Universal credit and new style esa

Please see this thread for information.

Your Universal Credit award means you are still eligible for help with health costs and free prescriptions unless you or partner earn more than £935 a month from working.

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/help-with-health-costs-for-people-getting-universal-credit/

Lots of people only find out what their ESA award was after migration to UC. The award letters were clear as mud.

If you previously worked before claiming ESA or were on the old Incapacity Benefit, that is where the CB (now New Style) part of your ESA award came from.

Yes UC will pay your rent.

The New Style ESA will be deducted in full from your UC award at £609.05 every month. This is the monthly equivalent of a weekly benefit.

You will receive £281.10 a fortnight in ESA payment, then be topped up monthly with Universal Credit including Housing Element.

You are no financially worse off compared to someone getting 100% UC, the money is exactly the same.

Aa advised if you or your partner either have no earnings, or earnings less than £935 a month, you are entitled to full help with health costs including free prescriptions, due to your UC award.

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/help-with-health-costs-for-people-getting-universal-credit/

I also recently found out the same and was moved onto a combination of both, I wasn't impressed it took me five hours of extensive Google searching to work out how or why someone who hasn't worked in 27 years could possibly be entitled to esa CB

nope same, applied for UC got a letter in post two weeks later saying about ESA CB and expect a call. some woman called mum as my appointee and just said she was dealing with both and she'd send a copy of the commitment was she did and said they'd basically now leave me completely in peace and added to my file no more appointments,calls or voluntary offers.

Hi Catherine, I don't really advise on future changes, as anything would be speculation until things become clearer, I prefer to use my energies to advise on the current system it's a more efficient use of my available energy 😊

No earnings only ever refers to money earned through work.

A huge amount of people who qualified by substantial risk would very likely also qualify by at least one other criteria too.

for example although I qualify for substantial risk I also qualify for maximum points on two other areas and many I know do, from the time I've known you Cath and all you've stated about your situation I'd not worry about it 💛