Confused ESA migration to UC

Lisa4125
Lisa4125 Online Community Member Posts: 1 Listener
edited June 14 in Benefits and income

I'm very distressed and confused. Before my illness got worse I managed to have a part time job. This was 2009 to 2011. I had a serious and painful change in my situation and was no longer able to do that so went back on benefits. At the time they were changing incapacity benefits to ESA so was put on that. Initially I was on contribution based ESA but as I was in the support group I got income related top up as well. After a year or so it turned into full income related ESA. Ive just found out now it seems someone from ESA had to what they call rebuild my claim on their systems and for some unknown reason switched it back to contribution based with an income related top up as I'm entitled to disability related premiums. I only found out due to the migration process to universal credit. I was given to understand you only got new style ESA if you had worked in the last two to three Tax years before it's claimed. I haven't worked since 2011! Now I'm being given a benefit I didn't even apply for and don't think I'm due. Despite me telling them this their still pushing forward with it and plan to pay it. I don't want something I don't think I'm entitled to and worry this will affect the transitional protection in the future. I don't know how to deal with this, any thoughts?

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Comments

  • OverlyAnxious
    OverlyAnxious Online Community Member Posts: 4,588 Championing

    Hi,

    This is how ESA works for people who were on Incapacity Benefit before. New Claims for New Style ESA require work and NI contributions, but that doesn't apply in this case because you are migrating from legacy ESA, where you were entitled to partly Contribution Based due to Incapacity Benefit.

    So you are entitled to New Style ESA now. That will be paid separately every 2 weeks at £281.10. And will be deducted from your Universal Credit at £609 each month. Deductions happen after Transitional Protection, so TP should not be affected by this.

    There is nothing you need to do, they are correct in this case. 🙂

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