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Hi all I am Msmurf1962 need advice on ESA and UC

msmurf1962

I am a 60-year-old male and I have been medically retired since 2010. I am on ESA contribution based and get 245.20 every fortnight and I also get PIP enhanced for Motability and care components. Now last year my wife went on sick and we were told we had to make a joint claim for UC which we did, my wife gets a carer's allowance for me. I still get ESA every fortnight and wondered if I should stop the ESA and get UC as UC deducted the ESA from my UC and my wife's carers allowance. Would I be better off or should I keep it the way I am doing right now, any advice would be most grateful.

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Comments

poppy123456

You should continue with your ESA because it could be useful in the future, if your wife returns to work or you have savings/capital of more than £16,000. Your ESA isn’t means tested but UC is.

Some also find it better to budget by having the fortnightly payments because UC is paid monthly.
You also need to make sure that your UC included the carers element.

calcotti

msmurf1962 said:. Would I be better off or should I keep it the way I am doing right now, any advice would be most grateful.

It makes no difference to your total income whether or not you get ESA and UC or just UC. However I agree with poppy that you should keep the ESA going in because you will not be able to get it back if you stop it and the fact it is not means tested gives you some protection against future changes.