Will I be migrated from ESA support group to UC?

justaquestion

Hi folks,

I received the following newsletter from Benefits and Work website, just wonder as I am in support group ESA contribution based that the process is in place to switch me over to UC?


In this edition we confirm that the mass migration of claimants to universal credit looks all but unstoppable, now that draft regulations for forcing claimants off benefits such as ESA have been published.
We reveal that library staff are “horrified” and “really depressed” about their role in supporting UC claimants.
And we look at how charities, including Mind, have hit back at Esther McVey’s claim that they now consider the DWP to be listening to them over UC.
Finally we hear from MPs who think that sanctioning sick and disabled claimants is ‘pointlessly cruel’ and from the government minister who thinks that sanctions are in the best interests of claimants with mental health conditions.

MASS MIGRATION FROM ESA TO UC STILL GOING AHEAD
The government has published the regulations setting out how they will force claimants of ‘legacy’ benefits such as employment and support allowance (ESA) to claim universal credit (UC) instead.
The move comes in spite of strong opposition from many charities and MPs.
A few concessions have been made.
For example, claimants will get a minimum notice period of 3 months, instead of one month, warning them that they must make a claim for UC.
And if a claimant makes a ‘defective’ claim they won’t automatically lose their transitional protection, as had been intended. Instead, they will still be able to make an effective claim, provided they do so within their deadline.
Crucially, however, the government is still insisting that it is up to claimants to make an effective claim for UC, instead of the DWP moving existing claimants automatically onto UC.
Charities are warning that, as a result, many may be left

tomtom256

You should stay in the UC equivalent group as WRAG and the support group no longer exist under UC.

Nooney123456789

tomtom256 wrote: »

You should stay in the UC equivalent group as WRAG and the support group no longer exist under UC.

The support group does exist under UC it's called the LCWRA group instead of support group and wrag is called the LCW group instead of wrag and contributions based esa is separate from UC and that's called new style esa.

[Deleted User]

Unless you have a change of circumstances that mean a move to UC then managed migration will not start probably for another year (with a very small number in the summer to test run), and it could be 2023 before all the managed migration has finished, with managed migration you will also get transitional relief
B&w are as usual working to their own agenda hardly surprising from a group that charges £20 a year for info freely available elsewhere on the internet (mse as a prime example)

Tommo1980

I stopped reading b&w newsletters some time ago. They are nothing but clickbait.

justaquestion

Thank you all for replies.

I wouldn't be entitled to UC because of the savings rule (over16k)

In a case like this do you know if I would be entitled to transitional protection when migrated and how long for?

Thank you.

Frances123

So relieved you get 3 months notice before migration.
Was worried you would just get called in out of the blue and tough if you hadn't managed to set anything aside for the 6 weeks without payment!

Nannytone

Contribution based ESA is unlimited when you are in the support group so there is no reason why you would go onto universal credit.
Universal credit is replacing income related benefits and not contributions based ones/B]

justaquestion

Nannytone wrote: »

Contribution based ESA is unlimited when you are in the support group so there is no reason why you would go onto universal credit.
Universal credit is replacing income related benefits and not contributions based ones/B]

I am not so sure about that Nannytone, because of the above newsletter from B and W.

Unless others in the know can confirm your assumption?

I could be wrong though as this was the purpose of my thread to find out, if I can be migrated eventually.

Answers to date seem to confirm that eventually I will.

Thank you for reply though.

KxMx

I'm with Nannytone, I think previous posters have missed that you get Contributions Based ESA.

My understanding is Universal Credit is replacing Income Related benefits.

So with ESA only those getting IR would move to UC.

https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Universal-Credit/Which-benefits-will-Universal-Credit-replace

poppy12345

justaquestion wrote: »

I am not so sure about that Nannytone, because of the above newsletter from B and W.

Unless others in the know can confirm your assumption?

I could be wrong though as this was the purpose of my thread to find out, if I can be migrated eventually.

Answers to date seem to confirm that eventually I will.

Thank you for reply though.

Contributions based ESA becomes new style contributions based ESA. Others are correct you can't be moved onto UC because that's a means tested benefit.