ESA to UC Migration - is it possible to cancel new style ESA and just claim LCWRA/Universal Credit?

Jelas

Hi there, I’m a newbie here. I hope everyone one is well.

I am very nervous, but here goes.

I made a migration claim from ESA Support Group to Universal Credit on the 10th July and have now found out like many others that I was claiming ESA(Contribution Based), that I wasn’t aware of, as I left work eleven years ago. I received a letter that stated my ESA(Income Based) has ended and I then became confused.

I received a call from the Jobcentre to have a telephone interview and go through the Claimant Commitment, which I did.

I am ex DWP staff so I know about JSA, but not ESA and Univeral Credit.

My question is I have now found out that after receiving the two week run on from ESA on the 24th July 2025, I am now going to be receiving New Style ESA on the 7th August 2025 and every two weeks thereafter.

My claim has not been processed as of yet and my Universal Credit statement is not due until the 12th August 2025 and payment on the 16th August 2025 and to my understanding the deduction for (NS)ESA is taken from the first day of the UC claim and not Day 15 if I had been receiving ESA (Income Based). Therefore I will technically lose out on two weeks money in the first assessment period.

Is it possible to cancel the ESA(NS) claim and just claim the full Universal Credit with LCWRA element instead before they process the (NS)ESA.

Any help would be much appreciated.

durhamjaide2001

hi and welcome to the forum unfortunately I am not an expert in this area but what I can do is recommend that you visit the coffee lounge for a general chat or the games den for some fun.

Suz1008

Anyone have an answer for this?

Kimi87

Broadly speaking I don't know the answer, but It's too late now for your original intended purpose, any cancellation wouldn't be backdated.

You could try a trained benefits advisor https://advicefinder.turn2us.org.uk/

Jelas

Update: I managed to get my NS(ESA) claim closed down from the start date, therefore I did not receive a payment on the 7th August, as ESA managed to close down the claim in time. I have now received my first Universal Credit payment minus approx two weeks of Old Style ESA. So from next month onwards I will be in full receipt of Universal Credit only.

I have chronic illnesses and disabilities so I haven’t worked in over ten years and also very unlikely to ever return back to work, therefore I would prefer to be on Universal Credit only and not New Style ESA/Universal Credit.

My brain can’t handle budgeting:
1) New Style ESA every 2 weeks
2) PIP every 4 weeks
3) Universal Credit every month

teresasue

How did you manage to close down the NC ESA claim please

teresasue

teresasue

Please advice me how to close claim who do I contact please

Jelas

@teresasue

Hi there, I contacted ESA on 0800 1690310 and asked them to close the NS ESA claim down.

teresasue

Hi thank you so much for helping me. So I ask them to close the nsesa claim down from 18th sept the same date I started UC claim is that right as I think the claim for NSESA starts the day you start your UC claim? As my phone call from nsesa is 15th September same day my first payment due and if like to stop it.

Should I also put a message in UC Journal telling them I've closed it and want to continue with UC only?

Sorry if this is long you have no idea how much you are helping me thank you

teresasue

Sorry about this did you also put a message in your journal after you managed to shut it down so UC know about it and to cancel the upcoming NS ESA phone call for commitments

Jelas

@teresasue

You might be able to close the NS ESA claim down in time, as I closed mine down on the 30 July, eight days before my NS ESA payment was due on the 7th August.

But I would advise you to speak to an expert on Benefits or Citizen Advice Bureau. I can’t advise unfortunately. I don’t want to give you incorrect information.

Nobody answered my query at the time so I just took a chance.

Jelas

I got my phone call for the NS ESA claimant commitment before I closed my claim down. I didn’t even know that they had me down as NS ESA and that’s how I found out.

But I did write and inform UC in my journal.

teresasue

Ive tried so hard with CAB and migration helpline no one knew the answers so it's nice to hear what you did ill ring that ESA number first in the morning. Did you also leave message in your journal to say you wanted UC ONLY and you'd cancelled NS esa? I don't want to do anything wrong and upset it all hopefully they do LCWRA ok

Thanks your patience

Jelas

First of all I told ESA to close my NS ESA claim and then I wrote it in my UC journal that I wanted to claim UC LWRCA only.

Be warned that they deduct two weeks money of ESA from your first payment of UC.
The extra two weeks of normal ESA called the run on is so that you don’t have to wait five weeks for your initial UC payment. The next month you will get the FULL UC payment.

teresasue

Great i am so relieved to get some help thats exactly what i will do tomorrow. I gather you were in ESA support group too? I have been so worried that if i cancelled the NS ESA part they wouldn't put me in the LCWRA group - which is what one CAB man told me although he wasn't sure. I'm so pleased for you that your claim is all sorted and well done you!

p.s. did you actually tell UC that you had closed the nsesa claim when you put the note in the journal? Should i also tell UC to cancel my phone appointment on 15th September for the NS ESA commitments or will that automatically not happen once i close esa tomorrow?

Jelas

If you were claiming ESA Support Group Income Related or Contributions Based topped up with Income Related you should be able to migrate over to UC LCWRA with no problem. I believe the claimant commitment interview will be cancelled as you are no longer claiming NS ESA. They will send a letter confirming this along with a P60.

And yes I definitely told UC in my journal I had closed the claim down. If they make a mistake they will readjust your first statement and send out a faster payment, as they are pretty quick. Good luck

teresasue

Gosh you are so kind to help me and I apologise for asking so many questions. I don't mind losing the two week payment I had this time as I saved a bit in case I had a long wait. Fingers crossed it all works out ok.

I haven't been told if I'm in the LCWRA group should I be worried? Were you told straight away. But sorry I won't ask any more you have been amazing and I hope all continues to go well for you. Hopefully we don't have to have assessments though that's another dread!

Take care

Kimi87

The first time you'll see the word LCWRA is on your first payment statement. But sometimes they haven't heard from ESA in time.

If it's missing from your statement you let them know via Journal (using the payment option). Once it's been confirmed a letter would be added to your Journal stating the amount owed due to underpayment. The money will then be paid within a few working days.

In the meantime you can check the amount of advance payment you are offered, or the wording on your work commitments both of which can give clues about how your UC claim is progressing.

Jelas

As long as you were in the Support Group you will get UC LCWRA which is the standard allowance (£400.14) if you are single and over 25 plus the LCWRA (health element) which is usually £423.27 per calendar month

teresasue

Just wondered if I should do the phone call first and accept the NS ESA commitments before trying to cancel claim? I would rather cancel it now before first payment starts on 15th same day as phone call. Also I forgot to say I am my son's appointee Will they key me close claim ok please

Thanks for all your help

teresasue

Hi i phoned this morning on the number you gave me and asked for the NS ESA claim to be shut down and he said it would take a couple of days but he has sent it through to DWP i think he said. I put a note on the journal to tell them

But now i am worried just seen in my son's bank account he has been paid JSA £120.48p now i'm so worried they have put him in the JSA which i think is job seekers allowance does this mean he has now got to look for work. I am so upset and worried