stress I'm feeling right now i keep crying so scared.

    I was told by UC at the job centre and citizen advice it would be just over £2000pcm but my payments I'm now told are going to be £535 less

    I'm partial paraplegic , wheelchair, calipers on both legs, crutches, wrist braces.

    Uc called and told me i would not get the disability premium and the support group. I feel like I'm on a roller coaster.

    Theysaw me they know I'm disabled yet the support is just not there.

  • billy1234
    billy1234 Online Community Member Posts: 14 Contributor

    UPDATE.…Work coach phoned on the 14th March basically told me the same as they did at the job centre on my visit, I received a letter saying my UC had been sorted and housing benefit will go straight to housing association, but it Didn't, Iv have been back and forth between the housing benefit office and the UC, They're supposed to sort the housing transfer benefit between them, but I had to do all the phoning as they were useless,so don't rely on them sorting it, Iv only just been told today the 4 th of April that it's now sorted, we will wait and see, Also I think I'm getting alot less on my benefit than I was before UC. can't work it out at the moment will wait and see how much arrives on the 28th of April, anyone else had the same problem. ? 🤷

  • OverlyAnxious
    OverlyAnxious Online Community Member Posts: 4,529 Championing

    Hi,

    If you had SDP (severe disability premium), then the advice from CAB was incorrect, you should not have moved to UC before getting the letter for managed migration. You will lose the SDP by doing that. Unfortunately it's too late to go back now.

    However you should be getting LCWRA, in place of ESA Support group. Can you check that that is showing on your UC statement?

  • worried33
    worried33 Online Community Member Posts: 927 Championing

    Yeah the transitional protection is also for other benefits not just ESA so e.g. if you have lower housing support compared to legacy housing benefit, then that would get bumped as well on a managed migration but not a voluntary migration.

  • Alienmitch
    Alienmitch Online Community Member Posts: 2 Connected

    Made another 3 calls today and they are sending out a UC advisor to my home to go through everything and make sure I'm getting what I'm entitled too. I also checked about the advice given going over before migration and I was told I did the right thing. So wait for this home visit, just hope it does not take long.

  • OverlyAnxious
    OverlyAnxious Online Community Member Posts: 4,529 Championing

    The UC advisors are known for giving poor and inaccurate advice unfortunately.

    If you got SDP before then you will be worse off without the Transitional Protection from managed migration.

    If you did not get SDP before, then you will be better off on UC than ESA.

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 5,910 Championing
    edited April 5

    If you were in the Support Group for ESA you should get the UC equivalent, LCWRA, automatically.

    Occasionally this is missed off the first statement.

    As you previously had SDP and claimed via Natural Migration (change in circumstances that you mentioned), you should be entitled to Severe Disability Premium Transitional Protection element which is a fixed amount:

    https://www.turn2us.org.uk/get-support/information-for-your-situation/universal-credit-uc-transitional-protection/how-much-universal-credit-uc-transitional-protection-will-i-get

  • OverlyAnxious
    OverlyAnxious Online Community Member Posts: 4,529 Championing

    Thanks Kimi. Am I reading right that the fixed rate is only £140 a month for a single person with LCWRA? I get a lot more than that myself from managed migration with SDP.

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 5,910 Championing

    Yes that's correct.

    For managed migration (receiving an invitation) TP is a custom amount to bring the individual UC award up to match legacy benefits.

    For natural migration (change of circumstances etc) the SDP TP is for a fixed amount.