Converting from Universal Credit to New Style ESA.

Jane66

Hello,

I have searched online for answers but have not found any. I hope someone can help.

Maybe i will contact Citizens Advice, although i do not want to contact the Job Centre as i feel too confused to speak to them rationally.

I have been accepted to receive UC with the first payment being 26/06/2025, yet i have recently received a phone call from the Job Centre giving me an appointment to accept or not accept New Style ESA. I understand that i need to have paid National Insurance contributions fairly recently to receive New Style ESA.

I have not worked since 1992 due to ill health and i am confused why they say i should claim New Style ESA.

I asked the person that i spoke to why i should change and they said it is because i may get a higher state pension and it's for my benefit.

I received a letter today which states "Your contribution-based ESA will change to New Style ESA from 03/06/2025". My appointment with the Job Centre is on 01/07/2025.

It seems they have already changed me over without my agreement.

Could someone please tell me what is happening?

I have researched New Style ESA and i do not think i am entitled to it and cannot understand why the Job Centre has changed my UC claim to New Style ESA without my permission.

Thank you in advance for any help.

Suzycatwoman

This seems to be the same for my son but he has not had any letter from ESA and his housing benefit has been stopped. He last worked around 2009 and been on ESA in support group since.

OverlyAnxious

Hi,

This is happening to a lot of people. Your old ESA was partly income based and partly contributions based, but you may never have known that as the letters don't make it clear.

Only the income based part switches to UC. The contributions based part switches to New Style ESA. You don't have any choice in this. As you have migrated to UC, you will also now be on NS ESA as well.

If you were on Incapacity Benefit before ESA, then that is one reason why you got both types of ESA before.

NS ESA is a payment of £281.10 every 2 weeks. This is deducted from the UC at a rate of £609 per month. (Doesn't quite add up because there are slightly more than 4 weeks in each month).

NS ESA gives you Class 1 NI Credits, whereas UC alone only gives you Class 3 Credits. However, these credits are unlikely to make a difference to most people's pension in my opionion.

alibongo51

Im just going through similar thing :( ive never been told i was on both as my letters just say income based.i just have to wait now for my first uc payment next mth n prayvits correct.i dont know what happens after the contrubution runs out.does that trigger a reassessment or losing out?

mortalrecords

I received a migration letter from my old legacy ESA where I was in the disabled non work support group.

I since applied for UC well within the time limit and now received a telephone appointment for interview for "New style ESA - dual claim "I dont know what that means as I havent worked since 1990 due to my illness.I have high rate PIP for care and mobility.

Any advice anyone please?

Ranald

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1039745#Comment_1039745

The Job Centre appointment will be for ID purposes, I had to go in for one in December last year, was in and out in 5 minutes.

The CB part of your ESA will become NS ESA, only the IR part of legacy ESA is ending.

If you were in receipt of IB in the past, that will be why you had a mixed legacy ESA claim.

mortalrecords

Now I am even more confused!I mean considering I have not worked since 1990 I went through various Benefits I guess all different names,ie income support but I dont think I was ever on IB(incapacity benefit)🤥

mortalrecords

Maybe i was not clear in my previous post,I already provided ID at the Jobcentre,they sent me notice about this telephone call about this new ESA to talk to me over the phone about it.

Ranald

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1039754#Comment_1039754

Sorry, I read quickly, you made yourself perfectly clear.

Have you agreed to your commitments? Mine were simply to report any changes. It was in that phone call that I was informed about NS ESA, being unaware I had a mixed claim.

mortalrecords

Hi Ranald,Thanx for the kind reply.I did agree all my commitments in my UC Journal.

I decided to write to them and just ask why the phone call, its better that way as some of these agents may make a mistake or not be experienced enough.

This whole mixed claim is so confusing,i honestly do think that the DWP is just making more useless paperwork for everyone,including themselves.