£300pm better off on UC?

Kris35

Hiya. I've been in the Support Group of ESA for a few years now and recently applied for Universal Credit. It's a welcome relief of course but I don't understand why I'm £300 a month better off on UC? My rent is £720 and when I was on HB I only got £400 pm so had to pay the rest out of my ESA. UC are paying £520 towards my rent but I'm still getting more than when on ESA. Does this sound normal?

huckster

With the recent benefit rate changes, yes this does sound normal.  
Some of the Local Housing Allowance rates have significantly increased.  And  the Standard Allowance was increased and with the LCWRA amount, you would see a large increase on your previous ESA award..
Use a benefits calculator such as Entitledto website and it will confirm the amount.

poppy12345

Those in the Support Group for ESA are better off claiming UC LCWRA (providing they are not claiming SDP) even before the increases happen for UC due to Covid19.

Do be aware though that the increase in Standard allowance and LHA are only in place for 1 year.

Kris35

Just checked and this is what I'm getting:
£550.02 for housing.

Limited capability for work and work-related activity is £336.20.

And £409.89 standard allowance.
Is some of this only temporary then, because there's nothing in my account that says this?

Spoonie_Turtle

The standard allowance is temporarily increased (until April next year). I'm not sure about the housing element, and LCWRA will not drop.

Edit: though I've just seen poppy said the housing element is a temporary increase too. It doesn't say anything in our accounts but the increases are temporary to support people through the economic impact of the pandemic.

Kris35

Huckster, thanks. I used that calculator and it says I'm entitled to 311.61 a week. So, this is much better because when I was on ESA I was on around £930 pm. I am so grateful for this money I can't tell you as I was struggling.
Thanks spoonie and Poppy.

spencerrothchild

It’s surprising messing round with the benefits calculator 

these days you are often better off on lower income working part time rather than full time 

Kris35

poppy12345 said:

Those in the Support Group for ESA are better off claiming UC LCWRA (providing they are not claiming SDP) even before the increases happen for UC due to Covid19.

Do be aware though that the increase in Standard allowance and LHA are only in place for 1 year.

Poppy can I ask you please: If I'm better off on UC, which I am, why didn't the DWP tell me? So for four years or so, I'd been getting around £950 a month in total when my rent was £695. Do you know if I can back claim the money that I was obviously eligible for?

Thanks.

poppy12345

Kris35 said:

poppy12345 said:

Those in the Support Group for ESA are better off claiming UC LCWRA (providing they are not claiming SDP) even before the increases happen for UC due to Covid19.

Do be aware though that the increase in Standard allowance and LHA are only in place for 1 year.

Poppy can I ask you please: If I'm better off on UC, which I am, why didn't the DWP tell me? So for four years or so, I'd been getting around £950 a month in total when my rent was £695. Do you know if I can back claim the money that I was obviously eligible for?

Thanks.

It's not their responsibility to tell you whether or not you'll be better off claiming a different benefit. That's your responsibility. Blaiming DWP isn't going to help you claim that money i'm afraid because unfortunately, you won't be able to claim it regardless of what you try. You weren't entitled to that extra money at the time because you were claiming ESA and housing benefit.

Spoonie_Turtle

Kris35 said:

poppy12345 said:

Those in the Support Group for ESA are better off claiming UC LCWRA (providing they are not claiming SDP) even before the increases happen for UC due to Covid19.

Do be aware though that the increase in Standard allowance and LHA are only in place for 1 year.

Poppy can I ask you please: If I'm better off on UC, which I am, why didn't the DWP tell me? So for four years or so, I'd been getting around £950 a month in total when my rent was £695. Do you know if I can back claim the money that I was obviously eligible for?

Thanks.

It's their responsibility to administer the benefits people claim (and arguably they're not the best at that job in the first place) but it's not their job to check everyone's getting all that they should be entitled to.
[Whether it ought be part of their remit or not is a separate matter.]

oh_really

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Kris35 said:

poppy12345 said:

Those in the Support Group for ESA are better off claiming UC LCWRA (providing they are not claiming SDP) even before the increases happen for UC due to Covid19.

Do be aware though that the increase in Standard allowance and LHA are only in place for 1 year.

Poppy can I ask you please: If I'm better off on UC, which I am, why didn't the DWP tell me? So for four years or so, I'd been getting around £950 a month in total when my rent was £695. Do you know if I can back claim the money that I was obviously eligible for?

Thanks.

It's their responsibility to administer the benefits people claim (and arguably they're not the best at that job in the first place) but it's not their job to check everyone's getting all that they should be entitled to.
[Whether it ought be part of their remit or not is a separate matter.]

Flying pigs will ride unicorn before that'll happen