ESA TO UC

emc123
emc123 Online Community Member Posts: 90 Empowering
edited December 2022 in Benefits and income
Hi, my best friend, 69, is on standard state pension no savings, her hubby,60 had to leave work due to health and is now on ESA C'Based, Support Group, and Standard DL PIP.
Afew questions they've asked me I can't confirm so asking the Wise :-) 
** Would Hubby be better off on UC as the LCWRA is significantly More than Support Group£.?
**Would her pension be deducted as Income for UC/ & Council?
**Does his CB ESA run out in a year? If so what then? (I heard it doesn't if in support group)?
**They've been given a 2 bed Bungalow via council, Would they have Rent&CT to pay?
And With his health conditions the 2nd bedroom is a Must,
**Would they be exempt from the bedroom tax given his PIP etc?
Apologies for the multi Ask :-( 
Thanks so much in advance x


Comments

  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,005 Championing
    edited November 2022
    He cannot claim for UC on his own. Any UC entitlement will be based on joint circumstances of friend and hubby. They would both have to claim. There may be no entitlement. Both the ESA and the pension income will be taken into account in full and deducted from the maximum UC entitlement.

    UC will not be instead of ESA. It would be as well as (but the UC reduced by the ESA as per previous paragraph).

    Because he is in the Support Group the CB ESA has no time limit.

    Yes there will be rent and Council Tax to pay. If it is supported housing they can claim Housing Benefit with rent, if not supported house help with rent would be by claiming UC.

    They can apply for Council Tax Reduction for help with Council Tax,

    PIP does not give automatic entitlement to a right to a spare bedroom. They would have to argue the need and a decision maker would have to decide. 

    When claiming UC your friend should declare that she looks after her husband, this will increase the UC entitlement.

    They can’t claim UC if they have more than £16,000 of savings.

    They can put their circumstances into a benefits calculator to find out what they may be entitled to.
    For example https://www.entitledto.co.uk/
  • Alex_Alumni
    Alex_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,538 Championing
    Hello @emc123 has calcotti been able to help answer your questions, or is there anything else you're unsure of?