Moving from ESA to UC

nsaeon
nsaeon Online Community Member Posts: 21 Contributor
in Universal Credit (UC)
I'm considering moving from ESA (Support group) to Universal Credit as I may also need to claim Housing Benefit at some point in the future.

I have two questions:

1) Will I have to undergo another assessment if I switch?

2) Will there be any break in my payments? So, the day I phone the DWP and ask to switch, will I begin being paid for the full UC amount that I'm entitled to from day one, or will there be a gap in between?

Thanks in advance.

Comments

  • godsend
    godsend Online Community Member Posts: 46 Contributor
    Hello.
    1, not assessment but still have to go to job centre to change over and lots of questions about finding work etc.
    2, U C is paid at the end of every month, have cash put away till you get paid again. Some people do find it hard to change over, nightmare for me when i did it. I did move from one city to another city.

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,456 Championing
    godsend said:
    Hello.
    1, not assessment but still have to go to job centre to change over and lots of questions about finding work etc.

    Find working isn't correct here because nsaeon is claiming ESA and in the Support Group so they will have no work requirements if they claim UC.

    godsend said:

    2, U C is paid at the end of every month, have cash put away till you get paid again. Some people do find it hard to change over, nightmare for me when i did it. I did move from one city to another city.

    Payments aren't always at the end of every month. It will depend on what date they first claim UC. When claiming UC your first payment will be 1 month and 6 days later. Each assessment period lasts for 30 days and day one starts on the date you submit your claim. Therefore if someone claimed UC today (04/07/2023) then there assessment periods will be 4th to 3rd of every month. This will mean there first payment will be 10th August and 10th of every month after that. (unless the receive payment every 2 weeks)



  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,456 Championing
    nsaeon said:
    I'm considering moving from ESA (Support group) to Universal Credit as I may also need to claim Housing Benefit at some point in the future.

    I have two questions:

    1) Will I have to undergo another assessment if I switch?

    2) Will there be any break in my payments? So, the day I phone the DWP and ask to switch, will I begin being paid for the full UC amount that I'm entitled to from day one, or will there be a gap in between?

    Thanks in advance.

    Unless you're planning on living in either supported or temporary housing then you will not be able to make a new claim for housing benefit. For help with any rent you'll need to claim Universal Credit. Rent through this is known as housing element, which is completely different to housing benefit.

    Does your ESA include the severe disability premium? If it does then you'll be better off waiting until you need to claim for help with any rent before claiming UC because otherwise you'll lose the SDP Transitional protection when your UC includes the housing element because the TP will erode with the addition of the housing element. This will mean you'll be worse off.

  • godsend
    godsend Online Community Member Posts: 46 Contributor
    Thanks Poppy,
    i am in LCWRA group but still had to go through answering questions about work.
    I get paid end of month, makes no difference if beginning or mid it is still a month to go through before next pay.

  • godsend
    godsend Online Community Member Posts: 46 Contributor
    LCWRA element or LCW element can a couple have one each on U C ?.
  • nsaeon
    nsaeon Online Community Member Posts: 21 Contributor
    poppy123456 said:
    nsaeon said:
    I'm considering moving from ESA (Support group) to Universal Credit as I may also need to claim Housing Benefit at some point in the future.

    I have two questions:

    1) Will I have to undergo another assessment if I switch?

    2) Will there be any break in my payments? So, the day I phone the DWP and ask to switch, will I begin being paid for the full UC amount that I'm entitled to from day one, or will there be a gap in between?

    Thanks in advance.

    Unless you're planning on living in either supported or temporary housing then you will not be able to make a new claim for housing benefit. For help with any rent you'll need to claim Universal Credit. Rent through this is known as housing element, which is completely different to housing benefit.

    Does your ESA include the severe disability premium? If it does then you'll be better off waiting until you need to claim for help with any rent before claiming UC because otherwise you'll lose the SDP Transitional protection when your UC includes the housing element because the TP will erode with the addition of the housing element. This will mean you'll be worse off.


    Sorry, I meant claiming the Housing Benefit equivalent within UC.

    I'm currently paid £298.10 every two weeks. I used a calculator that suggested I would be more than £100 better off each month if I switched, and that's before any additional housing element.

    To be clear, I don't claim Housing Benefit currently.

    I hope that clarifies any confusion.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,456 Championing
    nsaeon said:
    poppy123456 said:
    nsaeon said:
    I'm considering moving from ESA (Support group) to Universal Credit as I may also need to claim Housing Benefit at some point in the future.

    I have two questions:

    1) Will I have to undergo another assessment if I switch?

    2) Will there be any break in my payments? So, the day I phone the DWP and ask to switch, will I begin being paid for the full UC amount that I'm entitled to from day one, or will there be a gap in between?

    Thanks in advance.

    Unless you're planning on living in either supported or temporary housing then you will not be able to make a new claim for housing benefit. For help with any rent you'll need to claim Universal Credit. Rent through this is known as housing element, which is completely different to housing benefit.

    Does your ESA include the severe disability premium? If it does then you'll be better off waiting until you need to claim for help with any rent before claiming UC because otherwise you'll lose the SDP Transitional protection when your UC includes the housing element because the TP will erode with the addition of the housing element. This will mean you'll be worse off.


    Sorry, I meant claiming the Housing Benefit equivalent within UC.

    I'm currently paid £298.10 every two weeks. I used a calculator that suggested I would be more than £100 better off each month if I switched, and that's before any additional housing element.

    To be clear, I don't claim Housing Benefit currently.

    I hope that clarifies any confusion.

    In a previous thread you mentioned starting a claim for PIP, have you had your decision on this yet? Are you currently living with other adults? If so are any of them claiming either daily living PIP, DLA mid/high rate care or AA or registered blind?

    Yes, when your ESA doesn't include the SDP then UC and LCWRA element pays more. However, depending on your current living arrangements and the outcome of your PIP claim you maybe entitled to SDP. Therefore claiming UC may not be the best idea right now because UC and LCWRA is less if your ESA includes the SDP, which is the reason for my follow on questions.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,456 Championing
    godsend said:
    LCWRA element or LCW element can a couple have one each on U C ?.

    Yes they can. However, for those that started their claim after April 2017 there's no extra money for LCW. For LCWRA then you can only receive 1 element per claim.
  • godsend
    godsend Online Community Member Posts: 46 Contributor
    Thanks Poppy
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,000 Championing
    edited July 2023
    nsaeon said:
    2) Will there be any break in my payments? So, the day I phone the DWP and ask to switch, will I begin being paid for the full UC amount that I'm entitled to from day one, or will there be a gap in between?
    Just to add. The income based ESA continues until two weeks after claiming UC. The first UC payment will therefore be slightly over 3 weeks from when the ESA stops.

    If any of your ESA is contribution based it will continue as now but the ESA will be deducted from your UC payments.

    Do take note of poppy’s comments of PIP and whether SDP is possible for you on ESA.
  • nsaeon
    nsaeon Online Community Member Posts: 21 Contributor
    poppy123456 said:

    In a previous thread you mentioned starting a claim for PIP, have you had your decision on this yet? Are you currently living with other adults? If so are any of them claiming either daily living PIP, DLA mid/high rate care or AA or registered blind?

    Yes, when your ESA doesn't include the SDP then UC and LCWRA element pays more. However, depending on your current living arrangements and the outcome of your PIP claim you maybe entitled to SDP. Therefore claiming UC may not be the best idea right now because UC and LCWRA is less if your ESA includes the SDP, which is the reason for my follow on questions.

    I contacted PIP yesterday and they said that I had scored 0 in both categories, which is what I was expecting having read about everyone's issues on this forum, so I'm already getting everything together for my MR and tribunal if necessary. Just waiting for the letter to arrive.

    My Dad is retired and the only person I live with. He doesn't claim any benefits. I looked into the various premiums and I think I would qualify for the Enhanced Premium if I'm eventually awarded 12 points in the Daily Living part of PIP, which would be an extra £21.30 each week. Of course, if I do get PIP, then I would be able to wait before moving to UC, but I'm trying to plan accordingly in case I don't receive it. My Dad is quite old and I don't want to be caught short financially if the worst were to happen.

    EDIT: It seems I'm confusing myself with the premiums. I guess it might be best to wait to see what happens with PIP first.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,456 Championing
    edited July 2023
    nsaeon said:
    poppy123456 said:

    In a previous thread you mentioned starting a claim for PIP, have you had your decision on this yet? Are you currently living with other adults? If so are any of them claiming either daily living PIP, DLA mid/high rate care or AA or registered blind?

    Yes, when your ESA doesn't include the SDP then UC and LCWRA element pays more. However, depending on your current living arrangements and the outcome of your PIP claim you maybe entitled to SDP. Therefore claiming UC may not be the best idea right now because UC and LCWRA is less if your ESA includes the SDP, which is the reason for my follow on questions.
    I looked into the various premiums and I think I would qualify for the Enhanced Premium if I'm eventually awarded 12 points in the Daily Living part of PIP, which would be an extra £21.30 each week.
    Enhanced disability premium (single person) is £19.55/week. This is automatically paid when claiming Income Related ESA in the Support Group. Your fortnightly payment of £298.10 includes the EDP. In the ESA breakdown of your award letter it refers to it as "disability Income guarantee" rather than EDP (no idea why)

    If you decide not to claim UC now when you do move out to live alone (assuming you will be) then you should claim the SDP before moving to UC. (providing you have a daily living PIP award)

    If you do decide claim UC then you can also request an advance payment but this needs to be repaid back and will reduce future UC payments. It's entirely up to you what you do, to be honest if you're planning on continuing to live with your dad for the forceeable future then it would be worth claiming UC now.

  • nsaeon
    nsaeon Online Community Member Posts: 21 Contributor
    Thank you everyone for your advice :)
  • Cat1986
    Cat1986 Online Community Member Posts: 25 Connected
    @poppy123456 can you please tell me what chat you have me advice in, thank you. I can no longer find it and just want to look back on what you said
  • Cat1986
    Cat1986 Online Community Member Posts: 25 Connected
    @poppy123456 please could you tell me where to go on here to find the advice that you previously gave me. 
    I've lost it all and just want to be able to look back at it. 

    Thank you 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,456 Championing
    Cat1986 said:
    @poppy123456 please could you tell me where to go on here to find the advice that you previously gave me. 
    I've lost it all and just want to be able to look back at it. 

    Thank you 
    It's in this thread here.https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/117825/managed-migration-starting-september-2024#latest you will have to look back through the pages to find it. I can't see my account settings at the moment to look back at my comments due to issues with the forum. 

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