Worried about Biographical appointment

davi · January 19

Hi there,

I have had a migration notice telling me that I need to apply for Universal Credit. I have been in the Support Group and was told that I will not need to be assessed and will be moved to the LCWRA group. Does this mean that I will not need to go to the job centre? And can I sign my claimant agreement without seeing someone at the Job centre?

Also I have a Biographical appointment on the telephone and am really worried. What are they likely to ask. Also is there a way to enclose my birth certificate and other id through my account?

Really stressed out

poppy123456 · January 19

It's absolutely nothing to worry about at all. They will ask you questions only you know the answer to, such as your date of birth, who you bank with and potentially do you claim any other benefits.

Your commitments can be agreed on your journal, if you have access to one.

davi · January 19

Thank you for confirming

Jimm_Alumni · January 20

Worried about Biographical appointment

davi

19 Jan 2025

Hi there,
I have had a migration notice telling me that I need to apply for Universal Credit. I have been in the Support Group and was told that I will not need to be assessed and will be moved to the LCWRA group. Does this mean that I will not need to go to the job centre? And can I sign my claimant agreement without seeing someone at the Job centre?
Also I have a Biographical appointment on the telephone and am really worried. What are they likely to ask. Also is there a way to enclose my birth certificate and other id through my account?
Really stressed out

Welcome to the community ☺️I hope Poppy's answer has reassured you somewhat about what is happening. They don't always explain very well why certain things are being done and that uncertainty can make it worrying!

How are you feeling about the migration if you don't mind me asking?

davi · January 20

I am not sure how I am feeling about the migration. Those people who are migrating should not have to go through such a stressful process. Also I have been told that I will be in the support group equivalent. But I don't know why I have to go to the job centre to sign the agreement, especially if we have to agree to it in our journal. This should be straightforward. Will they leave me alone once I have transferred?

Kimi87 · January 20

New claims can be quite busy at the beginning (which migrations fall under), yes once your LCWRA is confirmed (this usually takes a few weeks) you will be largely left alone and the claim will run itself with minimum or no input from yourself.

Jimm_Alumni · January 20

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/970716#Comment_970716

We have heard them asking people to come in for appointments before the ESA support group status is confirmed. You can however simply inform them that you are in that support group and that they will receive confirmation of that soon. They should then not require you to come in.

davi · January 20

Thank you

davi · January 21

Thank you everyone for your response. I had a huge argument with UC and complained about the fact that I have to do a Biographical appointment and made a complaint to the DWP as they should have handed my details over after asking my permission. They apologized to me. I also complained about the lack of communication between the DWP and UC. They have taken my complaint on board.I will be seeing my Support Worker after to see if I can sign my claimant agreement online as I am in the Support Group equivalent, arguing that we are in the Support Group for a reason. Why is it necessary for disabled people to go to the job centre when we are in the Support Group it's ridiculous and doesn't make sense. The more people that complain about this the better it should be a simple transition.

poppy123456 · January 21

Agreeing to your claimant commitments would be done through your journal, assuming you have access to one.

davi · January 21

Yes I do but why do they want you to come to the job centre as well?

davi · January 21

Continuing the above...is it then necessary to go to the job centre to complete paperwork with a work coach if you are in the Support Group equivalent surely the DWP would just hand over the paperwork. Also I thought you didn't need a work coach if you as are in the Support Group equivalent.

poppy123456 · January 21

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/971544#Comment_971544

No, your appointment can be done through telephone, rather than in person. You won't have a work coach once ESA send your details across to UC. This can take a few weeks and until that happens you will have a work coach.

You will also need to agree to commitments, even before ESA send your details across. Those commitments may include appointment BUT once ESA send your details across you will need to agree to new commitments, which will be to report all changes and check your journal often and that's it.

Even though this is managed migration, you are still a new UC claimant and all new claims go through the same process, even for those migrating from ESA.

Once everything is up and running there shouldn't be any issues and your claim should run as smoothly as ESA does. My daughter's been claiming UC for 4 years and hers also includes the LCWRA element. I manage her claim for her as her appointee, I've never experienced any problems at all.

davi · January 22

Can someone confirm when does ESA stop? Does it stop as soon as you apply for Universal Credit or does it stop when you sign your claimant agreement?

poppy123456 · January 22

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/971720#Comment_971720

Income Related ESA stops 2 weeks after your claim for UC is submitted. Same applies to housing benefit if you claim this.

Kimi87 · January 22

It stops as soon as you apply for UC.

poppy123456 · January 22

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/971724#Comment_971724

No it doesn't because there's a 2 week run on.

poppy123456 · January 22

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/971716#Comment_971716

It doesn't matter whether you claim on your ESA payment day or the following day. You've already confirmed you will be claiming on the day you receive your ESA so just go ahead and submit the claim for UC.

Kimi87 · January 22

I've transferred over myself from ESA to UC.

I don't recall my dates but like this lady here, my final payment was early and not for the full amount (2 weeks).

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/128452/esa-to-uc-managed-migration-payments

poppy123456 · January 22

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/971761#Comment_971761

It may not be for the full amount, it will depend on the payment cycle. Some people have reported not receiving the full amount. Please see thread that kimmy posted.

Some people have also reported receiving a further payment of ESA after that. If that happens then that amount would be deducted from your first UC payment.

Worried about Biographical appointment

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