awarded sdp, and am getting an arrears payment of over £16,000. What would happen if I claimed UC?

pabab22

hi I was awarded SDP and I'm getting an arrears payment of over 16000, I am on income-related ESA, I am looking to move home and understand that if I get my own place and living alone I would need to claim UC for HB, will this be classed as savings by universal credit or will it be disregarded, from what I have read arrears payments of over 16000 would be disregarded till the end of my ESA claim but what would happen if I claimed UC? any answers would be great thank you!   

calcotti

I think the applicable disregard is 12 months from the date you received the payment.

poppy123456

If you're currently claiming housing benefit, you only need to claim UC if you move to a different Local Authority. If you stay within the same Local Authority you can continue with housing benefit.

pabab22

thank for the reply @calcotti @poppy123456 i am not currently on housing benefit, so would that mean i have to make a claim for UC thank you for reply! 

poppy123456

Yes a claim for UC would be needed if you need to claim for help with the rent.

poppy123456

Username_removed said:

Are you on just means-tested ESA or is there a contribution based element? Asking because, if there were, you could retain that and claim HB without claiming UC albeit with a drop in income.

  Unless the OP is moving into Supported/sheltered or temporary housing, surely you can't make a new claim for HB?

pabab22

hi @Username_removed thanks for your reply im not sure, I'm in the support group does contribution mean you pay ni contributions? not sure if I have any contribution-based element? 

poppy123456

Username_removed said:

poppy123456 said:

Username_removed said:

Are you on just means-tested ESA or is there a contribution based element? Asking because, if there were, you could retain that and claim HB without claiming UC albeit with a drop in income.

  Unless the OP is moving into Supported/sheltered or temporary housing, surely you can't make a new claim for HB?

DOH. Sunday morning. 

Haha no worries. I thought i was going completely crazy

poppy123456

pabab22 said:

hi @Username_removed thanks for your reply im not sure, I'm in the support group does contribution mean you pay ni contributions? not sure if I have any contribution-based element? 

It makes no difference because as advised, you can't make a new claim for housing benefit unless you're going to be living in either Supported/sheltered or temporary housing. Please ignore Mike's comment, as indicated here, he wasn't thinking correctly...

Username_removed said:

poppy123456 said:

Username_removed said:

Are you on just means-tested ESA or is there a contribution based element? Asking because, if there were, you could retain that and claim HB without claiming UC albeit with a drop in income.

  Unless the OP is moving into Supported/sheltered or temporary housing, surely you can't make a new claim for HB?

DOH. Sunday morning.