SDP still waiting

Yolanda26

Hello,

I am new here, I found the site when trying to google my answer but had no joy finding an answer. I hope someone can help.

Due to being disabled I was offered a council home out of the borough, I knew I would have to claim  UC  to help with housing cost, but I had no option because it had wheel chair access & I was finding extremely hard in my current home.

I have now been waiting over 6 months for SDP to be added to my UC. Each time I ask about it on my journal I am told the job centre is dealing with this and it should not be too long? I can't understand the reason why it would even take this length of time. I am worse off on UC.

Is this happening to everyone? I am confused to why a simple task would take over 6 months?

poppy123456

Whether you're entitled to the SDP transitional protection for UC depend on a few things.

What benefits exactly were you claiming before UC? Did any of those include the SDP?

When you claimed UC were you living alone and no one was claiming carers allowance or carers element of UC for looking after you?

calcotti

You cannot get SDP as such added to your UC - it doesn't exist in UC.

If you were receiving SDP in a previous ESA claim and claimed UC while still getting the ESA or claimed within one month of the ESA stopping then you are entitled to a SDP transitional element in the UC. This will be reduced as other elements are added or increased in value.

It would be helpful if you could clarify the sequence of moving from ESA to UC.

If you are eligible for SDP transitional element you are correct that it shouldn't take them 6 months to sort it out.

Yolanda26

Thank you for your replies. I was living alone and receiving SPD in my ESA claim at the time I moved on to UC. I am on PIP too. They confirmed I was eligible but just told me I have to wait until the job centre get around to adding this. what is the normal wait time please? As I  just presumed it would all be done automatically.

calcotti

Yolanda26 said: They confirmed I was eligible but just told me I have to wait until the job centre get around to adding this. 

That is bizarre. May be worth involving your MP and/or making a complaint https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about/complaints-procedure

Yolanda26

calcotti said:

Yolanda26 said: They confirmed I was eligible but just told me I have to wait until the job centre get around to adding this. 

That is bizarre. May be worth involving your MP and/or making a complaint https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about/complaints-procedure

Thank you.  Do you please know what is normal wait times for it to be added?  I do not wish to keep pestering them about it but I never seem to get an update when I question them about.

I wonder if they do it too lots of people hoping they just forget about it?

calcotti

Yolanda26 said: Do you please know what is normal wait times for it to be added? 

I don't know but if they have already decided that you qualify I cannot see that there is any good reason for such an extended delay.
It isn't instant because they will have to review all of your payments from the start of your claim, add the SDP in at the start and then check on each subsequent payment whether anything has changed on the other elements of the award requiring them to reduce the amount of the SDP element.