New UC claim

BrutonStreetTailor

Hi, I Have been off nearly a year and my ssp stopped mid july, I put in my claim for pip and new style ESA contribution based 6 or 7 weeks ago filling out the pip form and the UC50 form which ive heard nothing back from them yet about any award ( I did have a phone appointment with a work coach and received a letter saying all I have to do is notify her of any change in my condition) -nothing from dwp yet 4 weeks gone by. , At that stage I didnt open a UC account as Im still getting full Pay from my employer until December, so November will be my last sick pay payment. CA advised me I can claim UC but its not worth doing now as they said my full sick pay from my employer will wipe out all I would get from any UC payments. They did do calculations for me after asking about incomes etc and it would be a great improvement over the ESA amount , though i dont even know if I am to be awarded that yet ?. Currently I have about £12,000 total in my bank accounts but that includes my current account which would obviously drop by £2000 a month as soon as my firm stop paying me due to my costs of living. When should I apply for UC ? would it be best to wait until after I get my last salary from my employer ? Also, as I have already filled out the UC50 form (50 pages of 99 questions) would that have to be done again as I only sent it off 6 weeks ago, or will they use that to assess any UC claim I may submit. regards.

Kimi87

As the medical assessment process has been started with ESA, it wouldn't happen again with UC rather the ESA result would apply to your UC claim.

So if you are put into the Support Group for ESA, you would be awarded the UC equivalent (LCWRA) automatically.

Your ESA would be deducted in full from your UC award. £609.05 a month for Support Group although you don't end up any worse off.

BrutonStreetTailor

Hi, thanks for coming back quickly, I believe ( due to my disabilities, I cant walk, cant stand straight, cant bend over and cant sit upright in a chair for longer than a couple of minutes due to multiple health conditions , so are you saying I wont even need to set up an UC account at all and claim as they will deduce from my new style ESA claim what my position is? regards.

Kimi87

No you would still need to set up a UC account and make a claim.

The result of the ESA assessment would then be applied to your UC claim.

If you are placed into the Support Group for ESA then UC will award you LCWRA element automatically.

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/employment-and-support-allowance/esa-glossary/support-group-descriptors

The descriptors for ESA Support Group & UC LCWRA are identical.