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Migration esa to uc

Tillyboo · 2025-07-09T11:24:38+00:00

I have a couple of questions: * I am the main ESA claimant & my husband is on my claim, but hes 71 recieves state pension which is deducted from ESA. Theres an option on the UC journal thing about advance payments. Can we apply for one advanced payment each or just one advanced payment between us? * I have no idea when I'm…

Tillyboo

I have a couple of questions:

I am the main ESA claimant & my husband is on my claim, but hes 71 recieves state pension which is deducted from ESA. Theres an option on the UC journal thing about advance payments. Can we apply for one advanced payment each or just one advanced payment between us?
I have no idea when I'm getting paid, as done online form last week, but getting calls today for a bio test, as we couldnt prove ID & my anxiety as peaked, no idea what questions will be asked, I'm litertally surrounded by paper with answers to what they could possibly ask. Both our memories are bad, so I just hope we pass this as I cant cope with more waiting.
Help to Claim did a breakdown a while ago & said My payments would stay the same due to migrated trans protection, but yesterday had a message to say only one of us can have a carers premium. We both care for each other, so surely thats money lost or does the trans protection make that up?
UC is paid monthly, but I'm used to being paid every 2 weeks. Can a 2 weekly payment be asked for or is it monthly only?

Sorry for all the questions, but the stress & worry of this as made me more ill, if that was even possible. I'm worried about rent, council tax, when next paid etc over 3 months I've had this worry & feel like I'm on my knees with it all. I dont even think my husband will get UC due to age & state pension.

Any answers/advice much appreciated

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Comments

OverlyAnxious

Hi,

1- Advance payments need to be repaid so only take one if you really need it. I believe you will only be able to take one on a joint claim, but that will show in the journal at some point, along with the amount, so keep an eye out for that.

2- If you tell us the date you submitted the claim, we can tell you the payment date. It will be 5 weeks and 1 day after submission.

3- Both of you can claim a Carers Element for each other as long as you both get another qualifying benefit such as PIP. If you get LCWRA (equivalent to Support Group on ESA) then one person cannot get both LCWRA and Carers Element.

4- It's not possible to be paid 2-weekly. UC can be paid twice a month, but as there are slightly more than 4 weeks in each month, that doesn't work out the same as 2-weekly. You can ask for an Alternative Payment Arrangement (APA) through the journal if you would like twice monthly payments.

Hopeless

The man who did my bio phone call asked me if I wanted alternative payment arrangements so if they haven’t phoned yet you could ask them. They send my rent directly to my landlord and pay me twice a month

Tillyboo

Ok. Thanks for replies. My calls at 2.15pm & hubbys at 2.50pm. The lady from a charity completed both our online forms on the 3rd July. She asked in the journal( I think thats what its called or to do list) if I can answer my husbands call, hes having treatment for cancer, sleeps a lot due to side effects & as severe brain fog. I suffer with brain fog, his is far worse as not sure if its related to the primary cancer spread to brain/bones. Lifes very very stressful & the chances are I'll end up crying on phone with stress & explaining my husbands prognosis.

Unfortunately the lady from the charity is on leave & couldnt be here for calls.

My rents always paid to me & I pay housing assoc which I prefer not sure about council tax, thats always been paid direct its only this year we've had to pay £100.88 towards it, thats our councils change not DWP.

I just want these calls over, so anxious I feel sick.

Thank you for replies

Tillyboo

Sorry, we both get PIP. My husbands Marsden nurse as completed an SR1 form ( I think its called) to increase his PIP daily living. He did recieve some back dated PIP which charity lady declared on UC form, as there was a question about " have you recueve any back dated benefit".

Tillyboo

Both failed telephone calls. Literally had enough of this farce. Answered all the questions, but computor failed us both. So now a home visit to look at our passports, debit cards & council tax letters.

I've had enough, over 3 months of this stress & thought today it would be over, but no. Still more waiting. No idea about money rent c/tax payments nothing. Just having to sit & wait for a phone call. I explained my husbands having cancer treatment & that overides any idiotic proof of ID.

I'm at the end of my tether with this now & starting to think have they got us both mixed up with another couple! After last weeks online fiasco with the unknown addresses that we didnt knoe about. I feel absolutely sick

Steve66

Sorry for the very long message. I have no real idea of what's going on with my forced transition from ESA to UC. I got help from a disability advisor with making the claim ( I say help apart from giving my promotion for her to speak on my behalf she did it all). I don't understand it and still don't my mental health has been terrible my sleep is terrible( I do have PTSD and have really bad nightterrors) my IBS is a lot worse than before. They say it's a smooth transition no it's not it's a bloody nightmare and after over a month I still don't know what I'll be getting. They said first payment of UC would be on the 15th of July, I don't believe them I've had no paperwork or confirmation. The only thing that has happened is a phone call from the job centre meant to confirm my ID, the woman kept going on about a loan do you want a loan over and over again. She had no idea what I would be getting just a date when I the first payment of UC would be paid. I was in such a state didn't understand any of the the woman was saying( by the way she didn't sound like she understood it either). I rang the disability advisor and she said all that I was told was complete nonsense. A couple of days later I went back to see the disability advisor who again rang the UC on my behalf and all what the joke shop woman had said was indeed complete nonsense. It's a bloody nightmare that just goes on and on, I still don't know what I'll be getting don't really know when the first payment will be. I don't trust one word they have to say. On top of this my PIP review has been going on for seven months and all I've heard is a text message saying they haven't even looked at it yet.

Tillyboo

I've given up with it. I had a support worker do mine, but shes on leave. But I also have a welfare benefits officer from my council who is contacting her colleague at the job centre to see whats going on. I have sent her a copy of my ESA award uprate from March & nothing says CB ESA only IR ESA.

I suffer with colitis & its flared up so badly my GPs increased my meds. Increased my anti depressants, anxiety meds & sleeping pills. The worry & shock of my husbands cancer as been a living hell but trying to deal with this absolute migration farce beggars belief. This ID Proof nonsense I just dont get, they know me & my husbands NI's I've confirmed every single thing, even the date our claim for ESA became a joint claim & still failed.

Job centre man kept saying dont worry, like a robot & I kept saying after 3 months & illness & cancer, impossible not to worry.

So no idea when or what I'll be paid rent etc I give up, dont care. I've just nothing left my eyes are sore with crying & lack of sleep, no appetite wen I do eat I'm in pain, as I'm forgetting to take my colitis meds. I'm having tests for uterine/ovarian cancer & go in hos on 21st July for a series of tests/biopsys.

So basically they can shove it now, I'm done. No money will use credit cards & wont pay rent, take me to court etc I literally have had it with system not fit for purpose

Hopeless

Have you tried contacting your MP? They can be quite good at getting better responses to things like this

Tillyboo

I have emailed him & hes contacting the DWP.

But I found out yesterday we both passed the bio phone ID, but UC want more proof! So what was the point of putting us through the stress of the calls, I have spent 3 months collating everything, so had everything ready for any question asked. Passed & still have to wait for a home visit.

Also on the journal yesterday was written to me, I'll still get 2 wks ESA & my PIP will be ok. My PIP dont even cover our rent.

I dont know what we will do for money. At this stage I have 2 choices, draw out cash from credit cards to pay in bank to cover bills & not pay rent or canx all direct debits & live off credit cards.

We're both at a loss of what to do. As we were frugal knowing no money coming in for 3 wks after the final 2 wk ESA payment. But didnt expect up to 8 wks for a home visit, some have waited 12 wks.

I cant put into enough words how sick with worry we are, my husband shouldnt be going through this & cancer treatment. Its cruel...