Universal Credit Act 2025 - Latest Updates

Kimi87

The current UC rate for an existing claimant, single, LCWRA and over 25 is £823.41.

Those migrating from ESA with SDP are typically getting approximately £1060.

So yes the former will get the small % increase into their bank account, and the latter will remain on the amount they are getting now.

I myself was awarded PIP in 2024 - with the legacy system I would have qualified for SDP, but having been on UC for a year I got nothing. I've had to accept this is how the system works now.

I appreciate why there are grievances with how Transitional Protection works, but those people are still getting over and above the standard UC rates.

The Council Tax Reduction issue with councils taking UC TP into account as excess income is being challenged in the courts currently.

willow1

@Kimi87

what you 'MIGHT' have got is not the same as what people 'WERE' getting. You're making comparisons between a hypothetical situation and a factual situation. Migrating from ESA to uc wasn't a choice, it was compulsory, and quite rightly, our benefit amounts were guaranteed, by the government, to stay the same. The government haven't honoured this. You are getting what you were eligible for when your UC claim started, why are you comparing your benefit amount to mine? I'm not comparing my benefit amount to anyone elses, it's not a competition! The TP amount is not 'extra' that we're getting and you aren't, it's the name the government gave for the amount that covers the shortfall between our previous, legitimate, eligible benefit amount and the amounts paid according to UC criteria, the governments criteria, not mine yeah. Yes, the TP amount erodes over time, but, we were not told that the cost of living increases for benefit recipients, paid to go towards cost of living increases in rent, bills etc, would be deducted pound for pound from the TP part of our benefit. This means that where previously it actually added extra money to our benefit, now, it does not. Your benefit amount will go up in April yes? Ours won't. We were not told that our council tax reduction would change, drastically increasing the amount we would have to pay even though our benefit amounts hadn't increased. Are you worse off now than you were on your pre UC benefit? You're not are you? You are getting what the government has said you were eligible for. My posts have explained what has happened for me, and many, many others in the same situation because of another poorly thought through governmental decision. You and others are personalising this and by doing so you are encouraging people to turn on each other, the very people who should be supporting each other, isn't that what these forums promote? Comments such as yours are divisive, personal, unhelpful, and serve no purpose other than to put a target on certain peoples heads, attracting other similar unhelpful comments, and then when people get a little irritated and bite back, you don't like it.

Back off please.

Catherine21

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1101888#Comment_1101888

I agree everything they done is shocking will certainly make alot of savings its like we have to be so grateful to recieve benefits which i am and all the hoops we have to jump through its a mad world people at the top have conditioned society to think scraps are acceptable and look at joe bloggs buying organic apples thats not right is it ??? Or they have a holiday once in a blue moon whilst they have homes in mayfair drink the cleanest water food jet around the world whilst we have crumbling services highstreets shut down nhs on its knees thier even paying 50 million to block sun !! I could go on and on we should be uniting not accepting our rights being eroded they have ruined most things this country stood for and we argue about what we rightly had before been taken away i dont think we will ever win the fight for a better futrue for the next generation people to divided the psychological warfare from the higest elites have made us believe its normal to have next to noting and be taxed on everything if you really look 100 years ago people wasnt taxed we are forced to live a life by thier rules none of us our free quick change of subject farage says he will stop people wprking from home wasnt that one of labours driving force for getting people back into the work place also his rich chums losing rents on thier rental properties

Community_Scope

Note from online community team:

Hello everyone,

We want this discussion to continue, but we’re concerned that things are becoming quite tense and could easily escalate.

Please remember that all discussions on Scope’s online community should remain civil, supportive, and safe.

We will continue to closely monitor this discussion, but if it escalates further, we may choose to pause, close, or even hide the discussion.

For more information, please read our online community house rules.

Rachel_Scope

Here is some information on Transitional Protection erosion https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/transitional-protection-universal-credit

Here is some general information https://www.turn2us.org.uk/get-support/information-for-your-situation/universal-credit-uc-transitional-protection/how-much-universal-credit-uc-transitional-protection-will-i-get

I am not a trained benefits adviser so can't comment on individual circumstances. I ask that we are respectful to each other who have different experiences.

SwiftFox

Oh dear

angel335

Hi everyone.
I’ve not been participating in online discussions much for quite some time. My health has not allowed for that.

Just to say that I understand why this sort of discussion can get very difficult and emotional for people because it is to do with our everyday lives and the supporting income we need to support our lives as sick and disabled people.
Firstly, I agree that what is happening regarding the changes in benefits re:ESA and UC, is divisive. No one should be getting less income than another person, when they are in the same position as someone who applied a year or two before them. It is unfair to those who become too sick and disabled now and in the future that they will only get half of the ESA amount that someone on legacy benefits will get.
Nor is it okay that someone on legacy benefits, migrated onto UC, will slowly have their income reduced, year on year.
I am in this position.
The SARS-Cov 2 virus has worsened my conditions considerably and as a result, I have needed care on and off since 2020. I have had continuous care for 2 years now.
The income I receive via transitional protection is not “extra income.” It is income that I need in order to have the support necessary for my daily life. I have also had to go private in order to get treatment for some of my conditions and pay out of my income for that. There is nothing available on our very beleaguered NHS.
Without this, I will be unable to get the care I need. The payments I receive did not get anywhere close to what I had to pay out for many months when I first became too ill to take care of myself. It was fortuitous that I had some savings because I needed them. I would’ve gone under had this not been the case.

The Tories underfunded public services and the NHS for 14 years and that is why some of this is happening now. Labour are continuing some of what they started.
(the Tories have said they want to save £20-£40 billion on welfare benefits in future). :(

We cannot afford to be at war with one another because successive governments have proved that they are at war with us.
The changes they are making are punitive. if you are unable to work, they will make it harder for you to support yourself.
The point of these changes is to save money. Period.
UC was not designed with sick and disabled people in mind. And soon they will make changes to PIP. I have no confidence whatsoever that Labour aren’t going to push ahead with quite a few changes regarding PIP and the WCA, making it more difficult to access.
We will all be impacted by this.
(Reform and Tories will be even worse).

We can all be affected by the rhetoric used, particularly by governments, regarding benefits and the sick and disabled. The main stream media are also sometimes hostile. This is intentional. Instead of having fair taxation, for example, they blame us, refugees, immigrants, all the most vulnerable groups, for all the ills of society.
Don’t be taken in by this.

We all deserve support, whatever our circumstances may be.

I’m exhausted now.
Take care everyone.

Peace out.

willow1

Hi @angel335,

Very well put and I'm sorry you're having such a tough time, I hear you and I'm sending my best wishes to you.

WhatThe

Welcome willow 😊

THIS IS NO ORDINARY FORUM - THIS IS THE SCOPE FORUM!

The best approach is to attack the message, not the person.