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Entitled Benefits.

Charrleh

Hi Folks, long time lurker first time poster.

I have a query about what benefits i'm entitled to, so a quick bit of background i recently won my esa appeal at tribunal and was put in the Support Group and as far as i knew that was £111.65 per week. So yesterday i got a letter from the DWP confirming i am on Contributed ESA and on the Support group and will be getting £111.65

So I went online and used a couple of the Benefit calculators to check what i was entitled to and they now have me slightly confused... So the confusion is thus according to the calculator or the way i'm reading it. My Contributed ESA is a non means-tested benefit so i am also entitled to also claim £16.80 a week from Income-related Employment and Support Allowance which is means tested Or i could also claim Universal credit alongside my Contributed ESA and be entitled to £39.27 a week from Universal Credit.

So is this correct or have i misread it?

To quickly explain the figures below as i understand them... The £317.82 & £336.20 are what you would get claiming UC as a single benefit, But as i am already claiming Contribution ESA which amounts to £483.81 per month. So this is taken off and leaves a payment of £170,31 Per month from Universal Credit.

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poppy123456

Hi,

Great news on the Tribunal win. Before i can help you further, are you claiming New Style ESA or the old Contributions based ESA?

Also do you live with a partner that works? Do you claim for housing benefit?

Charrleh

I believe it's the new style, Don't live with partner nor do i claim housing benefit.

poppy123456

Then it will be Universal Credit you need to claim for the top up but claiming this will depend on savings/capital and income from pensions. If none of these apply then your calculation above is correct.

Charrleh

Thank you very much poppy, Yeah like most folk i scored 0 points at medical then 15 at Tribunal. The whole system is a mess and is leaving vulnerable people without money they need and are entitled to. My fight is not over as i have just got on the PIP merry go round so am expecting the same shenanigans from DWP as i experienced with ESA.

Chloe_Alumni

Hi @Charrleh and a warm welcome to the community! I'm glad @poppy123456 has been able to answer your question but please do let us know if there is anything else we can do.

poppy123456

You're welcome. Although i've never had any problems with either PIP or ESA i've always found PIP much easier. Good luck with the PIP and hopefully you'll be successfully awarded.

Charrleh

Hi back again, So after getting the above advice, i was not sure on how it all worked for example would dwp try to move me from ESA CB to UC or if the UC would run alongside the ESA CB and i don't want UC as a single payment i want to stay on ESA so i made an appointment with my local CAB to confirm how this all works, due diligence if you like.

Anyway went along today and was given conflicting advice by the welfare adviser, so i don't know how to proceed. Basically i was told I would need to move to UC as any top up from UC can't run along side my ESA CB and it was further stressed to me it would be a bad thing to move to UC.

I was advised instead to call the DWP ESA and request an ESA3 form to get moved onto ESA IR from ESA CB and then claim Enhanced disability premium (£16.80).

From what i've read online UC can run alongside ESA so i'm not sure if i've been unlucky and got someone today who has gaps in their knowledge or if what was said is correct so i though i would jump back on here to see if you guys can help me unmuddy the water for me.

poppy123456

As a community champion here on scope, that's pretty bad advice you've had there from your local CAB i must be honest.

As previously advised, For extra money you need to claim UC and it will run along side your ESA BUT it will be deducted £1 for £1, it won't stop complicated. It's deducted because you can't receive the money twice. You won't be able to fill out the ESA3 form for the top up to be on ESA because it doesn't exist on New style ESA.

Once you claim UC you'll receive the standard allowance and the LCWRA element and the ESA deductions will be £483 per month. Your UC will be £170 per month (your calculation above is correct) on top of your £111.65 per week ESA.

When you claim UC you need to tell them you're in the support group for ESA and make sure you don't send any fit notes because these are not needed.

Charrleh

This is what i was thinking about the advice from CAB and why i'm taking my time with it all, as all it takes is for me to act on one bit of incorrect advice and im left picking up the pieces. It's the reason i come on here as i know i,m going to get factually correct advice and you guys do a great job in helping us all.

I've trawled through enough posts on here and on the internet in general to know what i got told yesterday was not correct, so again thank you for your help.

Joanne_Alumni

Hi @Charrleh,

Welcome to the Community.

I am sorry to hear that you got such bad advice from CAB! You are right to always double check information. @poppy123456 is pretty amazing when it comes to benefits so this community is a great place to come for sensible, accurate advice.

poppy123456

@Joanne_Scope thank you for those kind words, you certainly put a smile on my face this morning!

Charrleh

Hi, Need some more help here as i'm having issues filling out the UC claim, there is no where on the form that asks if i'm in receipt of any benefits like ESA CB also there is nowhere for me to inform them i'm already on the Support group.

On the health section it asks if you have a fit note if you select yes it asks for the dates and if you select no it asks from which date has your condition affected your ability to work or look for work and then advises you need a sick note after 7 days and that If they don't receive an up-to-date fit note, they will assume that i am able to work. but alas there is nowhere for me to advise them i don't require sick notes as i'm already on the Support Group so i'm a bit lost in what i'm supposed to fill in here.

Adrian_Scope

Hello @Charrleh. There isn't anywhere on the UC application to state you are already in receipt of ESA support group, it's sorted after you apply. I know you've already been advised but just to reiterate, you do not need to submit a fit notes as you are already in the support group. If you submit one, it can trigger a reassessment which you don't need.

After you've applied, you should leave a note on your journal explaining that you have a determined award for ESA and this should be transitioned to Universal Credit. Your case manager should then send an MPG1 form to ESA to get the information they need from them.
As well as leaving a note on your journal, it may be worth you giving them a follow up call when they open on Monday.

I hope that helps.

Charrleh

Thank you very much for your assistance Adrian, i was not sure if it was ok to just leave it blank. It now makes more sense after what you have said.

Adrian_Scope

No problem at all @Charrleh. Best of luck with your claim and if you need help with anything else please don't hesitate to ask.