I have this elsewhere as well.Help with benefits.

SANDYSHOES

need some advice.My husband gets contribution esa and is in the support group.I have lost my job .I have asked about things all over the place .And I’m at the stage now where I don’t have some questions answered and is causing me so much stress.When I myself am not well .I have been in the calculation thing.I have been advised to put in for universal credit.My husbands been getting esa for a year.This whole situation is effecting him massively as I appear to be going around in circles.I myself have a couple of medical conditions and at the moment I’m waiting for physio as I literally can’t walk with the hope of getting a scan to see if it’s arthritis in order for me to get the treatment i need.

I have some questions I can’t seem to get answers for anywhere.Please can some one help me with answers to them.Here we go.

1/Do I need to put a universal claim in that’s just for me or both of us?

2/ If this claim goes in will my husband’s esa stop?

3/ If I put a universal claim in will my husband then have to go through the putting fit notes in ,fillling the question air in med assessment etc again?

4/ When I go on the calculation thing it asks me to put my husbands esa in which I do.Does this mean the esa is transferred automatic to universal credit.

5/My last pay for my job is 26 th June. I lost my job whilst off sick. It will include ssp .Will this effect universal credit 

6/ I know I have paid enough in for contribution benefits.I am been advised to put in for universal credit although I’m confused if that’s for me only.If it’s going to make my husbands esa vanish,Would I not be better off trying to claim esa as well.When his esa claim went in they were given my paynotes and details Please can I have help.I am due to be at the doctors on Monday .

Alice_Holt

1)    Any UC claim has to be for you both jointly as a couple. You cannot claim just as a single person. 

2) Your husband's ESA will not stop. But his ESA claim will be deducted £ for £ from your joint UC entitlement.
   As he is in the Support Group, he should be allocated directly into the LCWRA group of UC (without a WCA). This is equivalent to the SG with no work / job centre commitments. The LCWRA attracts an additional c.£416 monthly premium  to the basic couple rate of c.£617.  You may need to chase UC / ESA initially to get them to recognise his SG / LCWRA status - the systems don't talk to each other, so manual intervention by DWP is required.

3) No - see above. But whilst the SG to LCWRA transfer happens your work coach may ask for fit notes. It's worth having up to date proof of his SG status to show the JC.

4) See 2). ESA continues in payment.

5)  Worth checking on a benefit calculator:
 https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators

Do you rent?  Do you have dependant children, or adults living with you?

To claim help with council tax - you will need to apply to your LA.

6) Probably the best time to make a UC claim is just after your final salary cheque has been paid into your bank account. Then your UC won't be reduced by that payment. But check this against what other forumites advise.

When you claim UC - you may wish to go through:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/contact-us/help-to-claim/

Make your JC aware of your health conditions. If these prevent you from working, then get a fit note and ask for a WCA assessment (it's like the ESA process).  


Is your husband claiming PIP ?

SANDYSHOES

Thankyou.I did contact cab but emailed and all they said was to apply for universal credit and that I could request a call back.As they don’t advice by email.But no one rang back.I have literally been getting bits of advice everywhere from people as it’s so confusing.I have been on loads of sites but it’s been confusing.Its my husbands claim I’m concerned about as I was worried he would have to go through it all again with fit notes etc.I have been pasting this and getting help .Im extremely thankfull for this help.

Alice_Holt

Is your husband claiming PIP ?
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/

If so, then you may be able to get the UC carers addition of c£198 pm.
This would also place you in the no work-related requirements group 


Do you rent?  Do you have dependant children, or adults living with you?

SANDYSHOES

I have since then been filling the universal credit one in and was confused.As we are a couple and it was giving a code for him to do his.And I made a mistake and it won’t let me go back to amend it.To top it up my fitnote I need I haven’t got yet.My one I had ran out sat and my doctors isn’t until tommorrow.So I can’t continue as it’s asking if I have a fit note.I lost my job when off sick 2 days.I can’t explain but it’s wrong what they did.I have medical conditions they knew about and here I am.I have been struggling .

poppy12345

If you claim UC then yes it will need to be as a couple. You will be sent a linking code for your partner to use when he starts a claim. This will link both claims together.

In your previous comment you said you were expecting your final pay from your employer on 26th June. For this reason it maybe better to wait until 27th June to claim UC but it will depend on the figures. Use a benefits calculator to check. 

Have you claimed New style ESA? 

SANDYSHOES

My husband gets contribution esa,He gets that one.Kids are grown up left home.

Robbie64

Hi Sandyshoes. Could you answer a couple of questions, as asked above, to get further advice?

Do you rent a property?

Have you claimed new style ESA

Also - have you submitted your UC claim or not? If you haven't then i suggest you don't do so until you've been able to clarify the above two questions as they are important.It may be that you don't need to claim UC for at least another week or two depending on your answers.

poppy12345

SANDYSHOES said:

My husband gets contribution esa,He gets that one.Kids are grown up left home.

Yes we know your husband claims New style ESA but you still haven't answered the questions you were asked. No one can help you until you do.