Losing over £3000 a year on Universal Credit

zr1992

Basically, I used to receive £137.40 a week ESA from 27 April 2017 until 6 December 2018 comprising of the personal allowance of £73.10 and the severe disability premium of £64.30 (while receiving lower rate mobility and middle rate care component on DLA). Unfortunately due to being sent to prison my claim for ESA ended on 6th December 2018. The sentence was overturned by a judge on 11th January following an appeal against sentence and I was released. On 11th January 2019 I once again moved back into my supported accommodation (which is a private flat provided by a supported housing agency). On 15th January 2019 I applied for ESA but was told I needed to apply for Universal Credit so I did, bear in mind this was a day before the government announced new legislation to prevent previous SDP claimants from moving onto Universal Credit. Little did I know that SDP wasn't payable on Universal Credit. My DLA has since transitioned to PIP where I am once again receiving standard rate mobility and standard rate daily living component, so would be eligible for SDP if I was on ESA. As you may or may not know, on 23rd July 2019 the government introduced new legislation to provide support for claimants who were previously receiving SDP but had already moved across to Universal Credit however they rejected my claim for transitional payments because they said there was over a month gap between my ESA ending on 6th December 2018 and me applying for Universal Credit on 15th January 2019. They were keen to clarify that transitional protection is only available to those who made a claim for Universal Credit within a month of their ESA claim ending. Even though my support needs have not changed, at all. This seems incredibly unfair as I have support costs to meet that I frankly cannot meet on standard universal credit, and have subsequently accumulated a four figure debt to the NHS in the months since I have been on Universal Credit expecting that, at some point, I would be reimbursed. But apparently not. What am I supposed to do?