Government Plans

wendy1 said:

What the hell, what is going to happen next. I've seen a post about ESA stopping and claimants having to apply for UC, if they don't apply for UC your payments will stop altogether. I'm in the understanding that if you came UC, your saying your fit to work. I'm one that's not able to work. 

This is part of managed migration to UC for those claiming means tested benefits. Those that are claiming either New style ESA or the old contributions based will not be migrated across, unless they are claiming either housing benefit or Tax credits as well. 

The Government did previously announce that managed migration for those claiming Income Related ESA wouldn't happen until at least 2028. They've now changed their minds and decided it will start from September 2024, with plans for it to be completed by Dec 2025. 

When you receive your letter inviting you to apply you will be given 3 months. You must claim by the date in the letter, if you don't then any Income Related ESA you're claiming will end. 

You're understanding that by claiming UC you're saying you're fit for work is incorrect. UC is for those that work as well as for those that are carers and those unable to work because of a health condition. 

If you're in the Support Group for ESA you will be entitled to the LCWRA element of UC from the start of your claim. LCWRA is the same as Support Group and you will not be expected to look for work or attend any appointments, with the exception of when you first claim.

For those that do not have the SDP included in their ESA would highly likely be better off by claiming UC anyway because LCWRA pays more than ESA Support Group. 

For those with SDP included in their ESA (like myself) won't be worse off to start with because Transitional Protection will be in place to make sure we are not worse off when we claim. However, TP erodes over time. so if other elements increase or we become entitled to other elements, the TP will decrease until such a time is erodes completely. Therefore, we will eventually be worse off. 

wendy1 said:

So now everyone that claims UC will have to work 18 hrs, whether your in the Support Group. 

No, you are not correct here. The 18 hours is related to the AET. (Administrative Earnings Threshold) Which is increasing next week. Thid only applies to those in the all work related requirements group. Those that have LCW/LCWRA, carers that claim carers element and those with a child under the age of 3 are in that group so it doesn’t apply to them. 

Vicky Foxcroft the shadow disability minister said this about the changes to the WCA in October of last year. I don't know if Labour still holds that viewpoint but if they were to win the next election they can veto any changes.

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/labour-would-scrap-harsher-wca,-dns-reports

"If they win power, the Labour party would scrap any attempt by the Conservatives to make the work capability assessment (WCA) harsher, the Disability News Service (DNS) has reported.

The DWP are currently consulting on the Conservative’s plan to make it much harder to get into the limited capability for work-related activity group of universal credit.  Any changes are not planned to be introduced until after the 2025 election and thus could be vetoed by an incoming government.

When asked about Labour’s position on the plan, Vicky Foxcroft, shadow minister for disabled people, told DNS this week in Liverpool: “We won’t be following through on that. No.”

Whilst this will come as a big relief for many claimants, it is probably wise to treat the statement with a degree of caution.

Liz Kendall, shadow work and pensions secretary, has said absolutely nothing on the subject of WCA changes.  In fact, at the moment there is very little official Labour policy on any social security issues and the party has a troubling history of reversing earlier policy statements, even where they exist.

In addition, Foxcroft was much less clear when it came to the Conservative’s plans to abolish the WCA altogether.  Instead, she told DNS that Labour had not yet decided if it would follow the Tories and scrap the WCA and rely on PIP assessments.

So, the signs coming from Labour are, in the short term at least, positive.  But it would probably be unwise to rely on them entirely and conclude that there is no longer any need to campaign against the proposed cuts to the WCA."

Danny123 said:

Sorry I actually did mean IF these changes go through then that is the proposed position on plans and timetables , although the more I hear from the labour party I'm not really sure what there stance is on anything 🤷 also poppy I wanted to ask you , as you know I live in the family home and am the only one claiming benefits , just wondered if my mum and dad had a state pension , it would be nothing to do with my claim and couldn't affect it in anyway ? 

Even if they do go through with the changes we do not know whether existing claimants will be affected. It's people assuming this and assuming that but it's quite simple and no one knows for certain. 

Your benefits have nothing to do with their's and vice versa. You are not part of the same household for benefits purposes. 

I am shitting myself. I am on ESA in the support group. If I have to undego a wca when I am migrated, will it be the revised wca? Also at the moment I get old style CB esa with IR top up. I know I would be worse off, but would I be able to get away without migrating to UC and just keep getting the CB portion only or would I lose .y housing benefit from council? Really stressed at the moment that I'll be forced to undergo a WCA if/when I migrate to UC for the top up, and that it will be under the new WCA rules.