I am on ESA, If I apply for housing will I be put on Universal Credit ?

Bpositive91

I am 31 and I have never lived apart from my Mum, I am seriously looking at getting my own place now as I want my own independence and I think it is long overdue.

I think I seen something a while ago that if you claim for housing that you get taken off ESA and have to apply for universal credit, is this correct?

Thanks

life

If you already claim housing benefit and move to a new borough you'll be asked to move to universal credit. If you already claim housing benefit and stay within the borough that you're in now you should have a choice to stay on housing benefit or move to universal credit.  Hopefully someone on here will give you some more advice later on today 👍

life

Also this might help https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/claiming-discretionary-housing-payments/claiming-discretionary-housing-payments it helped me when I moved house. 

calcotti

As you are not already claiming Housing Benefit you will not be able to make a new claim for it (unless you are moving into supported accommodation). 

To get help with rent you will have to claim UC. Claiming UC will end any income based ESA that you receive. Do you know what type of ESA you receive?

The maximum amount of help with rent if renting privately is capped by the Local Housing Allowance. You can find rates for LHA here https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/search.aspx

As you are under 35 you are only entitled to the shared accommodation rate unless you are entitled to Daily Living PIP or at least mid rate Care of DLA.

Unless you are risk of homelessness your local authority may not give you a DHP to help with moving so don’t rely on it.

Bpositive91

calcotti said:

As you are not already claiming Housing Benefit you will not be able to make a new claim for it (unless you are moving into supported accommodation). 

To get help with rent you will have to claim UC. Claiming UC will end any income based ESA that you receive. Do you know what type of ESA you receive?

The maximum amount of help with rent if renting privately is capped by the Local Housing Allowance. You can find rates for LHA here https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/search.aspx

As you are under 35 you are only entitled to the shared accommodation rate unless you are entitled to Daily Living PIP or at least mid rate Care of DLA.

Unless you are risk of homelessness your local authority may not give you a DHP to help with moving so don’t rely on it.

Hi. thanks very much for your help. 

I live with my mum atm in a council house, so I don't know if I am getting housing benefit or if that's under mum's account and it goes through her?

I am in Support group of ESA. Apparently ESA is being phased out and replaced with Universal Credit within next 1 - 3 years. 
Would I be best waiting to be transferred to UC before applying for housing for my own place, because   I apparently would get same amount on UC as I was getting on ESA, whereas if I come off ESA  now to claim UC I would probably get a lot less in my payments.?

I am not looking for shared accommodation, just a place for me and a potential girlfriend. 

what is DHP ?

thanks

poppy123456

Those claiming ESA are not expected to be migrated over to UC until at least 2028. Unless a change of circumstances prompts a move before then. This is part of the Government’s plan to save money because unless your ESA includes the SDP (yours doesn’t) then UC LCWRA pays more than ESA support group. 

Whether you choose to claim UC now is entirely your decision.

The housing benefit will be in your mums name only, not yours. 

DHP is discretionary housing payment from local Authority. Details here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/claiming-discretionary-housing-payments/claiming-discretionary-housing-payments

Bpositive91

poppy123456 said:

Those claiming ESA are not expected to be migrated over to UC until at least 2028. Unless a change of circumstances prompts a move before then. This is part of the Government’s plan to save money because unless your ESA includes the SDP (yours doesn’t) then UC LCWRA pays more than ESA support group. 

Whether you choose to claim UC now is entirely your decision.

The housing benefit will be in your mums name only, not yours. 

DHP is discretionary housing payment from local Authority. Details here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/claiming-discretionary-housing-payments/claiming-discretionary-housing-payments

thanks for that info Poppy.  I tohught it was by 2023 - 2024 that the transfer from ESA - UC would be taking place ?

poppy123456

Not anymore, they announced it in the Autumn budget last week. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1118417/CCS1022065440-001_SECURE_HMT_Autumn_Statement_November_2022_Web_accessible__1_.pdf

5.15 Employment and Support Allowance: delay managed move - The government is pushing back the managed migration of claimants on income-related Employment and Support Allowance (with the exception of those receiving Child Tax Credit) to UC to 2028. Employment and Support Allowance claimants are still able to make a claim for UC if they believe that they will be better off, and this will not affect the managed migration of other legacy benefits onto UC.

If you moved out from your mum's house you will of course need to claim UC for help with any rent. Any income Related ESA you're claiming at the time will end after 2 weeks, as advised.

Bpositive91

poppy123456 said:

Not anymore, they announced it in the Autumn budget last week. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1118417/CCS1022065440-001_SECURE_HMT_Autumn_Statement_November_2022_Web_accessible__1_.pdf

5.15 Employment and Support Allowance: delay managed move - The government is pushing back the managed migration of claimants on income-related Employment and Support Allowance (with the exception of those receiving Child Tax Credit) to UC to 2028. Employment and Support Allowance claimants are still able to make a claim for UC if they believe that they will be better off, and this will not affect the managed migration of other legacy benefits onto UC.

If you moved out from your mum's house you will of course need to claim UC for help with any rent. Any income Related ESA you're claiming at the time will end after 2 weeks, as advised.

I don't think this is a good thing because that means if I want to move out into my own place without having my benefits potentially halved from being put on UC, I will have to wait another 6 years or so to be transferred over ?
I get about £800 a month now on ESA but Universal credit is only about £300 - £400 a month?


I might be better staying on ESA and paying out my own money privately for renting somewhere?

calcotti

I infer that you get a Severe Disability Premium in your ESA. If so then you will indeed be worse off on UC.

poppy123456

Does your mum receive a disability benefit such as PIP daily living/DLA mid/high rate care or Attendance Allowance?

If your ESA includes the SDP then yes, if you claimed UC now then you would be worse off.

Bpositive91 said:

I don't think this is a good thing because that means if I want to move out into my own place without having my benefits potentially halved from being put on UC, I will have to wait another 6 years or so to be transferred over ?
I get about £800 a month now on ESA but Universal credit is only about £300 - £400 a month?


I might be better staying on ESA and paying out my own money privately for renting somewhere?

You can do that but financially you would likely be worse off because you would be paying all your rent from your current benefits.

UC would include rent, standard allowance and LCWRA and the SDP transitional protection if your ESA includes the SDP.

Anyway, before all that you'll need to find somewhere to live with may not be easy.

calcotti

poppy123456 said:

UC would include rent, standard allowance and LCWRA and the SDP transitional protection if your ESA includes the SDP. 

To get the SDP element included they will need to make sure that they do things in the correct order
Find somewhere to live
Report change of address to ESA and confirm ongoing entitlement to SDP.
Then apply for UC which means they get the SDP element plus housing element.
This will mean a (hopefully short) period during which the rent is having to paid from the existing benefits.

If OP were to claim UC before moving they would get the SDP element but this would then be lost when the housing element is added.

I agree with you that if OP wants to rent they will almost certainly be worse off staying on ESA rather that claiming UC (unless the LHA rate where he lives is very low) because UC is the only way to get the help with rent.

By earlier comment

calcotti said:

I infer that you get a Severe Disability Premium in your ESA. If so then you will indeed be worse off on UC.

was badly written. I should have said that in existing situation will be worse off switching to UC. OP is also right that if they move to UC under managed migration while still living with mum they would get more UC than if they switch now. 

poppy123456

Blimey, i can't believe i totally missed giving that advice (been there and advised it many times before) thanks calcotti for this.

However, the amount that the OP is saying they receive each month for ESA does say that the SDP is included already.

Bpositive91 said:

I get about £800 a month now on ESA

However, unless the mother is claiming a qualifying disability benefit herself or registered blind they won't be receiving the SDP. If this is the case then the £800 mentioned is not what they would be receiving as a monthly amount. Monthly amount without the SDP will be £586. £135.35/week.

calcotti

poppy123456 said:

However, the amount that the OP is saying they receive each month for ESA does say that the SDP is included already. 

Yes I realised that based on the figure reported by OP. Just wanted to be clear that for someone in that someone in OP's position it is important to move before claiming UC. For someone without SDP I would recommend they switch to UC before seeking to move.

Again a case of how claimants are penalised if they don't have knowledge of how the different benefits work.

Bpositive91

poppy123456 said:

Does your mum receive a disability benefit such as PIP daily living/DLA mid/high rate care or Attendance Allowance?

If your ESA includes the SDP then yes, if you claimed UC now then you would be worse off.

Bpositive91 said:

I don't think this is a good thing because that means if I want to move out into my own place without having my benefits potentially halved from being put on UC, I will have to wait another 6 years or so to be transferred over ?
I get about £800 a month now on ESA but Universal credit is only about £300 - £400 a month?


I might be better staying on ESA and paying out my own money privately for renting somewhere?

You can do that but financially you would likely be worse off because you would be paying all your rent from your current benefits.

UC would include rent, standard allowance and LCWRA and the SDP transitional protection if your ESA includes the SDP.

Anyway, before all that you'll need to find somewhere to live with may not be easy.

hi, thanks for all this info and thank you also Calcotti, I appreciate your advice as well.

I'm not fully sure what my ESA includes whether its SDP or not but the amount is over £800 per month so I know some additional premium is added with it, I get PIP too.

I thought UC was only about £350 per month, and so I thought if I paid for rent out of my £800 + ESA even if I paid £500 rent I would be left with about £300 of it, which I assumed UC only pay about £300 anyway, and if I went on UC I would only get a flat. 

considering I get PIP , if I was to claim UC now how much would I be getting paid a month approximately?


Is LCWRA the same sort of thing as a disability premium on ESA ?

Did you say I would need to find someone to live with?  I am looking to move out and live alone or with a certain girl that I like .


thank you both in advance 


 

calcotti

UC would include the standard amount, the LCWRA element (equivalent to ESA Support Group but pays more), the SDP transitional element (if you sequence it correctly as described earlier) plus the help with rent. Use a benefit calculator to find your possible entitlement.

You don’t have to live with someone but normally if you are under 35 the maximum amount of help with rent is limited to the rate allowed for someone in shared accommodation. However if you have PIP you will be entitled to the one bedroom rate. 

Bpositive91

calcotti said:

UC would include the standard amount, the LCWRA element (equivalent to ESA Support Group but pays more), the SDP transitional element (if you sequence it correctly as described earlier) plus the help with rent. Use a benefit calculator to find your possible entitlement.

You don’t have to live with someone but normally if you are under 35 the maximum amount of help with rent is limited to the rate allowed for someone in shared accommodation. However if you have PIP you will be entitled to the one bedroom rate. 

Hi, 
Would that all be added automatically, or would I need to go through a procedure for that?

Because I get PIP would the LCWRA/sdp element be added right away.

And I didn't know that I thought everyone was entitled to a minimum of a 1-bedroom property, but that's not the case for those who don't receive PIP? 

Bpositive91

calcotti said:

I infer that you get a Severe Disability Premium in your ESA. If so then you will indeed be worse off on UC.

calcotti said:

I infer that you get a Severe Disability Premium in your ESA. If so then you will indeed be worse off on UC.

How much approximately worse off might I be if I went on UC ?
I get £800 and something a month on ESA, 

apparently the rate for UC   If you're single and 25 or over, £334.91.     If I went from ESA to claim UC would I only be getting £334 a month rather than £800 + on ESA ?

If so I would be better staying on ESA and paying £500 a month of my own money  out of that on the 3 bedroom house,
 because if I went on UC to claim rent and I was £500 a month worse off + I'd only get a 1 bed flat as well ?

calcotti

Bpositive91 said:.

How much approximately worse off might I be if I went on UC ?

You keep asking the same question. Please use a benefits calculator.

Previous replies have already explained in detail that you would get more than just the standard allowance.

In general however I would expect you to be worse off if you switched to UC now but if you were renting in the future and switched to UC the UC would likely be more than your ESA because the UC would then help with rent.

LCWRA element should be automatically be included if you are receiving ESA Support Group at the time of claiming UC.

poppy123456

All of this was explained to you in a previous thread. Except there was no mention of the amount of ESA you were receiving in that thread. https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/92101/30-years-old-and-want-to-look-at-getting-my-own-place-what-is-the-first-thing-i-need-to-do#latest

Regarding the SDP may i just check that your mum either claims a qualifying disability benefit herself such as PIP daily living, DLA mid/high rate care or Attendance Allowance? if not is she registered blind?

calcotti

poppy123456 said:

All of this was explained to you in a previous thread. Except there was no mention of the amount of ESA you were receiving in that thread. https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/92101/30-years-old-and-want-to-look-at-getting-my-own-place-what-is-the-first-thing-i-need-to-do#latest

Poppy, I hadn’t spotted the previous discussion of these issues five months ago!

The only policy change is the four year delay to managed migration date for ESA claimants.