Not Coping With Change From ESA To Universal Credit

Tombo

Hey I’m feeling really stressed out by universal credit

I was on ESA since September 2017 and I had my assessment in December 2017. I suffer mental health issues

I moved to a housing association flat at the end of August into a Universal Credit area.

Every time I speak to some one from the DWP or the job Centre I get told different information.

Now I have to be actively seeking work for 35 hours a week and I have started a part time job which would be my permitted work but my esa has now been closed down and they are saying I still have to be looking for more work

I am really struggling to cope with all this stress and pressure

It is like my ESA claim or assessment meant nothing now and now I have to have doctors fit notes again so I brought one to the job Centre but it seems to be completely meaningless as my work coach said I still have to do all the commitments and she keeps saying that I need to get into full time work

tomtom256

Have you told them about the illness?


It's a new claim so the information probably hasn't transferred with it.


Go into your journal and update it with the details.

poppy12345

When you were on ESA, which group were you in? DWP should have honoured your award and placed in the relevant group for UC.

huckster

Ask Universal Credit to check your ESA claim health assessment outcome and prognosis period.

If you were judged to be WRAG or Support and no further assessment has taken place, as long as there was not a gap of over a month between ESA and UC, then UC should recognise the ESA decision.

Suggest you phone UC to complain.

Tombo

tomtom256 wrote: »

Have you told them about the illness?


It's a new claim so the information probably hasn't transferred with it.


Go into your journal and update it with the details.

Yeah I mentioned it right from the start. Every time I spoke to ESA on the phone or to some one at the job centre, I got told something different but I was told it would transfer over by the ESA people

poppy12345 wrote: »

When you were on ESA, which group were you in? DWP should have honoured your award and placed in the relevant group for UC.

I was on income-based ESA and think I was in the work-related group

huckster wrote: »

Ask Universal Credit to check your ESA claim health assessment outcome and prognosis period.

If you were judged to be WRAG or Support and no further assessment has taken place, as long as there was not a gap of over a month between ESA and UC, then UC should recognise the ESA decision.

Suggest you phone UC to complain.

Ok, thanks I will call them up

Ames

Tombo wrote: »

Yeah I mentioned it right from the start. Every time I spoke to ESA on the phone or to some one at the job centre, I got told something different but I was told it would transfer over by the ESA people



I was on income-based ESA and think I was in the work-related group



Ok, thanks I will call them up

But have you contacted the UC department about it?

My understanding is that you have to do it online via a message in your journal.

Tombo

Ames wrote: »

But have you contacted the UC department about it?

My understanding is that you have to do it online via a message in your journal.

What section do I need to log it under in the journal?

I have a note from 29th August that says

"You'll have seen a message about benefits that affect Universal Credit.

From the benefits affecting Universal Credit, you're claiming:

Employment and Support Allowance"

On 5th September, I submitted my fit note as I was advised to by my work coach and I put details of my doctor visit and the treatment I am due to receive there.

Then on 17th September, there is another message the same as the one from 29th August


I phoned Universal Credit today as I had a notice in my journal saying to call to confirm it is ok to contact my Doctor so I rang.

The lady I spoke to said that normally ESA claims should just transfer over but in this case it hasn't done and she said there's no timeframe for when they could hear from them.

She also said my claim doesn't include a housing element for help with my rent but I thought it did. She said that UC contacted my landlord twice (on 5th and 17th September) but haven't heard anything yet.

In my online account, it says I am getting paid on 21/09/18 £200 so surely that is the rent, it says it is standard allowance

I am just finding this all really complex.

Ames

How old are you, and is it exactly £200?

Tombo

Ames wrote: »

How old are you, and is it exactly £200?

26, at the top of the page is says £200 and lower down it says £200.68

I have £117.14 taken off due to earnings from surveys and mystery shopping

calcotti

Tombo wrote: »

26, at the top of the page is says £200 and lower down it says £200.68

I have £117.14 taken off due to earnings from surveys and mystery shopping

You get a basic allowance of£317.82/month to live off (if you are 25 or over). Help with rent will appear separately listing as housing element. Based on what you have said your UC award does not currently include any help with your rent.