Moving in with partner and starting work

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leisaa

Posting here because I wish I had known and hopefully it may help someone else.

I had been on ESA for years and managed to find a fulltime job I could do even with my disability. I started last week and I figured as I was moving in with my partner who also works that we wouldn’t be entitled to any help as his income would stop my esa and so would mine. 

If I had claimed UC before closing my esa, we would have been entitled to a few hundred pound a month to help towards our rent as my support group status would mean I’d have a work allowance and and the LCWRA element on my claim. Now, because ESA closed when I started work I will not get a work allowance on UC and won’t be entitled to any help as my esa won’t transition.

If I had claimed UC first it would have been fine and got some extra help each month on top of our wages. I am actually surprised just how much you can earn as a couple with rent if you get a work allowance and still get help but sadly we have missed out.

I hope this might help someone else not make my mistake  

poppy123456

HI and welcome,

Thanks for the information.

It's always worth getting a full benefits check before doing anything. UC Isn't perfect but some people are definitely better off claiming this than they were claiming the old legacy benefits, like ESA. Of course the standard allowance has increased by about £85 per month and is in place until April 2021, so this would have also helped.

If you're claiming PIP or DLA then you can start the LCW process off again for UC but if you're not then working more than 16 hours a weeks means you won't be able to do that now.

Although even if you're claiming a disability benefit, if the work you do contradicts the reasons why you're claiming LCW then this can go against you.