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Does this count as ‘change of circumstances’ shift to UC?
snogborkel
Posts: 5 Forumite
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!
Thanks!
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Comments
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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 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.0 -
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.0 -
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:0 -
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.0 -
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?0 -
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.0 -
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-CreditAlice Holt Forest situated some 4 miles south of Farnham forms the most northerly gateway to the South Downs National Park.0 -
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.0 -
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!0 -
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.0
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