Do I need to do ESA50 if I've already done UC50 and am LCWRA?

buildupbuttercup

Do I need to do ESA50 if I've already done UC50 and was categories as being LCWRA?

Also, when I made my claim on gov website it asked when I wanted to make my claim from so I just put tomorrow's date because I didn't understand the question. I have just read that you should put the date you started having low capability for work and that was about a year ago. How do I change this, is it necessary to change it?

Lastly, I just received a text from DWP saying someone will call me within however many weeks. Is it possible to be asked not to be called out of the blue as it makes me very anxious, but rather contacted by text or something, or to have a phone call scheduled?

Thanks

buildupbuttercup

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poppy123456

Why are you claiming New Style ESA? You need to have worked and paid NI contributions in the previous 2 tax years to claim this.
Do you still claim Universal Credit? 

calcotti

Be aware that claiming ns-ESA will not increase your income because the ESA will be deducted from your UC. Nonetheless if you qualify for ESA then it is generally sensible to claim it as protection against changes of circumstance that could result in loss of UC.

Given that-you have already been found to have a LCWRA I would not expect you to be sent an ESA50, the existing decision should be used.

As regards the start date, ESA can only be backdated a maximum of three months. If you have been getting UC throughout that period there is unlikely to be any benefit to backdating the ESA (unless your UC is less than £114.10/week = 494.93/month).

buildupbuttercup

calcotti said:

Be aware that claiming ns-ESA will not increase your income because the ESA will be deducted from your UC. Nonetheless if you qualify for ESA then it is generally sensible to claim it as protection against changes of circumstance that could result in loss of UC.

Given that-you have already been found to have a LCWRA I would not expect you to be sent an ESA50, the existing decision should be used.

As regards the start date, ESA can only be backdated a maximum of three months. If you have been getting UC throughout that period there is unlikely to be any benefit to backdating the ESA (unless your UC is less than £114.10/week = 494.93/month).

Okay I didn't know this and am looking into ESA as means to raise my income as I struggle a lot. Does the maximum of 114.10 a week include disability premiums or could that figure be raised further by premiums? Thank you

buildupbuttercup

poppy123456 said:

Why are you claiming New Style ESA? You need to have worked and paid NI contributions in the previous 2 tax years to claim this.
Do you still claim Universal Credit? 

I worked for about 6 months in 2019. I claim universal credit currently yes, LCWRA. 

poppy123456

You can't claim the disablity premiums on New style ESA because it's a contributions based benefit only. The disability premiums are only available on the old benefits and you can't claim those because you already claim UC. To be honest, LCWRA for UC actually pays more than ESA Support Group.

If you only worked for 6 months in 2019 then you won't be able to claim it.

buildupbuttercup

poppy123456 said:

You can't claim the disablity premiums on New style ESA because it's a contributions based benefit only. The disability premiums are only available on the old benefits and you can't claim those because you already claim UC. To be honest, LCWRA for UC actually pays more than ESA Support Group.

If you only worked for 6 months in 2019 then you won't be able to claim it.

Thank you for clearing that up I was worrying about the application process but the more I find out about ESA the less worth it it seems. I will stick with UC.

poppy123456

If eligible it is worth claiming it because it's not means tested like UC is but as advised, you haven't worked enough in tax years 2018 to 2020 to be able to claim it.