Change Address while waiting for esa assessment

Aly66

Hi

I’ve recently put in a claim for new style esa and I am due to move from Norfolk to Edinburgh. Will this cause a problem for my claim. I haven’t been assessed yet and I’m worried about what to do

Thanks

Alice_Holt

Ring the ESA line to advise them of your imminent move.

Tomsdottir

Most of Edinburgh goes full service for Universal Credit on 28th November, meaning that from that date, you can't claim any of the benefits which UC replaces.

UC does not replace "new style" ESA (which is what contributory ESA in a full service area is called). So this benefit is not affected by the move. However, if you need to claim for help with your rent, you will not be able to claim housing benefit (unless you are in temporary/homeless/ supported accommodation or have three or more children). Instead, you have to claim UC. This would be paid on top of your new style ESA.

Similarly, some contributory ESA claimants qualify for a top up of income based ESA. This is the case, for example, where you are also getting another benefit such as PIP or carer's allowance, which means you qualify for a "premium" (extra benefit).

But if you are getting new style ESA in a full service area, you wouldn't usually qualify for this, and would have to claim universal credit as a top up instead. (UC replaces income based ESA). Unless you are placed in the support group for ESA, your contributory ESA will stop after 365 days. At that point, you may qualify for the same amount of money, but paid as UC instead.

The Disability Rights UK website has some very good fact sheets about the work capability assessment which you have to satisfy in order to qualify for ESA.

The DWP do seem to make mistakes when it comes to the rules on how ESA interacts with universal credit. In particular, they don't always get the amount of benefit payable correct, or the qualifying conditions for UC when you're claiming new style ESA, so don't be afraid to seek advice if you are in doubt, from a CAB or similar.

If there was any problem with payment of benefit (for example, a delay in transferring your claim to Edinburgh) or if you need help with items for your home, and you are on a low income with no or few savings, you may qualify for a grant from the Scottish Welfare Fund. You can read about this in a fact sheet published on the website of CPAG in Scotland. (Type "factsheets" into the search window on the CPAG in Scotland website.)