Universal Credit- Transition Protection? (a fake saftey net ?)

gemmaking

From this file - Universal Credit- Frequent Q & A
-some confusion questions

http://www.highland.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/9A1E6F31-7BD1-484B-BC9D-49D12BAB3884/0/universalcredittoolkitfaqs.pdf


It is for those on DLA Higher rates...and to be 'transferring' from existing benefits to UC (without any change in circumstances - everything is the same)

There will be some losers, who lose out (as Severe Dis allowance might be lost)

But there is a transition protection for a safety net, to protect them (meaning if their NEW UC payment is less than their current benefits, then they will get a 'protection' and will 'not' lose any money)

Just some confusion on a few things: Here are some extracts from the document (on the transition protection). The confusion is in red.

{Page 5}
If you are moved onto Universal Credit but your circumstances have not changed, you will be entitled to transitional protection. This means that you will not receive less than you did under the old system. This is paid until your Universal Credit payment overtakes the amount that you were receiving under your old benefits or credits or until your circumstances change.


{Page 7}
If you are moved to Universal Credit but your circumstances have not changed, you will be entitled to transitional protection. This means that you will not receive less than you did under your old benefit or credits. This amount will be paid until your circumstances change or until the amount of Universal Credit you are entitled to matches the amount you were receiving under the old benefit or credits system.


{Page 7}
If your circumstances do not change for some time, you may be contacted by your benefit provider and told how and when you will need to move onto Universal Credit. Again, this will involve making a new claim to Universal Credit and will close your existing benefits. In these circumstances you will be entitled to transitional protection. This means you will not receive less than you did under your old benefit or credits as long as your circumstances stay the same.

I dont follow the bit in red?

Can somebody explain it? with an example, like this below.

EXAMPLE {Simple numbers used, for this question}

-on ESA Support group, for 2 years

Say a disabled person is getting higher rate care + mobility, and Esa, with a total of £1000 a month (made up example)

then it is their turn for UC, but the UC application letter says they are entitled to £800 a month (loss of £200, due to Severe Disability allowance being removed- under UC)

so their new UC is £800, but they are protected under the 'Transition Protection' as their situation hasn't changed, and there are moving from old benefits to UC

so under UC they get
£800 = UC
£200 = Transition Protection (im assuming)
=£1000 (same amount as previous benefits)

Then what doe the above 'red' parts mean? in this £800 £200 example can you explain what it means? catching up ?


This amount (£200 for my example) will be paid until your circumstances change or until the amount of Universal Credit you are entitled to matches the amount you were receiving under the old benefit or credits system.


i) Then what doe the above 'red' parts mean? in this £800 £200 example can you explain what it means? catching up ?

ii) Will they pay this £200 transition protection, year after year, ....after year ? every year (assuming the circumstances do NOT change)

iii) and lets say that the persons circumstances do not change, then when will they stop paying this £200?

iiii) If the persons circumstances do NOT change, can they STOP paying the £200 transition protection? so they are left with £800? if so, under what circumstances ?

iiiii) Can this transition protection expire? when will it? and why ?


iiiiii) What happens to this 'transition protection' when the ESA support group, 2 year award ends ? (assuming after renewual of ESA they get the same ESA award, for 2 more years) / and their situation wouldn't have changed
then will the transition protection stop? or carry on?

gemmaking

Here is another file with info, but still seems confusing.

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/ucpbn-transitional-protection.pdf


QUOTE from above PDF File, page 3

---

When will Transitional Protection end?

-a partner leaving/joining the household;
-a sustained (3 month) earnings drop beneath the level of work -that is expected of them according to their claimant commitment;
-the Universal Credit award ending; and/or
one (or both) members of the household stopping work.

---

Qus: What if the claimant is in the middle of a 2 year ESA support group award, then they after year 1 (in the middle of the 2 year award)- they get moved to UC.

then 1 year after, they have to 'renew' ore reapply for their ESA claim (as the 2 year ESA claim would have ended, for another claim pack to be filled in and sent)

Now in reference to the above green bullet: Transition protection will end if -the Universal Credit award ending;
and/or

Now assuming they get the same award i this renewal claim (support group, no changes from the previous) - then does this mean transition protection will 'stop' as they are reapplying for ESA ?
(under the guideline of the above GREEN bullet) ??

toomuchinfo

You will get the same money as you do now under transitional protection, but won't get any yearly increases. In a few years when Universal Credit amount would be more than protected amount because of annual increases, then your money will change.

sammyjammy

toomuchinfo wrote: »

You will get the same money as you do now under transitional protection, but won't get any yearly increases. In a few years when Universal Credit amount would be more than protected amount because of annual increases, then your money will change.

or if within that time you have a change in your circumstances then the new UC amount due would be paid and transitional protection would end, this new amount might be mroe than before or less dependant on the change.

gemmaking

toomuchinfo wrote: »

You will get the same money as you do now under transitional protection, but won't get any yearly increases. In a few years when Universal Credit amount would be more than protected amount because of annual increases, then your money will change.

What if while receiving the transitional protection, you are change from DLA to PIP (and you get the same award) - higher care/mobility... for DLA, and Pip. (Whilst on UC + receiving the transitional protection)

and a renewal of ESA support group, will results in the 'same' award being given for another 2 years that affect (whilst on UC + receiving the transitional protection)



To sumerize
1) their current DLA is changing toPIP (same award amounts £ - HRC HRM)
2) and and ending ESA claim for, renewal, the new claim results in the new award for some more years (same amount of £)

Qus:
is that considered a 'change' of circumstances ?

Qus:
and in them 2 incidences will that end the transitional protection) ?

toomuchinfo

gemmaking wrote: »

What if while receiving the transitional protection, you are change from DLA to PIP (and you get the same award) - higher care/mobility... for DLA, and Pip. (Whilst on UC + receiving the transitional protection)

and a renewal of ESA support group, will results in the 'same' award being given for another 2 years that affect (whilst on UC + receiving the transitional protection)



To sumerize
1) their current DLA is changing toPIP (same award amounts £ - HRC HRM)
2) and and ending ESA claim for, renewal, the new claim results in the new award for some more years (same amount of £)

Qus:
is that considered a 'change' of circumstances ?

Qus:
and in them 2 incidences will that end the transitional protection) ?

I think those are not considered significant changes

http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/pdfs/ucpbn-transitional-protection.pdf