Another Person Migrating From ESA IR To U/C Questions

Starbright2

@HillStreetBlues & @Spoonie_Turtle @Yamor

Thanks for your reply. 

I do have a little over the 6k I never touch the money in the savings account but my money in my bank account goes up & down like everybody does. 

But what I don't spend in one month then becomes capital that adds to the savings account even though it's in my bank account. That's what's causing me to worry.

So if I have some money left over £250 or more & it's coming near to the end of my AP I will have to look for something to buy or tell U/C that I've gone over & have a reduced amount paid to me even though the next month I might not have any of my income left & need more.

It's putting a lot of extra stress on people that already have enough. Unless I've misunderstood it.

Spoonie_Turtle

It is a lot to deal with, and even healthy appointees for people who aren't able to manage their own benefits don't always understand the rules properly.

To be honest I keep mine under by donating chunks to charity when I'm getting too close to the threshold for comfort.  It doesn't make good financial sense (because the UC deduction isn't all that much) but I can afford it and not having the hassle of reporting every month whilst hopefully doing some good is worth it to me.  If I were more well I might choose to deal with reporting every month - but if I were more well I wouldn't qualify for the amounts I do in the first place!  [I'm fortunate in some ways that my disability is expensive periodically, because my life is so very restricted, rather than expensive all the time.]

Starbright2

@Spoonie_Turtle

Thank you thank you thank you!

For being so honest, I think donating is an amazingly kind thing to do & one I'm going to think about doing myself. U/C feels like a monkey on my back constantly. Where before it wasn't. 

I can understand why the Gov are doing it because they only check everyone once a year then adjust accordingly. And If someone has been reported or a random check every now & then. 

So they must have lost a lot of money because people didn't report they had more but by the same token people didn't report having less I know I was one of those people.

I don't want to be an accountant, I don't want to keep checking my U/C account I just want to be left alone to get through the days as best as I can without worrying that I'm close to the end of my AP & how much moneys in my bank account. 

Starbright2

I've had a message in my journal & an updated payment statement. It has added the health element of £423.27 which they say they owe me taking off what they have already paid me. And it will be paid into my account (it does not say when but assume soon.)

Now it's saying on my payment statement £403 on 28th of June & £403 on 12th July That is with a one off over payment of £80.51 housing benefit, the new style ESA & money taken off for savings.

Starbright2

Yesterday I was paid the money owing.

I've had time to check what I'm getting now from what I was getting before the move. I am £30 less a month but that's because I put the whole of the money I have instead of disregarding the income. 

As I'm OK for now I'm not going to report it. Next month should come out as £888.05 split into two payments. I will watch my bank account to make sure I don't go over or near the amount I told them I have with disregarding the income for that month. 

Phew! I can see the end of the U/C tunnel. But now I've said that....

I just want to thank every single person who has left a comment to help me. It has made all this much less stressful & I have learnt so very much. 

It's also lovely to see the people who give so much of their time replying to help people get back the same help to them. 

Newcad

Good to see that it's all coming together for you now, it usually does so it's mainly a case of not getting too stressed out while it's going on.

You have obviously taken that view on board and are not stressing about that £30 discrepancy but have realised it should be a one-off and you'll report it right next month.

(You could try and correct it, but is it worth the hassle/stress?)

Starbright2

@Newcad

The last three years & two months have taught me it's all about picking your battles 

You know I don't think I will report it at the end of my AP this time either. It will give me a bit more breathing space. I can be a bit of a rebel like that sometimes 

Robbie64

Glad you got everything sorted out @Starbright2

Just to check: do you also get contribution based ESA? If so, have you had any letter about your contribution based ESA changing to new style ESA and then having to have an appointment with a Work Coach to agree committments? I claimed UC one day before yourself. Everything went smoothly except I haven't had this New Style ESA letter. Some people seem to get it almost straight away once they have claimed UC and conts based ESA continues to be paid on its own each fortnight.

Starbright2

Hi @Robbie64

Yes I get Contribution based ESA & it has continued to be paid on its own every two weeks. So far I've just had one letter confirming that my ESA will soon stop because I have claimed U/C. I know that's the IR top up. 

I haven't had any letters from new style ESA & nothing saying I need an appointment to confirm my commitments. I've just been through everything & defo  not had that one yet. I guess we are both in the queue on a computer system somewhere. 

Robbie64

Starbright2 said:

Hi @Robbie64

Yes I get Contribution based ESA & it has continued to be paid on its own every two weeks. So far I've just had one letter confirming that my ESA will soon stop because I have claimed U/C. I know that's the IR top up. 

I haven't had any letters from new style ESA & nothing saying I need an appointment to confirm my commitments. I've just been through everything & defo  not had that one yet. I guess we are both in the queue on a computer system somewhere. 

I got the same "Your income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) payments will end. You have made a claim for Universal Credit" letter. That was dated the same day that I claimed UC.

Good to know I'm not alone in waiting for the new style ESA letter. I was a bit worried one had been sent out and it hadn't arrived as I don't want my conts-based ESA to unexpectedly cease.