Income ESA to UC migration confusion. Worried. Please help.

Ihatethinkingofusernames11

Hello. I got a managed migration notice to move from Income related ESA to UC and applied on 31st March.

I have no idea what is going on but got a message in the journal out of the blue, saying "records show  your getting IR ESA and to tell them I'm moving to UC" but it was worded confusingly, so I asked what it was about in the journal, but couldn't wait, so I also phoned telling ESA that I'm on UC but they already knew I think. They said everything was ok their end, then transferred me to UC on same phone call. They said didn't need to do anything, also asked if I wanted paying fortnightly or monthly so said fortnightly. 

Then the reply in the journal came that said the message was informational purposes and considered when calculating payment. Then said "Note that ESA was referring to is just contribution based new style esa which you will continue to receive after claiming UC. The income related part will end and replaced by UC elements." I expected the IR ESA to stop, but had no idea about cont based new style ESA, nor did I apply/think I'd be entitled to it.

I'm so confused because I wasn't on contribution based ESA and it's meant to be a simple migration. I rang up and I'm none the wiser. Think the person on the phone said it was to do with LWCRA or whatever replaced support component on IR ESA and may be added on but they don't know as they can't see a statement and need to wait. Nothing to worry about they said, but still said cont based was continuing I think. Not sure if they understood what I was asking or it's me being terrible on the phone. 

I was under the impression that it was a simple migration, IR ESA to UC, I did calculators and whatnot and they say should be £190 Per Week roughly (entitled to and turn to us both said the same). Then I read that new style ESA is deducted from your UC but I don't know if it's true as I'm so tired/ stressed and anxious about this now.

So I don't know what is going on here. I thought ESA was meant to end 2 weeks after applying (so 14th maybe as I applied the 31st march) but ESA paid me after that for some reason, and it was £25/30 less than my usual amount of IR ESA. 

Can anyone tell me what is happening here please. I'm honestly so confused and had no idea about new style cont based ESA when I applied. I haven't worked in past few years anyway. Are they confusing that with the LWCRA? I had a statement (I didn't know about until I rang) of £0 with deductions due to IR ESA. Approx £600 with full deductions which I can half understand due to ESA deductions. The £600 was £40 ISH short of a months ESA for me so not sure what's happening there either. They only listed standard UC amount with no top ups so have to wait for another statement which on the 6th will also be £0. 

So what happened here? I thought I had 5 weeks max to wait for payments and ESA stops in between. They made it sound so simple just migrate over and bobs your uncle. I haven't a clue about this cont based new style ESA. If that gets deducted what's the point in claiming it? (not even sure if I'm right about that). The new style ESA is the thing that is worrying me as I didn't expect it and if it reduces your benefit then what's the point? Not sure how I qualify anyway but I think the person on the phone said "did you have an illness/ disability" that'll be why. 

In any case I'm suppose to have transitional protection but got paid lower ESA and no UC, even on the 5th 5 weeks later. 

Any help would be greatly appreciated and sorry this is a long post. I thought it'd be straight forward given their reassurances before the managed migration but has someone messed this up and I'll be on less not more or they haven't added transitional protection? Idk need sleep but worried. Thanks in advance. 

TimeLord1

Can you put in all the original payments from ESA that was originally paid, like how it's written on the previous ESA letters


Living Expenses £0.00

Extra Money Because You Get Disability income Guarantee £0.00

Support Group £0.00

Your Income Related Amount is £0.00

I think  contribution related ESA with an income-related top-up. But if you set it out as above, we can understand what is happening. 

KxMx

I think there are multiple things going on here. Bold text because I've written a lot of information. 

The automated message is just that, a prompt to keep your circumstances updated with ESA & UC. UC helpline staff do little more than read off a screen in a call centre.

Many people don't know what their ESA award was until they migrate. I answer this exact question here and on one other forum multiple times a week. 

If you were awarded CB ESA in the past then entitlement lasts as long as you are in the Support Group.

In all likelihood your previous ESA award was Contributions Based with an Income Related top up.

Your IR ESA has been replaced by UC (monthly payment). 

Your CB ESA has converted automatically into New Style ESA, paid at £281.10 a fortnight.

You will not be worse off with the monthly deduction (£598.87 2024/2025 & £609.05 2025/2026) because:

UC LCWRA + Support Group pays £809.61 a month 2024/2025, rising to £823.41(next month) for 2025/2026.

Is LCWRA element listed on your UC statement? 

If that's missing then you need to let them know asap via a Journal note (using the payment option).
If you are owed money you will not have to wait another month for your next statement.
Once they've calculated the underpayment, a letter will be added to your Journal stating the amount owed.
Payment will be received within a few working days 

Transitional Protection is added if your total UC award is lower than legacy benefits at the time of transfer. 

Previous threads indicate you didn't get Severe Disability Premium with your ESA, which usually means no entitlement to TP as UC LCWRA + Standard Allowance pays more a month than ESA Support Group 689.21 a month (at 2024/2025 rates). 

Ihatethinkingofusernames11

@Timelord1 Apologies for late response I had was checking the wrong email. Thanks for your response. I can try to find one of them but can't remember the last one of them I got. I'll have to check. 

Ihatethinkingofusernames11

@KxMx. Thanks for your reply and apologies for late response. 

I don't have LCWRA listed in the only statement I had so far. They basically said on the phone I had to wait for the next statement but also that it would still show £0 on 6th May which is 5 weeks from application date. It only lists standard allowance. I'm not sure why. 

I was awarded CB ESA years ago before I moved to IR ESA.

I appreciate the clarification and don't know whether it's anything to do with them paying me ESA beyond the two week mark or not. It's confusing to me anyway. It was for £293 approx on the 23rd instead of £318 approx prior to that (per fortnight and like it used to be on IR ESA). It still showed up on bank statement (NAT insurance number DWP EESA anyway).

I am assuming though if they mentioned the New style ESA may be added to the next statement unless they haven't added it it at all or I do need to wait the full 5 weeks after applying for it to be generated? I had no idea about this new style ESA thing and assumed I'd switch to straight UC. 

So basically I better let let them know the LCWRA isn't listed or do I need to wait the 5 weeks since applying? I don't know how it works. You explained far better here than I felt has been done elsewhere. Thanks very much.  They made it sound like that on the phone though that I had to wait but if you say they just read off a screen then I've got my doubts about it. 

KxMx

Yes you need to let them know via a Journal note that you applied for UC via managed migration from ESA Support Group, and that LCWRA element is missing from your statement.

Once they've sorted it as I advised a letter will be added to your Journal stating the amount owed due to underpayment, with payment following a few working days later. 

Then each and every month LCWRA should be on your statement.

See the last page of this thread where a missing LCWRA element on first statement after migration also happened:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6571332/moving-over-from-esa-support-group-to-uc-advice#latest

Ihatethinkingofusernames11

@Timelord1 I found the most recent one of IR ESA that said from 10th April 2025 your ESA would be £161.75 a week but pertaining to 10th April 2025 rates. 

I never got to that figure though as last payment should have been the 9th unless I misunderstood. Applied 31st March and last payday for 2 weeks was the 9th of April so hope I didn't mess anything up. 

Anyway that breakdown is (or would have been as followed).

Living Expenses £92.05
Extra money because of disability income guarantee £21.20

Limited capability for work addition.
Extra money because you are in the support group £48.50. 
Total income related amount £161.75

Your income related amount is £161.75 less total income of £0.00 so your income related entitlement is £161.75 total. Again from 10th April 2025. Before that it would be less. 

Total before was £318 / 2 so £159. 

Just to add not sure where the £293 came from I got on the 23rd under DWP EESA still like it was under the old IR ESA on bank statement and exactly how that pertains to the £598.87. 

Ihatethinkingofusernames11

@KxMx. Thank you so much. I'm not sure why it's missing then if they mentioned New style ESA in a message to me in the journal. Can I just reply to the same message or should I open a new one under payments like you said?

The message I sent and the person that replies was under the payments header?

I'll take a look at that thread now thank you very much. 

KxMx

I always advise writing a new message using the payment option. 

TimeLord1

Yes that's easier to understand are you also getting any housing element paid currently?

So your Disability income related amount is the £21.20 paid via universal credit once a month 

Your contribution new Style ESA Amount is £140.55
Paid every 2 weeks as it was previously. I'm uncertain if there's a gap in payments while it's changing over. 

Ihatethinkingofusernames11

@kxmx ok I will write a new message under the payments instead of replying. I'm just not the best at explaining things or do I not need to to explain to them what happened/ the messages left to the worker who mentioned the new style ESA to me?