Hi, my name is Idontunderstandus! Rent increase has been taken from Transitional Protection

Idontunderstandus

Hi all, I hope you can help me to understand how this U/C Migration works please. I Migrated from Housing Benefit and ESA in November last year to U/C. My rent increased in April, I live in a Council Flat, and now U/C are saying the difference in the rent has to come out of the Transitional Amount I receive even though the amount of the rent increase is still under the rent price cap. I am so confused. Could anyone please tell me if this is true? I thought I was meant to be protected by the Transitional Amount as they stated I wouldn't be any worse off. Yet only 6 months on I am already worse off.

Idontunderstandus

Hi Ranald, thank you so much for relying to me. I hope you don't mind me asking you, I'll probably sound stupid, but why are they allowed to do this? I will end up with no Transitional Amount over time. They told me I couldn't be worse off yet I already am. I am in receipt of all the highest levels of ESA payments. Would you be so kind as to give me a short version of how this works because I'm lost? 🙏

Kimi87

Transitional Protection is added if your total UC award is lower than legacy benefits, so at the time of transfer you aren't worse off.

This does erode over time as other elements go up or new elements are added.

It's how TP is designed to work.

You'd have to ask the person who designed it this way as to why.

Idontunderstandus

Thank you do much Ranald and Kimi87, apologies for the late thank you...I am new and finding it difficult to navigate here. Your answers helped me to verify how Transitional Protection works. Unfortunately Kimi87 the government body who designed tp wasn't available to comment 😀