UC deductions from ESA are wrong

Artmuzz

I have been getting ESA support group for over 10 years but I had to apply for Universal Credit. However, the DWP have put me on new style ESA as well as Universal Credit.

I just received my first payment statement from Universal Credit last week and I am baffled with the deductions they have made. On my deductions they have deducted £14 for ESA I am not entitled to and they have deducted £609 a month off my UC because I am now getting new style ESA which is only £281 a fortnight. My calculations tell me that is £562 a month.

I wrote this in my journal last week but still haven’t recieved a reply. I wonder if anyone knows why UC have deducted £609 when it should be £562 and what is the £14 deduction? Please advise.

Kimi87

The £14 deducted will be for an accidental overpayment of IR ESA.

The £609.05 deducted for New Style ESA is correct, see this thread for information:

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/134866/uc-shows-incorrect-new-style-esa

Artmuzz

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1060966#Comment_1060966

Thanks for the information.

The last IR ESA (ESA support group) payment I got was the same amount as I’ve always had so I don’t understand how they’ve deducted the £14 as an overpayment.

The £609 deduction makes sense when it’s added up over the year so does that mean there will be some months I’ll get a bit more as in 3 weekly payments instead if the 2 weekly payments. This is mind bending.

Kimi87

£281.10 a fortnight of your previous ESA was actually Contributions Based.

So there was an overpayment of the IR ESA portion only. This sometimes happens with migration.

Just because you last payment was for the normal amount, doesn't mean you were entitled to that full IR ESA payment.

New Style ESA is paid fortnightly, so some months as previously you'll receive two payments, others three.

In terms of the UC deduction, it is always based on 30 days NS ESA. An average deduction as written on the statement.

It doesn't matter if in that 30 days an individual claimant has had two or three NS ESA payments in that time. The deduction from UC will always be £609.05.

Artmuzz

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1060982#Comment_1060982

My previous ESA payments were £489 a fortnight which were IR ESA (support group). I received my final payment of £489 two weeks before receiving my first new style CB ESA payment of £281.10. Does this mean that DWP have overpaid me by £14 on my first CB ESA payment of £281.10 and that’s where the £14 deduction comes from?

Kimi87

As explained here, upon migration you were actually on both CB & IR ESA.

(figures given in the thread are based on 2024/2025 rates).

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/130268/ive-already-moved-to-universal-credit-but-ive-received-a-letter-from-esa

Your CB ESA was £281.10 a fortnight, with your IR ESA being £208 a fortnight.

Contribution Based ESA converts into New Style ESA automatically upon migration and is paid at the same rate.

What we are discussing in terms of overpayment is the IR portion of your ESA, which was £208 a fortnight.

208/14= £14 IR ESA a day.

So for you £14 is the equivalent of one days IR ESA, so the deduction is for one days ESA IR overpayment.