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Universal credit/ new style ESA.

dan47

I was successfully migrated from legacy benefits to universal credit and new style ESA in June 2025. I received a letter in June from DWP saying my contribution style ESA was changing to new style ESA and I would be contacted to sign a claiment commitment, I still haven't been contacted about this and it now 9 months later, I'm receiving the payments though.

Another issue is I have is i just received a letter about rate changes from April 2026 this letter states that I am entitled to contribution style ESA and will be recieving this from 8th April. I thought I was on new style ESA and contribution style ESA had been phased out.

Any advice anyone can give on these 2 issues would be greatly appreciated

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Comments

Kimi87

Some people have the claimant commitment waived behind the scenes, but you won't be informed of this. Either that or they just haven't got round to you yet.

As long as the payments are arriving I wouldn't be concerned.

You are correct that CB ESA has been phased out and all awards converted into New Style ESA.

This is the DWP where letters are renowned for not making sense, when I got my annual uprating letter recently I just assumed no one had bothered, or they decided against changing the wording on what is a standard letter. Although it's now called NS ESA, it's still classed as a Contributions Based benefit.

dan47

Thanks for the advice Kimi. I am thinking maybe claiment commitment has just been done somehow because 9 months is just ridiculous to be paying me a benefit I haven't signed commitments for, I did call them about it in october but they just said I'll get the letter, but another 5 months later still not received it

As for the rates letter, I think maybe you are right, it could be a template they send to everyone where they just change the amounts paid depending on the person, a lot easier than changing all the benefit names I guess.

Anyway once again thanks for the advice kimi, I see you advise many on here, I'm sure it's appreciated by all, keep up the good work