ESA, Housing Benefit and reaching Pension Age

Shastus

I received a letter stating our housing benefit ends when I reach pension age this year. I’m currently claiming ESA for myself and my wife and been getting housing benefit for a while I reach pension age soon and my wife has three more years before she reaches pension age. The letter tells us to put a claim in for Universal Credit. This is all very confusing. Can anyone help I’m at a loss.

calcotti

Unfortunately the advice is correct. When you reach pension age your ESA and Housing Benefit will end. You will start to receive your State Pension. You will need to claim Universal Credit instead to get help with the rent. You must both claim Universal Credit.

This is a result of rules for 'Mixed Age Couples' introduced by the government in 2019.

You should claim UC so at least a couple of weeks before reaching pension age. This will ensure that your Work Capability status is transferred across from ESA to UC. If you wait until after reaching pension age you will lose this.

Do you or your wife receive PIP or Carer's Allowance or any other benefits in addition to the ESA and HB?

When your wife reaches pension age the Universal Credit will end and you will again have to claim Housing Benefit.

Shastus

Thank You. I’ve just received a letter saying my ESA will be so much after my birthday because of changes. But you say my ESA ends after I reach pension age, even more confused now.

poppy123456

Your ESA will end once you reach state pension age because it's a working age benefit.

calcotti

Shastus said:

Thank You. I’ve just received a letter saying my ESA will be so much after my birthday because of changes. But you say my ESA ends after I reach pension age, even more confused now.

That sounds like an incorrect letter. Ring ESA if you want to query it.

As per my earlier reply, if you are willing to say whether or not you or your wife receive any other benefits we can give you a bit more information about what to expect when you claim UC.

Shastus

Hi Calcotti yes I’m receiving PIP to but not mobility part and my wife never claimed carers allowance. So do I need to claim UC for ESA and HB?

calcotti

If you claim UC before reaching pension age your ESA Support Group status will transfer across as Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity (LCWRA) for UC. Your wife must also claim and should declare that she is caring for you and that you get Daily Living PIP. She will then be entitled to the carer element of UC and will not be expected to look for work.

Your UC award will therefore be calculated as
standard allowance (£525.72/month), plus housing element (help with rent), LCWRA element (£354.28/month) and carer element (£168.81/month). Your pension income will be deducted in full and the remaining amount will be the UC payable.

It's unfortunate that your wife never claimed Carer's Allowance for looking after you as she would have got NI credits by claiming it which would have counted for her future State Pension. As a partner on your ESA claim she doesn't get any credits. If she had claimed Carer's Allowance it would also have increased your overall benefit income by about £37/week. However if you are now going to claim UC there is no benefit in her claiming CA because she will get NI credits from UC anyway and if she claimed CA it will simply be deduced from the UC.

Shastus

Thank You very much Calcotti when would be the best time to claim UC my birthday is middle June. Should I claim now or leave it until 3-4 weeks before birthday once again thank you for your help. 

calcotti

Shastus said:..when would be the best time to claim UC ..

Without knowing all your circumstances I can't answer that. It is likely that if you switch to UC now you will be get more benefit on UC than you currently get on ESA given that your wife doesn't claim CA - but without all details of your circumstances it isn't possible to say. You could try a benefits calculator and see what results you get.

Shastus

thank you for all your help Calcotti

Shastus

OMG applied for UC first me and my wife had to make accounts then had to link the accounts as a couple, then we each filled all the questions asked and now it seams we both have a back to work coach brilliant now I’m stressed out what if I have to go to another medical assessment I’m shaking and feel sick now just thinking about it all. The back to work coach is ringing us tomorrow. Why can’t they just switch things over for you it’s all the same company DWP  ESA, UC and state pension. Dreading tomorrow now.

poppy123456

When you claim

Shastus said:

OMG applied for UC first me and my wife had to make accounts then had to link the accounts as a couple, then we each filled all the questions asked and now it seams we both have a back to work coach brilliant now I’m stressed out what if I have to go to another medical assessment I’m shaking and feel sick now just thinking about it all. The back to work coach is ringing us tomorrow. Why can’t they just switch things over for you it’s all the same company DWP  ESA, UC and state pension. Dreading tomorrow now.

If you were claiming ESA when you claimed UC then your ESA award will transfer with you. If you were in the Support Group you'll be entitled to the LCWRA element of UC from the start of your claim. Although it can sometimes take a while for the element to be added.

It's perfectly normal to have a work coach when you first claim UC. You will each need to attend your local Job centre for your first appointment. You will need to agree to your claimant commiments, which will only be for you both to agree to report any changes.

As you're claiming daily living PIP then your wife needs to make sure she's reported being your carer and she will have the carers element added to your claim. She will have no work commiments because she's your carer. If she's claiming Carers allowance this will be deducted in full from your UC entitlement and your state pension (when it starts) will also be deducted in full.

No one is automatically put onto UC, you have to claim it yourself. Even though it's DWP for all those benefits, they are different departments.

calcotti

poppy123456 said:..Even though it's DWP for all those benefits, they are different departments. 

And the different computer systems don't talk to each other.

poppy123456

calcotti said:

poppy123456 said:..Even though it's DWP for all those benefits, they are different departments. 

And the different computer systems don't talk to each other.

Indeed, it would be so much easier if they did.

Shastus

Thank You Poppy123456 it’s all so very confusing. We had the phone appointments now I’m seeing work coach at Jobcentre my wife doesn’t need to have a face to face appointment even tho I asked the guy on the phone why I need a work coach when I’m retiring in a week he said everyone has to but then he spoke to my wife and said she doesn’t need to. He did say our first payment would be 14th July if we were successful. I felt sick waiting for phone appointment my guts are in knots now waiting for face to face appointment tomorrow. Once again thank you for your time.

Shastus

Had face to face appointment this afternoon and apparently I need to go weekly to see work coach and have to accept search for work commitments. I said I reach retirement in a week he said it’s an unusual case and he’s not sure what to do, his answer was let’s let the dust settle and he’ll see me next week on my birthday. This whole thing has me totally confused and feeling ill 

calcotti

As I understand it you have claimed UC while in the ESA Support Group so should be treated as having LCWRA. You therefore have no work search requirements regardless of your age. You should remind the work coach of that (they may not have had confirmation from ESA yet which could be what's causing the problem).

The reason your wife is being left alone is because she is caring for you.

Tori_Scope

How are you feeling today @Shastus? I'm sorry this has been so distressing for you!

Shastus

I’ve got a new message today on my UC Journal saying I don’t need to attend the work coach meetings now so I guess they’ve looked into my ESA and should get first payment 14th July that may mean we will be 2 weeks in arrears with the rent if we are the UC advisor who phoned said to contact them if we have any problems so we will have to see what happens on the 14th July.
I'm still quite stressed about this. On top of all this I’m having weekly hospital treatment 

Biblioklept

when you claimed UC did they not keep paying housing benefit for a few weeks? 

calcotti

Biblioklept said:

when you claimed UC did they not keep paying housing benefit for a few weeks? 

HB would continue for 2 weeks but obviously there is a further 3 week wait before any UC is received which causes a cash flow issue. Nonetheless the housing help will effectively be paid double for a two week period.