Contribution based New Style ESA vs Universal Credit

AreTheySpiteful

Hi everyone, I’m new here. I attached screenshots not realising they’re not allowed, so please bear with. 

Hoping someone can help as I’m exhausted, in pain, anxious and I can’t believe what’s happening to me. 

I was recently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and the past five months have mainly been looking for pain management, going for xrays and ultrasounds etc. 
I have been signed off work since being diagnosed and was told to apply for Contribution Based New Style ESA and at the same time to apply for Universal Credit. I did the UC capability medical exam and was assigned to the support group

I’ve redacted information about myself. 

Now when I visit EntitledTo, that website gives me this information…

That result is fantastic and would be fantastic to have. UC have been decimating everything from me financially. They claim that I’m on £495 approx from ESA. They’re not taking into account that I’m on CBNSESA, which doesn’t seem to make sense as all I get paid from CBNSESA at the moment is £149 a FORTNIGHT. 
UC told me to phone ESA and tell them to update their records. I was on hold for 35 minutes before the call was answered. Advisor stated that I should be getting what EntitledTo stated in that screenshot. BTW, I can’t believe UC got me to phone ESA and I WAS ON HOLD for 35 minutes. I’ve phoned the UC helpline twice, both times the advisor stated that my payment doesn’t look correct and the case management should rectify it. 

Wait, it gets worse. 

My rent has spiralled into arrears. UC are taking £65 from my UC for rent arrears!! UC is putting me more into debt. I can’t believe all this is happening to me. I’m going to show you two recent payment breakdowns from UC…

The pages didn’t upload in order, but you get the gist of it. 

I’ve literally had no money for four months, my rent is getting more and more into arrears. No one at UC or ESA seems to give a damn. 

I phoned CAB and have asked for legal advice, that appointment is next Monday. 

My stress levels are through the roof, it’s 2:20am and I’m writing this. I’m in constant pain and don’t sleep anymore. I can upload what my case manager has explained in a continuum of this post. 

I just need help. It’s like I’m constantly running into brick walls and I’ve had enough. 

I applied for PIP, that decision is ten weeks away because of the backlog. 

Please, anyone in the same position? Anyone has been in this position? 

Any legal advice people here?

Help, please help 

calcotti

If you are LCWRA for UC you should be in the Support Group for ESA (unless your ESA claim is less than 14 weeks old) and should be receiving £228.20/fortnight. You do need ESA to correct the ESA payments.

If there is a shortfall between the help UC gives you for rent and your actual rent you may be able to get extra help by applying to your local authority for a Discretionary Housing Payment.

AreTheySpiteful

calcotti said:

If you are LCWRA for UC you should be in the Support Group for ESA (unless your ESA claim is less than 14 weeks old) and should be receiving £228.20/fortnight. You do need ESA to correct the ESA payments.

If there is a shortfall between the help UC gives you for rent and your actual rent you may be able to get extra help by applying to your local authority for a Discretionary Housing Payment.

Hi Calcotti, thanks for your message. 

I started receiving EESA on 10/01/22, initial payments were £149.40 a fortnight. This did increase to £213.89 on 01/03/22. My most recent payment was 07/03/22 for £228.20. 

I am in the support group for ESA and do not have to provide a fit note until my case is reassessed. 

It feels like what I should do is stop UC, continue with ESA, and then reapply for UC to just pay renting costs. 

UC are taking everything from me. My last statement from them was ‘awarded £888.17, deductions £888.17’. 
DHP said no to me. 

I do have the appointment with CAB on 14/03/22. See what they suggest also I guess. 

Thanks again. 

Adrian_Scope

Hello @AreTheySpiteful. It sounds like your UC is potentially incorrect. 

When you look at your most recent UC statement, what does it have in the top section? Does it have 'Standard Allowance' and then 'Housing' and then 'LCWRA' before the total? What are the amounts it has given for each section?

Are there any other deductions aside from your housing arrears?

You're welcome to share screenshots as long as they don't contain your full name or address. 

AreTheySpiteful

Adrian_Scope said:

Hello @AreTheySpiteful. It sounds like your UC is potentially incorrect. 

When you look at your most recent UC statement, what does it have in the top section? Does it have 'Standard Allowance' and then 'Housing' and then 'LCWRA' before the total? What are the amounts it has given for each section?

Are there any other deductions aside from your housing arrears?

You're welcome to share screenshots as long as they don't contain your full name or address. 

Hi, thanks for replying. I have screenshots with redacted information. I’ll see if I can add to this. 

I can’t see the LCWRA that you mention. 

Thank you. 

Adrian_Scope

It looks as though the LCWRA element is missing from your claim @AreTheySpiteful.

It should appear like this in the top section of your claim. 

Do you know what date you were awarded LCWRA/Support Group from? 

poppy123456

There's no LCWRA element on your statement. UC are incorrect not to pay you this. You should leave a message onto your journal under the payment section and ask them to add the LCWRA element to your claim because you're in the Support Group for ESA. Also point out the deductions that are being made for the ESA (which are correct) but it will prove you're in the Support Group.

I also note that the rent being paid to your landlord isn't the full amount because the deductions being made in UC.

AreTheySpiteful

Adrian_Scope said:

It looks as though the LCWRA element is missing from your claim @AreTheySpiteful.

It should appear like this in the top section of your claim. 

Do you know what date you were awarded LCWRA/Support Group from? 

I’ve never seen the LCWRA mentioned in my statements. 

I’ve just quickly read online that there is a waiting period of 3 months. Is that correct? My PIP decision is also 9-10 weeks away too. 

Thanks adrian_scope 

Adrian_Scope

The wait period is from when you first told them about your condition. Do you remember what date this was? Usually it's the date you reported your first fit note to UC. 

On your previous UC statements were they deducting £494 for ESA each month or were some of the deductions lower? 

AreTheySpiteful

poppy123456 said:

There's no LCWRA element on your statement. UC are incorrect not to pay you this. You should leave a message onto your journal under the payment section and ask them to add the LCWRA element to your claim because you're in the Support Group for ESA. Also point out the deductions that are being made for the ESA (which are correct) but it will prove you're in the Support Group.

I also note that the rent being paid to your landlord isn't the full amount because the deductions being made in UC.

Hi, I’ll be doing that today after getting this info. Isn’t there a 3 month waiting time or such?

UC are paying my rent arrears out of my housing. So they’re putting me MORE into rent arrears. Unbelievable. 

Thank you

AreTheySpiteful

Adrian_Scope said:

The wait period is from when you first told them about your condition. Do you remember what date this was? Usually it's the date you reported your first fit note to UC. 

On your previous UC statements were they deducting £494 for ESA each month or were some of the deductions lower? 

My first ever fit note for this condition was 15/10/2021. Th

My first ever fit note for this condition was 15/10/2021. Thats when it’s recorded with GP and it’s been ongoing since then. So technically yes, UC have been aware of this since the 15/10/2021. 

My first payment was on 06/12/2021 as I’d been working. I was left with £68. 

AreTheySpiteful

AreTheySpiteful said:

Adrian_Scope said:

The wait period is from when you first told them about your condition. Do you remember what date this was? Usually it's the date you reported your first fit note to UC. 

On your previous UC statements were they deducting £494 for ESA each month or were some of the deductions lower? 

My first ever fit note for this condition was 15/10/2021. Th

My first ever fit note for this condition was 15/10/2021. Thats when it’s recorded with GP and it’s been ongoing since then. So technically yes, UC have been aware of this since the 15/10/2021. 

My first payment was on 06/12/2021 as I’d been working. I was left with £68. 

Sorry, I wrote in the wrong bit. I’m not sleeping much thru the stress I’m going thru. My first ever fit note for this condition was 15/10/2021. Thats when it’s recorded with GP and it’s been ongoing since then. So technically yes, UC have been aware of this since the 15/10/2021. 

My first payment was on 06/12/2021 as I’d been working. I was left with £68.

Adrian_Scope

Do you know what date you first applied for UC? I can see from your statement your assessment period is 28th to 27th of each month. Was October when you first applied for UC and ESA?

If you look back at older UC statements, when did they begin deducting £494 from you for ESA?

AreTheySpiteful

Adrian_Scope said:

Do you know what date you first applied for UC? I can see from your statement your assessment period is 28th to 27th of each month. Was October when you first applied for UC and ESA?

If you look back at older UC statements, when did they begin deducting £494 from you for ESA?

This is my first statement from UC…

AreTheySpiteful

Adrian_Scope said:

Do you know what date you first applied for UC? I can see from your statement your assessment period is 28th to 27th of each month. Was October when you first applied for UC and ESA?

If you look back at older UC statements, when did they begin deducting £494 from you for ESA?

I’ve just seen this from the case manager in my journal

poppy123456

Im finding it very difficult to follow this thread now because of the long screen shots being posted. From what i can make out because the waiting period applied for the first 3 full assessment periods then the payments from UC were correct. As you've now had that message it seems like your UC payments will now include the LCWRA element going forward.

Adrian_Scope

I would ask them for clarification on when they believe it is set to increase as if I've understood your dates correctly, I believe you should have received the LCWRA element from this month's payment (6th March).

This would then mean your UC is calculated as follows:

Standard Allowance: £324.84
Housing: £563.33
LCWRA: £343.63
Total: £1231.80

Deductions:
-£494.43 (for ESA)
-£64.96 (for rent arrears)
-£563.33 (rent paid directly to landlord)

= £109.08 UC per month (as your rent is paid directly to your landlord). And then you'll receive your ESA of £228 fortnightly alongside this.

AreTheySpiteful

poppy123456 said:

Im finding it very difficult to follow this thread now because of the long screen shots being posted. From what i can make out because the waiting period applied for the first 3 full assessment periods then the payments from UC were correct. As you've now had that message it seems like your UC payments will now include the LCWRA element going forward.

Apologies, first time posting here and don’t know if I’m doing it correctly. So it seems I’ve another month to get thru and things should perk up. Blimey. What an awful prolonged system we have. Thanks again 

AreTheySpiteful

Adrian_Scope said:

I would ask them for clarification on when they believe it is set to increase as if I've understood your dates correctly, I believe you should have received the LCWRA element from this month's payment (6th March).

This would then mean your UC is calculated as follows:

Standard Allowance: £324.84
Housing: £563.33
LCWRA: £343.63
Total: £1231.80

Deductions:
-£494.43 (for ESA)
-£64.96 (for rent arrears)
-£563.33 (rent paid directly to landlord)

= £109.08 UC per month (as your rent is paid directly to your landlord). And then you'll receive your ESA of £228 fortnightly alongside this.

Ok, I’ll do that now. I’ll just ask for clarification of when it increases. It’s a bit vague on their behalf isn’t it? It’s such a lot of stress, I’ll get a payment from ESA soon. Thanks for your help. I’ll post what they say. 

Much appreciated 

calcotti

I'm also very confused.
UC are deducting an amount for UC as if you are in the Support Group and receiving ESA of £114.10/week
However UC have not included the LCWRA element in your UC award (issue number 1).
ESA are still paying you the assessment rate of £74.70/week (issue number 2).

If you are in the Support Group ESA should be paying you £114.10 from the fourteenth week of the claim. When did you claim ESA?

Adrian_Scope

@calcotti, the poster mentioned a few dates for ESA and it seems it has increased to support group from this month. 

"I started receiving EESA on 10/01/22, initial payments were £149.40 a fortnight. This did increase to £213.89 on 01/03/22. My most recent payment was 07/03/22 for £228.20."