Everything about 'benefits' confuses me - even the basics.

MrHappy

Even when i'm reading this forum there are so many different types of benefits many with abbreviated names i find it very confusing. I think i was receiving one two or possibly all of the following: Income support, EESA, Disabled premium, and DLA but that's now called PIP, Housing Benefit, Council Tax.

Now all (or some?) those benefits have been merged into Universal credit and i'm none the wiser because there other add-ons like transition relief, housing benefit which has either been added or removed? same story with council tax benefit.

11th December was my final fortnightly EESA payment of £489.30p. After that i was forced over onto Universal Credit. Today i received a letter from Universal credit informing me my 1st payment will be 2nd January before 8pm and the amount will be £1,025p which is a little more than my old amount.

On page 2 its goes on to say DEDUCTIONS: "As you received benefits you were not entitled to a deduction of £34.95p will be taken" I have no idea which benefits i received i was not entitled to nor do i know if the deductions of £34.95p are going to occur every week, fortnight, month, or just this one time. What i do know is that telling me i received something i was not entitled to immediately upset me.

MrHappy

Moderator comment - edited name out of picture as requested.

MrHappy

MrHappy

Thank you very much to the Moderator who very kindly removed my name which was showing on the box of morphine patches i used to cover my name on the original letter. How dumb am i lol.

Holly_Scope

No problem. I totally get it. It's the sort of thing I'd do 😂

Kimi87

That means you were accidentally paid too much Income Related ESA during the migration process. Not uncommon.

You can contact DWP Debt Management to see if there is any more money outstanding.

https://www.gov.uk/repay-manage-benefit-owed

As to your new Universal Credit income, this replaces your ESA & Housing Benefit.

UC is a benefit made up of different "elements" .

Standard Allowance: everyone on UC gets this

LCWRA Element: The UC equivalent of ESA Support Group

Transitional Protection: Added so you are not worse off under UC at the time of transfer.

This does erode over time as other elements go up or new elements are added.

Housing Element: This replaces Housing Benefit.

Council Tax Reduction is administered and paid by local authorities so is separate from the DWP.

MrHappy

Hi Kimi87, I've snapped a picture of your fantastic comment so that i can return to it whenever i am confused re benefits stuff - thank you so much!