ESA .. change of circumstances .. universal credit ?? Help please

Daisy2017

Hi all

I was wondering if someone may be able to give me a little advice .

I live in a 2 bedroom house with my son who has just left school . He has decided this week to move out .

I currently claim esa and get the extra £60 a week included due to my disability .
I currently claim pip - enhanced living . No mobility .
I currently claim housing and council tax benefit .

I have informed child tax and child benefit that he no longer resides with me .

Next on my list will be housing and council tax but from what I have read because it's a change of circumstances I will now have to claim universal credit ?? Is this correct ??

I have also heard that I will lose my £60 a week I got on esa ?

I have been told that as I am in receipt of enhanced daily I should be able to get rent discount for the room because my cater will stay over in it ( not been able to up to now because son was in the room ) .

All this is making me so anxious and I feel like I'm struggling under the weight of it all . I really need some advice of what this means for me . I can't go to citizens advice due to anxiety issues . I've tried looking on the internet but don't get any of it . From what I can tell I have to now claim universal credit which means no moneye for 6 weeks and I will be worse off ??? Please help me so I can at least try and. Mentally prepare for the changes

Thankyou

50Twuncle

Daisy2017 wrote: »

Hi all

I was wondering if someone may be able to give me a little advice .

I live in a 2 bedroom house with my son who has just left school . He has decided this week to move out .

I currently claim esa and get the extra £60 a week included due to my disability .
I currently claim pip - enhanced living . No mobility .
I currently claim housing and council tax benefit .

I have informed child tax and child benefit that he no longer resides with me .

Next on my list will be housing and council tax but from what I have read because it's a change of circumstances I will now have to claim universal credit ?? Is this correct ??

I have also heard that I will lose my £60 a week I got on esa ?

I have been told that as I am in receipt of enhanced daily I should be able to get rent discount for the room because my cater will stay over in it ( not been able to up to now because son was in the room ) .

All this is making me so anxious and I feel like I'm struggling under the weight of it all . I really need some advice of what this means for me . I can't go to citizens advice due to anxiety issues . I've tried looking on the internet but don't get any of it . From what I can tell I have to now claim universal credit which means no moneye for 6 weeks and I will be worse off ??? Please help me so I can at least try and. Mentally prepare for the changes

Thankyou

So you say that your carer has been unable to stay with you up until now - because your son was in the other bedroom - this sounds weird to me !
Did your son act as your carer in any respect - up until now ?
And, as far as I am aware - if you transfer from ESA to UC- There is no six week delay in payments
see http://www.cpag.org.uk/content/ask-cpag-online-esa-problem-areas-tranfers-esa-universal-credit for more advice/details
What makes you think that you will lose £60 ESA ?
Its paid to you - for your disability - not your sons ?

Daisy2017

My son helped me with my needs over night as he was around to help .

I'm not planning on transferring as yet as it's not rolled out till next year in my area but I'm wondering if the change in my housing circumstances would mean that the change to my housing benefit would mean I have to transfer .

I have read that UC is getting rid of the severe disability entitlement I currently get on esa ??

Many thanks

50Twuncle

Severe disability premium

People who claim Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment or Attendance Allowance can qualify for an extra allowance when benefits are calculated, this is called a 'severe disability premium'.

If you are single the severe disability premium (SDP) is included in your award if:

• you receive a qualifying disability benefit (Attendance Allowance, constant Attendance Allowance, the care component of Disability Living Allowance at the middle or highest rate or Personal Independence Payment daily living component at standard or enhanced rate); and
• no-one gets paid Carer's Allowance (CA) for looking after you (if your carer is eligible for CA but does not receive anything then they do not count); and
• you have no non-dependant adults living with you (unless they are also receiving a qualifying disability benefit or are registered blind)

Does your CARER receive CA for caring for you ?
If so - it is THAT that will prevent you from claiming SDP - not the fact that your son is moving out !!

Daisy2017

No my career does not claim caters allowance as she is a family friend who helps me ??

I don't understand why you use exclamation marks ? I have done nothing wrong other then to ask for advice ? ��

50Twuncle

Daisy2017 wrote: »

No my career does not claim caters allowance as she is a family friend who helps me ??

I don't understand why you use exclamation marks ? I have done nothing wrong other then to ask for advice ? ��

OK - So I see no reason why you should not receive SDP with your UC claim - (if a transfer is necessary ?)
Have you asked anyone else for advice yet ?
ie DWP (new) UC claims line on 0800 055 6688

poppy12345

Daisy2017 wrote: »

Hi all

I was wondering if someone may be able to give me a little advice .

I live in a 2 bedroom house with my son who has just left school . He has decided this week to move out .

I currently claim esa and get the extra £60 a week included due to my disability .
I currently claim pip - enhanced living . No mobility .
I currently claim housing and council tax benefit .

I have informed child tax and child benefit that he no longer resides with me .

Next on my list will be housing and council tax but from what I have read because it's a change of circumstances I will now have to claim universal credit ?? Is this correct ??

I have also heard that I will lose my £60 a week I got on esa ?

I have been told that as I am in receipt of enhanced daily I should be able to get rent discount for the room because my cater will stay over in it ( not been able to up to now because son was in the room ) .

All this is making me so anxious and I feel like I'm struggling under the weight of it all . I really need some advice of what this means for me . I can't go to citizens advice due to anxiety issues . I've tried looking on the internet but don't get any of it . From what I can tell I have to now claim universal credit which means no moneye for 6 weeks and I will be worse off ??? Please help me so I can at least try and. Mentally prepare for the changes

Thankyou

Dupilate post here....https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5702000
I assume you're talking about the bedroom tax with your carer using the spare room now your son has moved out? You will need to see about claiming a DHP Discretionary housing payment for this. Contact your local council for a form and they'll decide from there if they'll pay it. Don't hold your hopes up! It does also depend on the funding your local council have also.

As for UC if you change over when you asked to then your extra payments on top of your ESA will be protected but if you change over because of a change of circumstances then you'll lose the extra payments.

Daisy2017

Thankyou for all your replies ...

And thankyou poppy .... I thought the change in my housing benefit would mean that I would have to change to UC ....

Thankyou also for the information on DHP .

Many thanks again

Daisy2017

I should also add that my own disability circumstances have not changed at all

Many thanks

poppy12345

50Twuncle wrote: »

OK - So I see no reason why you should not receive SDP with your UC claim - (if a transfer is necessary ?)
Have you asked anyone else for advice yet ?
ie DWP (new) UC claims line on 0800 055 6688

Certain changes of circumstances would mean that a person has to move to UC because there's no disability elements with UC like there is with ESA then they would lose these premiums. When the change does actually happen for everyone then there's a transitional support in place which would mean those with the premiums won't be any worse off under UC. This is what Daisy was worried about.

Using exclaimation marks in the way you did can make someone feel like you're angry with them......

Alice_Holt

50Twuncle wrote: »

OK - So I see no reason why you should not receive SDP with your UC claim

This is completely wrong.
Disability premiums such as SDP and EDP which attach to Income based ESA payments are not available when a claimant naturally migrates to UC following a change of circumstance.
As poppy states there is transitional protection, but this only applies when managed migration occurs (in several years time).
http://www.poverty.ac.uk/report-disability-un-government-cuts/disabled-people-%E2%80%98worse-off%E2%80%99-under-universal-credit

The OP is correct when she writes I have read that UC is getting rid of the severe disability entitlement I currently get on esa