Hi, my name is PennyL! UC Migration and new style ESA

PennyL
PennyL Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener
edited November 13 in Universal Credit (UC)

Hello, can you advise me please? My daughter was migrated to UC but now she has a dual claim, being put onto the New Style ESA. So, they have made it more complicated…! I have had advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau that I can either leave it as it is or close the ESA and it will all become the UC claim. So, all her ESA will be transferred to UC? Will this be ok and as straightforward as it sounds? I don't need things more complicated! I appreciate your support with this. Thanks, Penny

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Comments

  • Biblioklept
    Biblioklept Online Community Member Posts: 352 Pioneering

    is there any reason you /she wants to switch it to all UC? If her circumstances change in the future having a contribution based benefit like New Style ESA can be really useful

  • OverlyAnxious
    OverlyAnxious Online Community Member Posts: 5,389 Championing

    I can understand wanting to remove NS ESA as you'll be getting so many different payments each month with UC, NS ESA and potentially PIP as well, that it gets difficult to budget appropriately.

    However I do also understand why NS ESA can be useful in some future circumstances.

    Currently the NS ESA is getting deducted from the UC. So it wouldn't be 'transferred' to UC as such. It would just stop the deductions. It should be that simple just to stop it, but I have seen at least one case go wrong, where the ESA stopped, but the UC deductions did not stop, due to an admin error. That is only one case but we don't see many people choose to end NS ESA so there's not much to go on unfortunately.

  • PennyL
    PennyL Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener

    Thank you both for your replies. I see that New Style ESA is likely to be phased out too!! It's baffling! Can you help me understand why it is beneficial for her to stay on the New Style ESA? Is it because of NI contributions? I am trying to get it right for my daughter. I think I'll keep her on NS ESA and wait for the phone call, though they have no idea when it'll be!

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 7,815 Championing

    If her circumstances change such as an inheritance which ends her UC claim, the NS ESA would remain in payment and if she was able to reclaim UC, the LCWRA would apply automatically without a new work capability assessment.

    It also pays fortnightly.

    She will see a £609.05 deduction on her UC statement for the ESA, this is the monthly average of a weekly benefit.

    The overall money is exactly the same whether someone gets NS ESA or not.

  • PennyL
    PennyL Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener

    Thank you so much, this helps me

  • PennyL
    PennyL Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener

    I am reading more about this, the fact that NS ESA will be combined with JSA (Don't understand as they are completely different!) and then become Unemployment Insurance, with the idea of only being claimable for 12 months. What is going on here? She will, sadly as I'd rather have a daughter who can work, never be able to work, but I fear they are going to make it really hard. I really don't need all this worry either. Thank you

  • PennyL
    PennyL Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener

    I wonder if my MP would be able to sort this out?

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 7,815 Championing
    edited November 20

    That is still a proposal by the Government with no firm timetable or plans.

    It's very hard to advise on "what ifs".

  • Nobodyspecial
    Nobodyspecial Online Community Member Posts: 39 Connected
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/139850/hi-my-name-is-pennyl-uc-migration-and-new-style-esa

    Hi there, I don't have much advice I can offer, but I also have a daughter going through the same process.

    She also was migrated with both....this NS ESA is so confusing!

    On Friday had to have phone appointment for accepting commitments for NS ESA - the advisor was very uncertain himself and didn't fill me with confidence about the migration.

    HHe mentioned about providing Fit Notes - I told him that it didn't seem correct as my daughter was migrating from ESA Support group and no fit notes are nessasasary. He said it was a standard form .... but when I questioned further he said - "I'll put a line through that bit and initial it"

    I was left so confused....I've got no idea if what has been done is correct? On the UC Journal it says her statement will be calculated on December 5th - so its a waiting game again to see what she is paid, or if they request another accept commitments phone call!

    It's been extremely stressful on myself also....to me this whole new system seems absolutely pointless and wate of time and money!

    When is your daughter's first statement due? Did you create an online journal with UC?

    Hoping for the best 🙏🏼

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