ESA migration clarification on timeline

bentan930

Received my later and just making few plans. Could somebody please clarify a couple of things. It says ESA stops 2 weeks after claim and may take 5 weeks for UC to kick in. I get my ESA fortnightly on a Tuesday. So say I make my claim on the Thursday would I still receive next/last ESA payment ? As that’s a 12 day gap and under 2 weeks ? If that were the case and the 5 weeks is reliable I’d only be short 1 week.

Also I’ve seen couple of options to cover this period. A budgeting loan or advance payment ? Which would be preferred option.

Kimi87

When you claim UC Income Related ESA stops, apart from one more payment known as the run on payment.

This is usually paid around 2 weeks later, and on the forum we recommend claiming UC a day after an ESA payment to maximise the amount of the run on payment.

You then receive your first UC payment 3 weeks after legacy benefits finish.

An advance payment is your option while awaiting first UC payment. This will be deducted a little at a time from your monthly UC payments until the whole amount is repaid.

bentan930

ok great thanks I think I’m clear but just to be totally clear. If I receive ESA payment and make the claim say next day I will still receive one more ESA payment.

Kimi87

Yes that's correct.

bentan930

And sorry just to add. If the first UC payment is 5 weeks is the missing ESA payment backdated and included in first payment ?

Kimi87

Your ESA ends after you claim UC, excluding the run on payment. So there is no missing payment to backdate.

You will be paid UC according to your UC entitlement for the previous calender month, known as the assessment period.

bentan930

sorry one more thing while I’m here. Are people generally finding they are better off on UC ? I’m in support group and housing benefit no PIP. Or money is about the same ?

Kimi87

You should be better off because your ESA doesn't include the Severe Disability Premium.

Excluding your housing costs, UC pays £823.41 a month for Standard Allowance & LCWRA (the UC equivalent of ESA Support Group).

bentan930

Really oh wow that’s a big difference I currently get £320 a fortnight. You sure about that ? £823 is just the standard payment doesn’t include any extras you have to pay with it ?

Kimi87

Yes I'm sure.

LCWRA pays £423.27.

You are automatically entitled to this due to moving from ESA Support Group.

Everyone gets Standard Allowance.

bentan930

ok thanks very much. Knowing about the advance payment and increase offsets the mild anxiety of switching over. Every cloud and all that.

bentan930

with ID I don’t have photo ID passport got stolen. Does it tell you straight away if you need to visit job centre ? And is the claim live as soon as apply or only once ID verification in regards to 5 week timeline ?

OverlyAnxious

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1022058#Comment_1022058

If you don't have photo ID then you will most likely need to visit the Job Centre or have a biographical check done over the phone.

You will get a message on the journal within a few days of submitting the application telling you to visit a Job Centre if required. That is when you can request the biographical check if prefered.

The UC claim is live as soon as you submit it. The first payment will be 5 weeks after that date. (Unless you fail to verify ID within that time, then the payment gets blocked until you confirm ID and accept commitments, but the dates of future payments will still be the same).