How much worse off would I be if I moved in with my partner?

daveandjadea

I'm struggling with online benefits checker and due to the pandemic I can't go to CAB to check this. 
I'm on ESA-SG, I get housing benefit too and live in a council flat - I've applied for PIP but awaiting tribunal and may not get PIP. My partner works full-time on minimum wage, although as he works in bars his shifts can be inconsistent. 

I'm worried if my partner moves in then I'd lose ESA and we'd be expected to live on his income alone, or that we would have to be shifted into UC. 

Is the idea of my living with a partner just a dream? 

poppy12345

daveandjadea said:

I'm struggling with online benefits checker and due to the pandemic I can't go to CAB to check this. 
I'm on ESA-SG, I get housing benefit too and live in a council flat - I've applied for PIP but awaiting tribunal and may not get PIP. My partner works full-time on minimum wage, although as he works in bars his shifts can be inconsistent. 

I'm worried if my partner moves in then I'd lose ESA and we'd be expected to live on his income alone, or that we would have to be shifted into UC. 

Is the idea of my living with a partner just a dream? 

If your ESA is all Income Related then this will stop when your partner moves in. If any of your ESA is Contributions based then you will keep that part, which is £113.55 per week. If you don't know what exactly you're claiming then you need to ring DWP to ask.

Whether you'll qualify for Universal Credit will totally depend on your partners monthly net earnings and with no information it's impossible to advise anything. If you claimed UC within when your partner moves in then your Support Group award will be honoured in UC and you'll receive the LCWRA element, as well as the standard couples element and housing element (if you rent your home with your partner) You don't mention any dependant children so can't advise with that.

You could also ask your partner to help you with the benefit calculator if you don't understand it.

Grumpy_chap

daveandjadea said:

due to the pandemic I can't go to CAB to check this. 

CAB are offering online / telephone support.  At least, they are in my area.

daveandjadea

My understanding is if I am awarded PIP I'll get severe disability benefit, so I imagine I'd lose that too if my partner moved in. It seems like I'm absolutely going to be worse off if he lives with me, and I worry I'd have no money of my own plus have to deal with five week wait for UC payment. 

Thanks for the replies, I'm just so upset it looks like I'll never be able to live with a partner. 

calcotti

daveandjadea said:

... I worry I'd have no money of my own plus have to deal with five week wait for UC payment. 

If PIP is awarded that is not affected by living with a partner. Also, as previously advised, if any of your ESA is contribution based that also is not affected by living with a partner.

[Deleted User]

Welfare rights are also offering tele advice in most if not all areas.

Spoonie_Turtle

daveandjadea said:

I'm struggling with online benefits checker and due to the pandemic I can't go to CAB to check this. 
I'm on ESA-SG, I get housing benefit too and live in a council flat - I've applied for PIP but awaiting tribunal and may not get PIP. My partner works full-time on minimum wage, although as he works in bars his shifts can be inconsistent. 

I'm worried if my partner moves in then I'd lose ESA and we'd be expected to live on his income alone, or that we would have to be shifted into UC. 

Is the idea of my living with a partner just a dream? 

If you had to apply for UC, your maximum entitlement would be as follows:
Standard couple allowance: £594.04
LCWRA element: £341.92 (because you're already in the Support Group)
Housing element: £same or similar as HB currently - if you're a couple in a 1-bed council flat they will pay the amount of your full rent
(Possibly carer's element: £162.92 - if you're awarded daily living PIP and your partner cares for you 35hrs per week)

As you have LCWRA the first £292 of any earnings would be disregarded, then 63% of earnings above that would be deducted from your maximum UC entitlement. If you know what your partner's wage usually is (I know you said shifts vary but if the total number of hours stays the same) you'll be able to work this out. If the hours fluctuate, then you could work it out using the minimum he tends to earn and then the maximum.

Based on 40hrs p/w at minimum wage, 40x£8.72 = £348.80, x52 = £18137.60, ÷12 = £1511.46. -£292 = £1219.46, x0.63 = £768.26 to be deducted.
So even before taking into account the housing or potential carer's element, you would still be entitled to some UC (£167.70, in this calculation).

Of course this does depend on what exactly type of ESA you're claiming, and the above figures and calculations assume that your partner doesn't have savings or capital above £6000. If he does, then a proportional deduction would be made, £4.35 for every £250 or part thereof up to £16000. Over £16000 there's no entitlement. It also assumes your partner doesn't receive any other income; earnings are deducted at 63% but unearned income is deducted in full.

https://www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/new-to-universal-credit/how-much-youll-get/

You may well get a fair amount less in benefits than you do now, but don't forget to add in your partner's income! Then the total household income should look a lot healthier.

calcotti

Use a benefit calculator https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators

daveandjadea

calcotti said:

daveandjadea said:

... I worry I'd have no money of my own plus have to deal with five week wait for UC payment. 

If PIP is awarded that is not affected by living with a partner. Also, as previously advised, if any of your ESA is contribution based that also is not affected by living with a partner.

If PIP is awarded I'd keep that (granted big if), but not the severe disability premium. 

daveandjadea

Spoonie_Turtle said:

daveandjadea said:

I'm struggling with online benefits checker and due to the pandemic I can't go to CAB to check this. 
I'm on ESA-SG, I get housing benefit too and live in a council flat - I've applied for PIP but awaiting tribunal and may not get PIP. My partner works full-time on minimum wage, although as he works in bars his shifts can be inconsistent. 

I'm worried if my partner moves in then I'd lose ESA and we'd be expected to live on his income alone, or that we would have to be shifted into UC. 

Is the idea of my living with a partner just a dream? 

If you had to apply for UC, your maximum entitlement would be as follows:
Standard couple allowance: £594.04
LCWRA element: £341.92 (because you're already in the Support Group)
Housing element: £same or similar as HB currently - if you're a couple in a 1-bed council flat they will pay the amount of your full rent
(Possibly carer's element: £162.92 - if you're awarded daily living PIP and your partner cares for you 35hrs per week)

As you have LCWRA the first £292 of any earnings would be disregarded, then 63% of earnings above that would be deducted from your maximum UC entitlement. If you know what your partner's wage usually is (I know you said shifts vary but if the total number of hours stays the same) you'll be able to work this out. If the hours fluctuate, then you could work it out using the minimum he tends to earn and then the maximum.

Based on 40hrs p/w at minimum wage, 40x£8.72 = £348.80, x52 = £18137.60, ÷12 = £1511.46. -£292 = £1219.46, x0.63 = £768.26 to be deducted.
So even before taking into account the housing or potential carer's element, you would still be entitled to some UC (£167.70, in this calculation).

Of course this does depend on what exactly type of ESA you're claiming, and the above figures and calculations assume that your partner doesn't have savings or capital above £6000. If he does, then a proportional deduction would be made, £4.35 for every £250 or part thereof up to £16000. Over £16000 there's no entitlement. It also assumes your partner doesn't receive any other income; earnings are deducted at 63% but unearned income is deducted in full.

https://www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/new-to-universal-credit/how-much-youll-get/

You may well get a fair amount less in benefits than you do now, but don't forget to add in your partner's income! Then the total household income should look a lot healthier.

Thank you for that break down.

So yes, it looks like we'd be worse off (and I'd be left with no income of my own) - more so if I lose out on severe disability premium - also I'd be concerned about dealing with more medical assessments. 

I may not be put into the UC equivalent of ESA-SG, in fact I may be found fit for work - the fear of UC is also a big factor to my decision, the prospect of weeks without payment then fighting to appeal medical assessment decisions. 

daveandjadea

I'm just so fed-up. 
I'm desperate to work. I'm desperate to try to find some way of moving life forward or improving my life, such as being able to live with a partner - and you'd think living with someone would be better financially, but apparently not.
It just seems every attempt I make to improve my life there's a brick wall.