Will I be worse off

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Suzyb2711
Suzyb2711 Online Community Member Posts: 5 Listener
in Universal Credit (UC)
Hi All
I'm currently getting jobseekers and have just been to tribunal  and got standard rate care on PIP after 15mths .
Saw new job coach yesterday who says now jobseekers isn't the right benefit as not fit at the moment to work so need to apply for universal credit  .
Will I get PIP as well as universal credit  ?
Is there much difference in the money ?
Not sure what  to do ?
Any advise 
Many Thanks 
Suzy 

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    If you're unfit for work then you need to speak to your GP rather than your work coach. To claim UC because you're unfit for work then you'll need regular fit/sick notes from your GP. If you're put into one of the groups after the assessment then you won't need to send in anymore fit notes. You'll also need evidence to support your claim.

    First thing you should do though how ever is check if your area is a full UC area or not, if it's not the you should look into claiming ESA rather than UC. If your area is a full UC and you claim this any housing benefit you claim will stop and it will be included in your UC money. There's also a 6 week wait for your first payment with UC.
  • Suzyb2711
    Suzyb2711 Online Community Member Posts: 5 Listener
    Thank you that's really helpful I'll speak to my doctor and see from there.
    Many Thanks 
  • debbiedo49
    debbiedo49 Online Community Member Posts: 2,890 Championing
    edited July 2018
    Stop! Right There! Hold the bus! Lol no seriously just because you got pip doesn’t mean you can’t be on jobseekers. I was on esa got bumped off and had to claim jobseekers because I would have no income otherwise. I had a very supportive job coach who signed me up to the minimum number of hours in my agreement as she knew my situation and basically I had to force myself to meet that obligation. So I’m still on j s 2 years later and I’m stlll on minimum hours agreement but I applied for and won pip standard rate at tribunal. So I know where you are coming from. An independent advisor told me I was better to stay on j s as the terms are better than u c. For example if you go on on u c I would check how does it affect other things you may be getting geologist with like severe disability premium? You can get sdp on top of j s a. I am getting that now I have pip. It’s taken a few weeks but it does start falling into place. I believe that some people who go onto u c may not get premiums but u can check that out with c a b or w r o first. I would go on u c as a last resort. Your job coach may be jumping the gun as they are planning on moving everyone over eventually depending where you live. Someone here might be able to advise you where you can look this up. If you are already in an area with I c they will be trying to move you over. If you can meet the minimum requirements for work for jsa I would stay on it. At the time there was no way I could be working but I had to fake it till I made it. Then I got help from a charity working with DWP who have helped me for past year to get job ready. Now I’m working part time and getting jsa purely to help myself get used to being in work and gaining skills and experience. You are saying you are on jsa so they can’t boot you off it unless you say you can’t be looking for work or you can meet the minimum requirements. I think mine  looking for part time work less than 20 hours and within 5 miles of where I live. My job coach is fine with that. I try to make sure I get the same one each time unless they are off and they know my agreement so it’s less stressful. Not ideal but I didn’t have an alternative. Maybe you do? Good luck 
  • Suzyb2711
    Suzyb2711 Online Community Member Posts: 5 Listener
    Thank you that's been really helpful . I think I'll try and stay on jobseekers  for as long as possible and see how it goes for the time being .
    I don't do change very well and start to worry about money and bills even before there's a problem .
    Think I'll take my time to consider all the options .
    Many Thanks 
  • debbiedo49
    debbiedo49 Online Community Member Posts: 2,890 Championing
    Me neither 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    Staying on JSA (Income related) means you'll qualify for a disability premium of £33.55 per week single person claim on top of the JSA because you have a daily living PIP award. This should automatically be paid to you and will be backdated to the date your PIP award started, if you were claiming JSA at that time.

    There's also another disability premium that maybe possible to claim but will depend on circumstances. If you live alone, or classed as living alone and no one claims Carers Allowance for looking after you then Severe Disability premium (SDP) is an extra £64.30 on top of your JSA. If this applies to you then this premium isn't automatically paid, you have to ring JSA and either ask them to send you the IS10 form or simply apply over the phone. This can also be backdated to the start of your PIP claim if you were claiming JSA Income Related at the time. That's possibly an extra £97.85 extra on top of your JSA.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    If you're unfit for work however, then check your area by popping your postcode into this. https://ucpostcode.entitledto.co.uk/ucdate

  • Suzyb2711
    Suzyb2711 Online Community Member Posts: 5 Listener
    Thank you I'll look into that .
    That's a great help .

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