A bolt from the blue

GettinOlde

Adrian_Scope said:

What was the decision from your ESA offer? And have you had any changes to your Universal Credit statements or journal yet?

"ESA offer" - not sure what you mean by that.

It has been almost 4 months since I first had to claim UC and there have been no updates in my journal regarding ESA/LCW, the only mention of ESA is in my own questions to my work coach who tells me I just have to wait.

I am now getting absolutely desperate, for the first time ever, my income is less than my outgoings.

Adrian_Scope

GettinOlde said:

"ESA offer" - not sure what you mean by that.

It has been almost 4 months since I first had to claim UC and there have been no updates in my journal regarding ESA/LCW, the only mention of ESA is in my own questions to my work coach who tells me I just have to wait.

I am now getting absolutely desperate, for the first time ever, my income is less than my outgoings.

Sorry if I’m not being clear. At the start of this thread you mentioned getting contacted by DWP offering you a deal to stop the tribunal (WRAG). Have you received that in writing yet and does the letter state which group you were placed in?

GettinOlde

@Adrian_Scope

From the letter received from the Disputes Resolution Team ...

About your Appeal

We have looked again at the decision of 29/03/2019 about your Employment and Support Allowance.

We have changed the decision this is because you stated in your Appeal request letter that you are unable to mobilise more than 100 meters on level ground due to severe pain due to Rheumatoid Arthritis. Therefore, I have awarded you with further 9 points for the Mobilising descriptor. You have

You have now scored 15 points from the Work Capability Assessment and consequently my decision is that you remain entitled to Employment and Support Allowance with the work related activity component for 24 months.

Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) have been notified of this change.

You will receive a separate letter about your benefit payments.

I have not received any further communication about this from anyone apart from the telephone conversation with the UC advisor

GettinOlde

I just noticed that although I received that letter, there is a spelling mistake in my address at the top of the page - I just hope nothing has gone astray in the post because there is a particular peculiarity with address in my area.

GettinOlde

Just had a call from my CAB rep about her conversation with her UC 'contact' regarding my latest UC50. I informed her of my call to UC last Fri and that the UC50 had been cancelled - she was surprised at that. She went on to say that my ESA claim had been transferred to my UC account on July 5th (the letter from the DRT was dated July 4th) and was also surprised that I had heard nothing more about it, claiming that UC must be "passing-the-buck".

But, she went on to say that it didn't really matter as I wouldn't be receiving any extra benefit for being on LCW. After arguing-the-toss with her, she then remembered that I had previously been on ESA for several years.

No wonder there have been so many suicides over UC/ESA/PIP.

Adrian_Scope

Hi @GettinOlde. You should have heard from Universal Credit regarding this by now or something in your journal confirming your ESA has been transferred over to UC. There does seem to be some confusion regarding your grouping (support or WRAG) and the corresponding group on UC but that should stop them transferring the claim. 

If you are placed in the WRAG equivalent (LCW) this is an additional £126.11 a month. If you are placed in the support group equivalent (LCWRA) this is an additional £336.20 per month. 

Whether or not your UC50 has been cancelled, this should be backdated by UC to the start of your claim for UC and continue until you are next assessed.

When making back payments they usually retrospectively alter past 'statements' on a UC account. Have you been able to check any of these to see if they've been altered yet?

GettinOlde

Nothing has changed in my journal.

After paying my rent and spare room tax and the UC advance, I'm left with a few pence over £30pw to live on.

GettinOlde

Hart86 said: while you wait for your ESA transition you can ask to defer your advance repayments which will help a bit!!

My advance is being paid back over 12 months, I've read elsewhere that payments can only be deferred if the payback is over 6 months.

Hart86 said: Have you made any progress with your PIP application?

Nerves are too frayed to start any new processes at the moment.

Hart86 said: I’d also recommend applying for a DHP to help with the rent shortfall. Do you have some rent free weeks? It looks like there’s a further shortfall than just one extra bedroom

My landlord allows for four rent-free weeks.

£98.20pw x 52 / 12 = £425.53pm.

14% of £98.20 is £13.75pw that I have to pay myself for under-occupying by one bedroom leaving £84.45pw to be paid for by UC.

Because it is a 53 week year this year, UC only pay me £84.45 x 47 / 12 = £330.77pm.

I may apply for a DHP - thanks.

Hart86 said:Is CAB helping to speak to UC for you? What have they recommended as your next steps? 

See my comment above at 3:12pm.

GettinOlde

Hart86 said:

That’s incorrect, advances can be deferred for 3 months even if you’re paying it back over 12 months, very rarely they will agree to defer for 6 months.

 I read your post about CAB it just wasn’t clear whether they’d suggested what you do next ?‍♀️

I left this message in my journal ...

I need to ask if my payments for my UC advance can be deferred until my LCW has been sorted out. I know that the ESA WRAG, that I was on previously, was transferred to my UC account on July 5th 2019 and I now find myself in financial difficulties and will soon find myself unable to pay my rent.

My CAB rep basically had nothing more to say, can't even remember if she said she'd call back about anything - I did get a little 'agitated' at her insistence that I wouldn't receive any extra benefit on LCW.