Moving to UC need advice

sunflower2

Hi

Ok so now my sister is no longer working and won't be able to pay the rent my mum needs to apply for UC she currently gets income ESA and is in the support group. Because she's not migrating over she's applying before a migration letter I wanted to know what she needs to do in terms of a sick note I know poppy has told me previously that she will be entitled to the lwca component from the start of her claim but I'm unsure if she needs a sick note or not as i know poppy told me a few years ago she will but recently I've seen people told they dont need a sick note so does she nedd one or not?

And my mum can't grip a pen or use a computer I'm filling it in for her but when she has to sign any documents at the job centre is there another way to sign her claimant commitment if she can't grip a pen or raise her arm to table level to even sign anything?

Kimi87

She won't need a Fit Note as she's applying with a current ESA award. She will be entitled to LCWRA element automatically from the start of her claim.

Have you looked into being your Mum's appointee?

https://www.gov.uk/become-appointee-for-someone-claiming-benefits

If she can't verify her ID online the other options are a biographical id check (a telephone call where they ask questions about personal details/history only she would know) or in person at the Job Centre.

I did my id check in person but cannot recall if I physically signed anything. Hopefully someone with a more recent experience can comment.

sunflower2

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1025055#Comment_1025055

Do you know how long it would take to be classed as an apointee if I did that today I am her full time carer.

sunflower2

Ignore my last post mums doesn't like that it gets paid to me and neither do I she wants things to stay as they are

sunflower2

@Kimi87 she would prefer a telephone for her ID but I've read a some who still had to go to the job centre she's not sure if it's easier just to do in person but that would cause significant pain to her.

Also ESA don't have her new number yet she's only just got a new number at the weekend should she phone ESA to give them her new number or does it not matter now she applying for UC and just give them her new number?

Kimi87

ESA and UC are administered via separate systems.

I would still update ESA, if part of her award is Contributions Based that will convert automatically into New Style ESA and continue to be paid fortnightly.

So they might still need her correct contact details.

sunflower2

@Kimi87

When she applies she still gets 1 more full ESA payment? So if she applies on the Friday she gets an ESA payment will she still get 1 more payment after that

Kimi87

Yes your sister will get one final payment of ESA, known as the run on payment.

We usually recommend on the forum applying for UC the day after an ESA payment. This helps ensure* the run on payment is for the full amount.

*advice gained through experience we can't say for certain it will be for the full amount.

sunflower2

Ok that's great thank you @Kimi87 for taking the time to help us. Shell apply the Monday after her next ESA payment

sunflower2

Hi @Kimi87

One final question so I can put my mum's mind at ease. She's going to do her UC application on Monday after her ESA payment on Friday but she's worried about the 5 week wait and rent because she said she won't get her First UC payment till end of June but we'll owe may and June's rent by then and she's worried we'll get kicked out.

We're in social housing and I told her that they'll know UC is paid in errors so I'm sure if they know when you'll get paid they'll understand and they'll know May's will be paid when you get paid in June and June's will be paid when you get paid in July as it's 4 weeks in errors anyway. But she's worried they won't wait?

Kimi87

She needs to speak with them, they will be used to people claiming UC for the first time, whether migrating or not.

What my social housing LL does is set up a payment plan, so a little extra is paid each week until the arrears are cleared and each UC payment puts the account 4 weeks into credit.

Occasionally there is a 5 Monday month which generally sorts itself out, UC pays 4.3 weeks Housing Element each time so it builds up to having that extra week.

sunflower2

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1027855#Comment_1027855

Thank you @Kimi87

We pay monthly as we arranged that when my sister was working and she paid the rent we were already paying a little extra each month because we like to be in credit. Mum can afford £20 extra a month so I'm hoping that if she tells them that we can pay £20 extra each month that they'll be ok with that still.

I can't see they'll throw us out when we've been good payers before UC and we're lived here 10 years. Especially if we are paying it just when mum gets her UC each month

Kimi87

As I said they will be well used to tenants who claim UC Housing Element 😊

sunflower2

Instead of starting another thread thought I'd ask on here.

We ended up not applying yesterday as planned as something came up but we're doing it today mum is currently waiting to get through to someone at ESA to update her mobile number.

She looked in the leaflet about change of circumstances and she worried it says if anyone who lives with you stops working you must tell them but we were always told that mine or my sister circumstances have nothing to do with her claim so they don't need to know if we start or stop work ect she worried if she has to tell them that my sister has stopped working?

My other question is when do we tell council tax that she's applied for UC do we tell them today after we've done the application or do we wait till we know what she's getting?

sunflower2

Just applied it when I put a note in the journal to say she's migrating over from ESA which option do I pick from the options it lists before I can type a message?

OverlyAnxious

Hi, that leaflet is worded badly regarding work. It means a partner rather than children.

Council tax should be automatically updated in a week or so. I didn't need to inform mine.

You can put the message under 'Work Coach', as she will have one of those until the ESA information gets sent across. For future messages, it's often best to use the 'Payments' option.

sunflower2

Thanks @overlyAnxious

We've finished her application just waiting for someone to call to sort appointment for ID check.

Will she need to give them a copy of her rent letter? We did fill all about her rent online but just wondered as we're used to giving the letter to housing benefit to take a copy ( when we used to get HB)

It did mention they'll let council tax know.

Kimi87

As she lives in social housing UC will contact her landlord for confirmation of the rent amount.

sunflower2

@Kimi87 I wanted to let you know since you helped put her mind at ease about the rent arrears she was worried about she phoned them today to tell them about moving to UC and she's worried about may and June's rent and she had a nice surprise we would put all these years my sister has been paying a little extra each month on the rent and they said your actually in credit at the moment you've still got the equivalent of 1 months full rent in credit so that will easily help pay May's rent and part of June so she won't even go in arrears till mid June but even then it won't be too much by the time she gets her first UC payment so she's so relieved and so happy that Jen did that for her as she never told us. I wanted to update you because you've helped her a lot with the fear of being homeless.

Kimi87

That was so kind of your sister, and kind of you to post an update 😊