ESA moving to UC

Bowdon
Bowdon Online Community Member Posts: 16 Listener
in Universal Credit (UC)

So I've started the migration to UC, made an account and answered athe questions.

I'm currently on ESA LCWRA group as I was born disabled and my conditions are deteriorating.

I've got a phone call due next week about accepting commitments. It says there is no work related commitments. But what is a little concerning is the heading saying New Style ESA. Is this what ESA on UC is called? Because from what I've read it's part of contributions based ESA. I thought I was on income related ESA as I've never worked.

So I'm abit confused as to what is happening.

Comments

  • Kimmy87
    Kimmy87 Online Community Member Posts: 2,134 Championing
    edited December 2024

    What's happened means before you were getting both Contributions Based & Income Related ESA.

    When someone is on both CB & IR ESA, upon migration to UC the IR ESA ends and is replaced by UC, the CB ESA converts automatically into New Style ESA.

    You will still be in the Support Group for NS ESA & automatically receive the UC equivalent (LCWRA).

    NS ESA will be paid separately from UC, fortnightly at a rate of £276.40.

    This will be deducted in full (598.68) from each UC payment.

    As UC is a monthly benefit and ESA weekly, the numbers may look wrong- but are correct.

    The commitments interview for NS ESA is just a formality, your commitments will be to keep them updated with any changes.

    Were you ever on the old Incapacity Benefit?

  • Bowdon
    Bowdon Online Community Member Posts: 16 Listener
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/954109#Comment_954109

    Thank you for the reply.

    I'm not sure how I qualified for contribution esa as I've never worked.

  • Kimmy87
    Kimmy87 Online Community Member Posts: 2,134 Championing

    Before ESA, were you on the old Incapacity Benefit?

  • Bowdon
    Bowdon Online Community Member Posts: 16 Listener
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/954113#Comment_954113

    I might have been. The name rings a bell.

  • Kimmy87
    Kimmy87 Online Community Member Posts: 2,134 Championing
    edited December 2024

    Under the old Incapacity Benefit, there were youth rules where at a certain age you could claim it, even without paying National Insurance Contributions which was the usual way to qualify.

    Then when that was replaced by ESA, those getting IB were transferred to Contributions Related ESA. In some cases like yours, there was also entitlement to Income Based ESA as a top up.

    I know this because that was my path too.

  • Bowdon
    Bowdon Online Community Member Posts: 16 Listener
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/954119#Comment_954119

    Thank you Kimmy. This stuff is confusing. But you've made it much clearer.

    Thank you again!

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