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Flowerpot
Flowerpot Community member Posts: 3 Listener
in Universal Credit (UC)
I am currently in receipt of ESA in the support group, when we go over to Universal Credit will the payments be the same as now.
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  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
    Hi Flowerpot,

    Your Universal Credit will include not just your current ESA but any other means tested benefits you receive as well as any housing costs you may have. It'll be paid monthly and it'll be as if all your benefits are paid in one. Generally speaking you shouldn't see much of a difference in your payments though.

    Lee
    The Benefits Training Co:

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  • Flowerpot
    Flowerpot Community member Posts: 3 Listener
    Thank you so much
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  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
    FlowerpotFlowerpot,

    Universal Credit isn't calculated exactly in the same way as existing benefits. It does include some elements which are like parts of your ESA (including the support component) and it does include something for housing costs as Lee says. However, it doesn't include anything to help with the council tax, so if you currently get council tax reduction (also called council tax support) you'll have to remember to claim that separately from your local authority.

    Universal Credit also doesn't have some other elements which you might currently be getting if you get income-related ESA. These are extra amounts of income-related ESA for people who get certain rates of PIP or DLA. 

    These extra amounts don't exist in quite the same way in UC. It's complicated, but the effect is that some disabled people could end up with less money, and some with more. If you have to claim UC because of a change of circumstances (for example, you move to a different part of the country and can't claim Housing Benefit because UC has started in the new area), you won't get any protection if UC is worth less.

    However, if you have to claim UC because the DWP write to you and tell you that you have to do so (this will not happen until 2019 at the earliest) then you WILL get transitional protection - meaning that your UC should be the same as your income-related ESA.

    Finally, UC is paid monthly which can make a big difference if you are used to a fortnightly benefit. However, it's possible to ask for it to be paid more frequently if you have particular needs that mean a monthly benefit would be a problem.

    The basic message is that as long as you are moved onto UC by the DWP, and not because of a change of circumstances, you shouldn't lose any money.

    Will
    The Benefits Training Co:

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