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Need help with ESA and possibly moving to universal credit with change of address

Benjamin_N
Benjamin_N Posts: 37 Forumite
Second Anniversary
edited 19 December 2018 at 6:35PM in Benefits & tax credits
I currently receive ESA (support group) and have PIP appointment in January, which with sufficient evidence for my disability should go through.

I want to get out of my current living situation, but that means moving to the next town across, which has a different council.

I've been told by the landlady that it would trigger Universal credit.

What do I stand to lose, will I get less money. I currently receive the enhanced disability rate and full ESA.

What should I prepare for? I won't move if it means I cannot afford basic things and there is no guarantee of PIP, although it seems likely.
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Comments

  • Trajal
    Trajal Posts: 550 Forumite
    Debt-free and Proud!
    Heya

    It definitely will trigger a change to UC because that's what I'm going through at the moment for the same reason. Fortunately I was already awarded both enhanced rates for PIP daily living and mobility, so dropping (temporarily I hope) to standard UC only until my ESA thing goes through.

    In terms of money, basic UC is £317 a month and if awarded the extra severe disability amount is about another £350 a month. Full PIP is around £580 every four weeks.

    I hope some of that is helpful, I'm still figuring bits of it out for myself!
    Debt free, moved, got new stuff for the new flat - got everything I wanted and need - now just saving.
  • calcotti
    calcotti Posts: 15,696 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 19 December 2018 at 10:28PM
    PIP is not means tested and is not affected by a change of address. It is completely separate from ESA and UC (although receiving PIP can affect how you are treated for ESA and UC).

    A change of address does not, of itself, require a change from ESA to UC. However if you are renting your property and currently claim Housing Benefit and are moving to a new local authority you will not be able to make a new housing benefit claim at your new address. To get help with your rent you will have to claim UC which will end any income based ESA award.

    Even if you claim UC a contribution based ESA award will continue (but the amount will be taken into account as unearned income when calculating your a UC entitlement).

    If do not wish to claim help with rent you do not need to claim UC and any ESA award can continue.

    The above advice assumes that you not a perent with three or more children in which case you would not be able to claim a UC anyway.

    In terms of comparing what you might get on each benefit that will depend on whether you are living alone and whether or not your PIP claim is successful.

    In general if you are living alone with no other income then on the ESA Support Group you will be getting £126.15/week. If you are awarded a Daily Living part of PIP and no one claims Carer’s Allowance (or gets the carer element of UC) for looking after you then your ESA will go up to £190.45 if you ask to have the Severe Disability Premium added. On UC with LCWRA (equivalent to ESA Support Group) you will get £646.14/month which is £148.70/week. These figures exclude UC housing costs which should match housing benefit so make no difference when comparing the two situations.
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Some rules may be different in other parts of UK.
  • But I have been awarded ESA for until next year, I shouldnt have to do this all again, it was a lot of stress and effort to get the required help.
  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 18,513 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Do you claim severe disability premium on top of your ESA?
  • Benjamin_N
    Benjamin_N Posts: 37 Forumite
    Second Anniversary
    edited 18 January 2019 at 2:50PM
    Not currently, but I should be. I am appealing a PIP appointment that was unsuccessful with a personal advocate, Mind and another charity. I should have been receiving PIP and my claim was delayed for a while. I have derealization disorder, OCD, and a muscle disorder.

    I received the enhanced disability rate for ESA.

    Having read the Mind section on transitioning to universal redit it states that if you are in the support group your money won't be affected and that you won't need another assessment if you have already been awarded.

    https://www.mind.org.uk/about-us/our-policy-work/benefits/where-you-can-find-help/moving-from-esa-to-universal-credit-faqs/

    It also states that if you have problems claiming universal credit due to mental health issue they can delay the claim?
  • calcotti
    calcotti Posts: 15,696 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 18 January 2019 at 3:52PM
    If you able to delay moving until the outcome of your PIP appeal you may be in a different position - but of course there are long waits for tribunal hearings. If you are awarded Daily Living PIP you would be able to get the SDP in your ESA if you are currently living alone. If you have the SDP you are not allowed to claim UC and would stay on ESA and be able to claim Housing Benefit at your new address.

    If you do have to claim UC because you can't wait your work capability status will be carried across but that doesn't mean your money will not change. For a single claimant in the ESA Support Group I would expect you to be about £20/week better off on UC if that is there only income, but once on UC, even if your PIP appeal is successful, you no longer have access to the SDP which means you are worse off than staying on ESA and getting the SDP.

    Of course if you don't live alone the SDP is not relevant.

    The Mind link you have provided is about the eventual so-called 'managed migration' of claimants from old benefits to UC. This is not the same as so-called 'natural migration' which results from a change of circumstances such as moving to a local authority. There will be transitional protection for claimants under managed migration to ensure they do not get less, there is no such protection for claimants who naturally migrate.
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Some rules may be different in other parts of UK.
  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 18,513 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Benjamin_N wrote: »

    I received the enhanced disability rate for ESA.
    Those that are in the Support Group (Income Related) automatically receive this.
  • Phoned ESA earlier and was advised by a nice lady that my ESA wouldn't be changing because the post code falls under the same processing centre for it, which is only 9 miles away anyway. She also told me that due to my circumstance and a recent change in parliament that I might not even have to change to UC. I thought both UC and ESA were inextricably linked and that you couldn't remain on one.

    Also phoned UC full service helpline and spoke to someone who was at the end of the day likely tired and kept repeating things back to me that I didn't mention and said that all he could was advice me to make a UC claim as soon as possible and that no manager or anyone in his department could give me correct information on what the previous lady mentioned regarding the court.

    I have no problem moving my Housing benefit to UC.
  • Ok. thankfully I was told because the processing centre for my ESA is the same and my new address is only 9 miles away I would only need to apply for HB through UC and my ESA will remain. Thanks!
  • Benjamin_N
    Benjamin_N Posts: 37 Forumite
    Second Anniversary
    edited 18 January 2019 at 7:06PM
    Do you think it is worth me going over to UC with the ESA then and will there be any delay in me getting money.

    I strongly believe that I will receive PIP, as my conditions have been very severe, but had to go to the interview without my advocate and they gave me 4 points and completely lied and misrepresented what I said (I understand that they will do this on purpose to meet fail demands)

    After checking the UC website, I can't quite decipher what amount I would recieve. My ESA was awarded november 2017, does that mean that I would recieve the standard £317.82 + £328.32 for the limited capability for work? My current allowance is 500 a month so that would be £150 more which is considerable.
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