Migrated from Income related ESA to UC, now put on new style ESA and UC?

leahcim

Ive been on income related ESA for over 10 years now due to ill health and not being well enough to work.

I received a migration letter saying i needed to switch to universal credit, i applied, went down the job centre to prove my identity and was told il be moving to UC and start getting monthly payments.

I received some esa payments during this time with different amounts so i assumed this was to prep/square up ready for universal credit, got my first uc payment of £222 last friday, then this friday i got another ESA payment.

Spoke to UC and they said im on both UC and new style ESA now?

I havent worked in over 10 years so why have i been put on new style esa? and UC? im so confused and was told by UC to contact ESA and ask them, but after being on hold for an hour and a half today i gave up

Could this be an error? has this happened to anyone else?

Kimi87

This is not an error and is a common question.

Please read through this thread (click on the purple text View Post) for an explanation.

As an update to the information given there, New Style ESA now pays £281.10 a fortnight, with the UC deduction being £609.05.

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/130268/ive-already-moved-to-universal-credit-but-ive-received-a-letter-from-esa

leahcim

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1024266#Comment_1024266

Hello Kimi, thanks for your reply. I was literally just reading that post lol but im still confused. The weird thing is iv always been on income related ESA, even on my migration letter it said "you will soon stop getting the follow benefits" income-related ESA

But isnt new style ESA contribution based? i havent worked in over 10 years so havent contributed to national insurance. Why wouldnt i just be put on only UC?

Kimi87

Yes NS ESA is Contributions Based.

ESA letters are very difficult to understand.

Most people don't know what their award has been until they migrate.

Your award was in fact Contributions Based with an Income Related top up.

ESA CB lasts as long as you are in the Support Group. So you are eligible for New Style ESA now due to your previous NI Contributions from working.

leahcim

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1024269#Comment_1024269

So i was on contribution based even though i haven't worked for (recounted and its actually 14 years now) ?

Why do they make this so confusing lol, why not just give me UC only as it would be the same amount i think?

The lady at the job center where i had to prove my identity said nothing about this at all, advised me to budget plan a bit as il be only getting paid monthly now instead of every two weeks

Kimi87

Yes that's correct, you are still entitled to CB ESA from your previous NI Contributions through working.

You aren't on UC only now because UC replaces IR esa only.

UC will be paid monthly and New Style ESA fortnightly.

leahcim

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1024292#Comment_1024292

Thanks again for your reply Kimi. Why do they make this so confusing lol, why not just put me on UC with the same amount. Do you know if there's any upsides or downsides from being on UC + Newstyle ESA vs just universal credit?