Joint Universal Credit claim - husband will move from legacy ESA

teacakemoaning

Thank you for your help. I’m finding it all overwhelming to be honest.

teacakemoaning

I haven’t worked enough to pay in the contributions.

pmlindyloo

teacakemoaning wrote: »

Thank you for your help. I’m finding it all overwhelming to be honest.

It can be overwhelming, I agree.

Let's start at the beginning. I am concerned that you might already be on your husband's ESA claim.

So, find your husband's latest ESA award letter and tell us exactly what it says as regards the amounts payable.

calcotti

OP certainly should be on husband's ESA claim if it is income based.

teacakemoaning wrote: »

Thank you for your help. I’m finding it all overwhelming to be honest.

OP you really do need to get a benefits check done to do the following.
1) check that the calculation of your existing benefits are correct
2) see what you would be entitled to if you switched to UC but your circumstances are unchanged
3) see what your UC entitlement would rise to if you are found to have LCWRA following a Work Capability Assessment

The above will give you the financial information you need to inform your decision. The other factor to then consider is that currently you are presumably not receiving any NI credits towards your future state pension. If you claim UC you will get NI credits but these can be obtained in other ways if UC is not the best choice.

The other point to consider is that managing a UC claim is a different process to managing an old ESA claim. You are expected to manage the claim online.

You never answered the question about whether either you or your husband get PIP or DLA. If you both have long term health conditions that affect your daily lives and you are not getting either you should look at PIP to see if either of you qualify. PIP would be extra money on top of any other benefit income you receive. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/

calcotti

teacakemoaning wrote: »

Yes my housing benefit and council tax benefit has been reduced a lot because of my son who is working. Not so much by my other son who is not working. I’m finding all of this very confusing as it’s all so complicated to me.

Under UC the maximum help with rent you are entitled will (in most cases) be the same as for Housing Benefit. However the actual help received can differ. Under UC it will be assumed that each of your adult sons is contributing £73.89/month, so a total of £147.78/month. Therefore if your housing benefit is being reduced by more than £34/week there is a strong likelihood that you will get more help on UC.

pmlindyloo

calcotti wrote: »

Under UC the maximum help with rent you are entitled will (in most cases) be the same as for Housing Benefit. However the actual help received can differ. Under UC it will be assumed that each of your adult sons is contributing £73.89/month, so a total of £147.78/month. Therefore if your housing benefit is being reduced by more than £34/week there is a strong likelihood that you will get more help on UC.

Unless the non dependent is under 21. Then there is no non dependent deduction.

https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/universal-credit-non-dependant-deductions

calcotti

pmlindyloo wrote: »

Unless the non dependent is under 21. Then there is no non dependent deduction.

https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/universal-credit-non-dependant-deductions

Thanks pmlindyloo - I’d forgotten that. Even more reason UC may be better. It is hard picking up everything when replying!
OP really does need benefits check to make sure everything is taken into account.

teacakemoaning

Sorry I forgot to reply to that question. My husband is not on PIP or DLA. Neither am I.

teacakemoaning

Because if my sons earnings I am paying almost full rent. I get £2 a week benefit only .

calcotti

teacakemoaning wrote: »

Because if my sons earnings I am paying almost full rent. I get £2 a week benefit only .

Very likely to be better off on UC but I still recommend doing a benefits check first. Offering advice on a forum we are not in possession of all the facts and I would not want you to post all the details of your finances and circumstances here.