Do they stop your money entirely in migrating from ESA to UC?

peterlore

Hi, I'm sorry to jump in immediately with a question but I was hoping that I could pick your collective brains. I've just strated the migration from ESA to UC, and couldn't get my ID proof uploaded which resulted in them booking me for a jobcentre interview to confirm my ID which I can't do - i'm unable to leave the house.

To that end they've referred me for a home visit, but I've been told that can take between 8 and 12 weeks...I don't actually think I can survive that. in terms of rent and paying my bills I'm already relying heavily on my PIP which will cover my rent, but it'll leave about a £400 shortfall on my bills. Will they really be stopping my allowance for a quarter of the year?

I'm kind of panicking here and was hoping someone could clear up my confusion and despair and offer any kind of silver lining?

peterlore

I forgot to add, happy new year and thank you in advance for any assistance you can render.

KxMx

Add a note to your Journal asking for a biographical phone call to verify your ID. They'll ask questions only you know the answers too.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-verify-your-identity-for-universal-credit

peterlore

KxMx said:

Add a note to your Journal asking for a biographical phone call to verify your ID. They'll ask questions only you know the answers too.

Thank you so much! I hope they can accomodate, my heart sank when I heard about the kind of wait time there is for home visits.

sammyjammy

The wait time is their issue not yours so you should not be financially impacted by it, if there is any suggestion you will be contact your MP ASAP.

Hope you get lucky with the telephone call mentioned above, please let us know.

peterlore

sammyjammy said:

The wait time is their issue not yours so you should not be financially impacted by it, if there is any suggestion you will be contact your MP ASAP.

Hope you get lucky with the telephone call mentioned above, please let us know.

I have to say that the phone interview was impressively smooth. my work coach phoned me up, asked...Three questions including one that was a really obscure detail from 30 years ago! I was amazed! He also took me through describing how the journal works, how hands on or off i can expect they be (in my case he told me that I was in the..LCWRA group so I will get minimal contact and that I can expect my first payment on the second.

Does that mean that there'll be an overlap on my ESA? or does my ESA stop one day and continue as UC the next?

poppy12345

Glad it was a smooth straight forward process. Income Related ESA continues for 2 weeks once your UC claim was submitted. Your first UC payment will not be affected by this.

Your first UC payment will be just under 5 weeks after you submitted the claim and you will be paid for 1 months money. Your UC payments will be the same date each month, unless payment date falls on a weekend or bank holiday and then you'll receive your payment on the last working day before. 

peterlore

poppy12345 said:

Glad it was a smooth straight forward process. Income Related ESA continues for 2 weeks once your UC claim was submitted. Your first UC payment will not be affected by this.

Your first UC payment will be just under 5 weeks after you submitted the claim and you will be paid for 1 months money. Your UC payments will be the same date each month, unless payment date falls on a weekend or bank holiday and then you'll receive your payment on the last working day before. 

Wait so for the first payment i get one ESA payment and a full month of UC?

Spoonie_Turtle

Correct.  People were having issues going from a fortnightly benefit to monthly (with a five-week wait for the first UC payment) so they introduced the two-week run-on as a concession to help people struggle less with cashflow.

peterlore

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Correct.  People were having issues going from a fortnightly benefit to monthly (with a five-week wait for the first UC payment) so they introduced the two-week run-on as a concession to help people struggle less with cashflow.

That's...actually helpful (on their part, thank you for answering) I've been panicking because over christmas the only real money i've put aside because of this is my PIP so this in theory means i shouldn't have to apply for the cash advance.

TimeLord1

You can also apply for a loan on UC that will be deducted from future UC payments 

https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit/other-financial-support