UC Managed migration - Now receiving LESS than before Migration

ardencraig
ardencraig Online Community Member Posts: 16 Listener
in Universal Credit (UC)

Hi, I wonder if anyone can assist please? I'm assisting my sister with her managed migration. She was previously on ESA contribution based support groupl. She received £489 per fortnight. Her Housing benefit was around £107 per week, this was paid directly to her Housing association, her rent was £639 however the deficit was made up by a discretionary housing payment monthly. Since migration, UC is now paying the Full rent, however, this has been taken from the £489 per fortnight payment she used for living expenses. Therefore she is now worse off in real terms. Her discretionary housing payment stopped by the local council as the Rent is now paid in full from UC. I believed no one should be worse off when migrating over on a managed migration? Both ESA and UC have been very unhelpful. I have sent 9 different messages on her journal however the answere have been very unhelpful. I asked for a mandatory reconsideration and this hasnt been actioned. Thankfully I received a call from someone at Jobcentre Plus who looked at her journal, and agreed it didnt seem correct. She wasnt an expert and was passing it over to someone in her office to possibly assist, does anyone have any info on this? any help apprciated. She is around £195 worse off per month after managed migration.

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Comments

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 5,907 Championing
    edited May 16

    Your sister's legacy benefits were approximately £1523.16 monthly (£1059.50 ESA & £463.66 Housing Benefit).

    Is her UC award (before any deductions) lower than this amount?

    Transitional Protection is added if the total UC award (before deductions) is lower than legacy benefits at the time of transfer.

    It may be that the increased Housing Element has reduced the amount of Transitional Protection she was expecting to get.

    If you want to consult a trained benefits advisor:

    https://advicefinder.turn2us.org.uk/

  • ardencraig
    ardencraig Online Community Member Posts: 16 Listener

    thanks for your reply. Her overall UC benefit before deductions isn’t lower. However there is now no discretionary housing payment as UC is now paying full rent. Does this mean for example if my rent increased from £639 to £750 this would also be taken from the money I’m given to live on? If UC Had paid £407 to Rent , the council would’ve made up the difference with the discretions payment. It seems unfair that my my overall is now being allocated in a different way and I’m losing out with the money I have to live on .

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 5,907 Championing

    As I advised Transitional Protection is added if the total UC award (before deductions) is lower than legacy benefits at the time of transfer.

    Transitional Protection erodes over time also, so if say someone got £500 TP total award £1000, then the next year Housing Element went up by £100 and the other elements £25, the total award would still be £1000 but the Transitional Protection reduces to £375.

    No disability premiums are payable with UC so eventually Transitional Protection ends and everyone is on the same money- those that had TP and those that didn't.

  • ardencraig
    ardencraig Online Community Member Posts: 16 Listener

    thanks, so when the government say “no one should be worse off the month after migration” that’s false? As she will now be around £195 less. And the local council will gain by no longer paying a discretionary housing payment. Also , unfortunately I made her claim on 10th April after she received her esa payment with this years rise. However UC have said they are basing her claim on last years rate as the new rate came into effect on 11th April (even though she received payment at the new rate on 10th April.) Jobcentre plus said there should also be a two week run on and they’re of the opinion it should be calculated at this years rate.

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 5,907 Championing
    edited May 16

    Transitional Protection is added so you aren't worse off at the time of transfer. This erodes over time. TP is added if the total UC award is lower than legacy benefits.

    As advised the increased Housing Element compared to legacy benefits has meant the UC payment isn't quite as expected.

    It's unfair that last year when I was awarded PIP I got nothing extra under UC, even though had I still been on legacy benefits I would have gotten the Severe Disability Premium.

    Unfortunately that's all the way the system was designed to work.

    With regards to the benefits rise this started on 7th April 2025. So you have a point of argument there to persue.

  • ardencraig
    ardencraig Online Community Member Posts: 16 Listener

    I have continued to pursue this issue. It transpires there was a mistake from the housing association in regards to the amount of bedrooms they said my sister has. This resulted in a miscalculation of the housing element of her UC. I receieved absolutelty no help from ESA, UC, Job Centre Plus nor her housing association. However, i persisted in highlighting their error, her UC was recalculated and she now receives directly the same payment she received pre migration. The morale of the story is, if you believe youre right, pursue it! and dont expect help from anyone. Thankfully I was able to restore my sisters benefits to what she should rightfully receive. I dread to think of the amount of people who dont, through no fault of their own.

  • Charlie_Scope
    Charlie_Scope Posts: 159 Scope Online Community Coordinator

    I'm glad your sister had you supporting her with this @ardencraig and well done for pursuing it.

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