Contribution based ESA to UC

bluey0121 · October 2018

Hello all I am in a right mess atm with these benifits and wonder if somebody could help explain to me.

I am currenlty claiming contribution based ESA and PIP my partner gets carers allowance and income support to top it up to what the law says we need to live on.

We have just been awarded a special guardianship order of my partners grandchildren as they were taken into care so the local authority put us forward and the judge agreed.

We was told we could claim child tax credits but now we are being told we are in a full service area and need to claim UC so was wondering if its worth the hassle I'm not worried I wont get the new style ESA as my medical record says it all and I was awared incapacity benifit and contribution based ESA the one wheee you are to ill to go the job centre for life. But the mental pressure and strain these assesments put of me make my life a misary and having just taken on 2 children I really dont think I can cope.

Any advice is welcome

Thanks

poppy123456 · October 2018

Hi,

You were told correctly, as you're in a full UC area then it's UC you'll both need to claim for the child element of UC and yes it will be worth claiming this. The eldest child is £277 per month and 2nd child is £231 per month, more if they have a disability and you claim DLA for them. You will need to claim as a couple and your wife's Income Support will stop. Any housing benefit you claim will also stop 2 weeks after you've applied for UC and will be paid as the housing element of UC. You will need a tenancy agreement to be able to claim this. There's also a 5 week waiting period before receiving your first payment, so you will need to tell your landlord, if you claim housing benefit.

Your wife will need to tell them that she cares for you for at least 35 hours per week so they can turn off work commitments.

As you claim Contributions based ESA then this should automatically transfer to New Style Contributions based ESA but it's not for life. Very few people are awarded ESA for life without any further assessments, those that have been will need to be reassessed first. Once the decision is made you'll be told if no further assessments are needed.

bluey0121 · October 2018

Thank ypu for that. I'm just a bit stressed that we are taking on 2 children and we will be expected to go without any money for 5 weeks and then have to go 13 weeks on reduced money.

Was thinking it might be easier to just forget the UC and carry on as we are

poppy123456 · October 2018

That's your decision but can you really afford to lose at least £600 per month? It's not cheap having children, that's for sure. Maybe ring your local CAB for a full benefits check before deciding what do to.

bluey0121 · October 2018

Yes I will be going to the CAB when we return home. We are in the childrens LA at the momment finalising all details our court order starts on the 19th of this month when we return home with them. I'm sure it will all be fine but having just gone through re assesments last year its not something I look forward to as it takes a lot out if me so having the stress on that and 5 weeks with no money is not how I really wanted the kids new lives with us to start.

Thanks for the advice
Much appreciated

Contribution based ESA to UC

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