Esa and uc

sazducky

Hi, I'm asking for a friend. They recently went over to UC on receive paper statements as they don't use phones/computers. They have been awarded housing, personal allowance but are also deducted over £600 for ESA leaving £13 award. This doesn't seem right, can some one clarify.

Charlie_Scope

Hello @sazducky

It would be difficult to say for sure without seeing a copy of their statement, but it sounds as though the LCWRA element has not been added to their award. Do you know if their housing element been paid directly to their landlord?

OverlyAnxious

Hi,

Some of that is correct.

They will be getting New Style ESA at £281.10 each fortnight. And that gets deducted from UC at £609 a month because there are slightly more than 2x ESA payments in each month.

I assume they have Housing Element sent straight to the landlord? So they won't see that in their payments either.

£13 sounds very low for the actual payment though. It should be around £200 if they are on basic rates with no Transitional Protection. Are they paying back an overpayment or advance? Do they have savings over £6000? Were they previously in the Support Group of ESA and did they get the Severe Disability Premium with that?

sazducky

Sorry they have transitional protection, no sevre disability premium, housing paid directly to landlord but still dont seem right. I will go back and have another look. When my mum changed over she didn't get ESA anymore just UC with the LCWRA element.

Demilea1

10/2023 I took my private pension of £170 a week and 15 k lump sum,I was on esa in support group and severe enhancement disability my fortnightly esa was £480 and it was and still is reduced to £185 fortnightly any help on how it’s worked out I’ve looked into it and think it’s wrong anyone know .👋

OverlyAnxious

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1037201#Comment_1037201

Ok, I would really need to see a picture of their statement to see what's happened here.

Your Mum would have been on Income Related ESA only. Your friend was on partly Contributions Based ESA before, though they may not have known that. That is why they will now get New Style ESA as well as Universal Credit. That part is correct.

OverlyAnxious

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1037311#Comment_1037311

Hi,

It might be better to start your own thread for this is it's not quite the same situation.

If you still have £15k in savings then that will reduce IR ESA or Universal Credit by around £155 per month.

We would need more information on the exact benefits that you get to offer any further advice.