What's the difference between LCWRA and ESA? Is ESA safer?

PerryMason
PerryMason Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener
edited December 2021 in Universal Credit (UC)
Hello Everyone, thank you for having me :)

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  • PerryMason
    PerryMason Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener
    Can anyone tell me what the difference is between LCWRA and ESA.  I have just been granted LCWRA status.  Is ESA better/safer?  Thank you.
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Online Community Member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    Hi and welcome to the community 

    I presume you are claiming uc ? 

    You can only claim new style esa if you have made the required ni contributions in the last 2 full tax years 

    If you claim ess it will be deducted from your uc payment so there is no financial gain 

    However esa is paid 2 weekly so can help with budgeting and isn't means tested like uc 
  • PerryMason
    PerryMason Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener
    That's great, thank you!  I wonder why thhey don't just put everyone on the same thing?
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,456 Championing
    Universal Credit has replaced all the old Income Related benefits such as Income Related ESA/JSA, Income Support, housing benefit and tax credits.
    As advised, the only ESA you can claim now is New Style ESA and not everyone is entitled to claim this because of a lack of NI contributions.
    If you have previously worked in tax years April 2018 to March 2020 then it would be worth you claiming the ESA as well. Although it's deducted in full from any UC entitlement, it's not means tested so could benefit you in the future. It can also help with easier budgeting. As well as paying class 1 NI, where as UC only pays class 3.
  • PerryMason
    PerryMason Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener
    Thank you again.  If I have been granted LCWRA will I automatically qualify for ESA if I apply or do I have to undergo the same process as applying for LCWRA?
  • PerryMason
    PerryMason Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener
    I was working from Nov 2017 until my illness - still technically employed but run out of sick pay.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,456 Championing
    As you have already been found to have LCWRA you will not need to have another work capability assessment, you'll be placed into the Support Group.
    Whether you qualify will depend on when you finished work. You can check your NI records here. https://www.gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record NI credits from your UC claim will not qualfy you.

  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,000 Championing
    PerryMason said:
    That's great, thank you!  I wonder why thhey don't just put everyone on the same thing?
    As poppy says not everyone can claim ESA because they may not have the required NI contributions. Other people cannot claim UC because they have too much capital or live with a partner who earns too much for there to be any UC entitlement.
  • PerryMason
    PerryMason Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener
    Thank you all for your time and insight.  Just one thing.  Calcotti says you could have too much capital for ESA - I thought it wasn't means tested?  It's not relevant to me anyway as I owe money but hey, I might do the lottery tonight!

    Thank you all again <3
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,456 Championing
    edited December 2021
    PerryMason said:
     Calcotti says you could have too much capital for ESA - I thought it wasn't means tested?
    That's not what calcotti said..
    calcotti said:
    PerryMason said:
    That's great, thank you!  I wonder why thhey don't just put everyone on the same thing?
    Other people cannot claim UC because they have too much capital or live with a partner who earns too much for there to be any UC entitlement.

    As advised, New style ESA isn't means tested but you need to have paid the relevant NI contirbutions in the years stated above.
  • PerryMason
    PerryMason Online Community Member Posts: 7 Listener
    Thank you again.  I shall check-out my NI history.  Wish I had found you all earlier.

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