We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

Does this count as ‘change of circumstances’ shift to UC?

I was on ESA (not aware of any end date) and had to pause it when my father died and I inherited in 2014. I was in the WRAG at the time. Now that my income has fallen below the 16K and I have called to reinstate the ESA, I have been told that since I was notifying them of a change in circumstances it will be moved over to a new UC claim. Is this right, that I can’t just restart my ESA?

Thanks!
«1

Comments

  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 18,532 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    snogborkel wrote: »
    I was on ESA (not aware of any end date) and had to pause it when my father died and I inherited in 2014. I was in the WRAG at the time. Now that my income has fallen below the 16K and I have called to reinstate the ESA, I have been told that since I was notifying them of a change in circumstances it will be moved over to a new UC claim. Is this right, that I can’t just restart my ESA?

    Thanks!
    If your claim was closed at the time because of your savings then yes you'll need to claim UC.


    If it wasn't closed then you would have been receiving NI credits only but for this you would have needed to continue to be re-assessed and attend appointments because you were in the WRAG.
  • Alice_Holt
    Alice_Holt Posts: 6,092 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 16 February 2019 at 6:15PM
    Did you keep the ESA claim active to get NI credits?
    If so I think you may be able to resume payments, but please check this. Your local CAB may be able to advise.

    If it's a new claim then it will be definitely UC.

    You may also wish to claim Council Tax support from your local council.
    Alice Holt Forest situated some 4 miles south of Farnham forms the most northerly gateway to the South Downs National Park.
  • Alice_Holt wrote: »
    Did you keep the ESA claim active to get NI credits?
    If so I think you may be able to resume payments, but please check this. Your local CAB may be able to advise.

    Thank you Alice.. I have been thinking along these lines... it was kept open and I claimed NI. But I have asked and been told that it has to be a new claim.

    What can I do? :question:
  • calcotti
    calcotti Posts: 15,696 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 16 February 2019 at 7:21PM
    The issue of 'credits only' awards is confusing.

    My understanding is that a credits only 'award' is not actually an ESA award, it is an award of NI credits because of Limited Capability for Work. I think therefore that the OP is required to make a new claim which is therefore UC.
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Some rules may be different in other parts of UK.
  • snogborkel
    snogborkel Posts: 5 Forumite
    edited 16 February 2019 at 7:41PM
    calcotti wrote: »
    The issue of 'credits only' awards is confusing.

    My understanding is that a credits only 'award' is not actually an ESA award, it is an award of NI credits because of Limited Capability for Work. I think therefore that the OP is required to make a new claim which is therefore UC.

    You mean it would have been changed from an ESA award to a credits only award when I got the inheritance?
  • calcotti
    calcotti Posts: 15,696 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 16 February 2019 at 7:49PM
    snogborkel wrote: »
    You mean it would have been changed from an ESA award to a credits only award when I got the inheritance?

    Yes that’s my understanding. When you inherited you ceased to be eligible for ESA because you were over the savings limit.
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Some rules may be different in other parts of UK.
  • Alice_Holt
    Alice_Holt Posts: 6,092 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    snogborkel wrote: »
    Thank you Alice.. I have been thinking along these lines... it was kept open and I claimed NI. But I have asked and been told that it has to be a new claim.

    What can I do? :question:

    I'd try to get a definite answer from your local CAB. Ask them to email their Expert Advice Team (EAT) for a response and contact you with the reply.

    I'm not sure, and calcotti may well be right. But you probably would want a definite answer to check if what you are being told by the DWP is correct.

    BTW if you have to claim UC, as you are accessed as in the WRAG group from your latest WCA (and in receipt pre April 2017) you should receive the additional LCW £126 element (I think).
    Again you may wish to confirm this through the CAB, and make sure the DWP apply this element.

    https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Universal-Credit/Additional-Elements-of-Universal-Credit
    Alice Holt Forest situated some 4 miles south of Farnham forms the most northerly gateway to the South Downs National Park.
  • calcotti
    calcotti Posts: 15,696 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 16 February 2019 at 8:02PM
    Alice’s suggestion of getting advice from CAB expert team is a good one.

    I think Alice is right about the LCW element, see paragraph 14 here
    https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/661568/admf5.pdf. Looks as if it is included from the start of the claim.

    Do please let us know how you get on.
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Some rules may be different in other parts of UK.
  • Thanks both. Whenever I’ve gone to CAB they’ve not been able to advise me on benefits in any detail, but I wasn’t aware of the expert advice team so that’s a good tip. I’ll do that and really appreciate your advice.

    Thanks a lot, and I’ll let you know!
  • calcotti
    calcotti Posts: 15,696 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    snogborkel wrote: »
    Thanks both. Whenever I’ve gone to CAB they’ve not been able to advise me on benefits in any detail, but I wasn’t aware of the expert advice team so that’s a good tip. I’ll do that and really appreciate your advice.

    Thanks a lot, and I’ll let you know!

    Note that you’ll have to go to CAB and ask them to ask the expert team - you can’t access it directly yourself.
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Some rules may be different in other parts of UK.
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 346.7K Banking & Borrowing
  • 251.4K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 451.5K Spending & Discounts
  • 238.9K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 614.4K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 174.8K Life & Family
  • 252.2K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.