ESA(c) and UC. — Scope | Disability forum
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ESA(c) and UC.

chrisvanf
chrisvanf Community member Posts: 63 Courageous
Hi
I am a bit confused about the Benefit system and what Benefits I can/could claim...
I am currently claiming since Feb 2019...

Universal Credit from Feb 2018.
My Wife and myself claim PIP From mid 2018 
My Wife and Myself claim Carers for each other.
I have just won my WCA appeal and have been placed in LCWRA.
I was claiming ESA(c) from Feb 2018 to Feb 2019. .
I am also claiming IIDB at 30%.
We are also claiming Housing Benefit.

Based on my situation, am I better off going back on ESA(c) in the Support Group.
Can I claim any of the Disability Premiums that I read so much about.
Will I be better off claiming ESA(c) at Support rate, I know it is taken off UC at £1 for £1.
Could my wife or myself claim ESA(ir) as well as UC and would we be better off...
Could I claim ESA(ir) instead of ESA(c) and could I claim the Disability Premiums..

Which of the Benefits would I be better off claiming, or not claiming... 
From what I understand, most of the sites don't deal with ESA(c), either it's negatives or positives of claiming, other than the fortnightly payments (which we liked before)...  
Thank You in advance for your knowledge of the benefit minefield...  
Edited, re-edited, bits added, bits taken out spellchecked then edited again, 

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,359 Disability Gamechanger
    HI and welcome,

    As your ESA claim was Contributions based and then you claimed UC then unfortunately, you won't be able to claim ESA Income related because you've now claimed UC and you can't go back once you claim UC. No disability premiums will be paid with the ESA CB and because you claimed UC and unfortunately they don't exist under UC.

    However, you'll receive the LCWRA element of UC which is more than the ESA support Group CB but i'd advice you to go back onto ESA CB, even though it's deducted £1 for £1 from your UC amount.

    When you say housing benefit then i assume you mean the housing element of UC rather than housing benefit itself.

    Hope this helps and great news on the Tribunal win.


    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,359 Disability Gamechanger
    Two things i should also point out, you can't claim carers allowance and CB ESA together because they are classed as overlapping benefits. It's one or the other.

    Also because you've been awarded LCWRA with your UC then you can't receive this element and the carers element together for yourself. This means that you'll receive 1 LCWRA element and 1 Carers element for your partner. Because of this rule, this means that the backdated money you'll receive will be the difference between LCWRA element and the carers element, which is £176. You won't receive the full LCWRA backdated.


    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • chrisvanf
    chrisvanf Community member Posts: 63 Courageous
    Hi @poppy123456.
    Thanks for the reply.

    I was hoping you would advise going back onto ESA(c) as we like the Fortnight payments...

    Yes I meant the UC Housing Benefit...

    Thanks for the advice @poppy123456

    Have a Great Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
    Edited, re-edited, bits added, bits taken out spellchecked then edited again, 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,359 Disability Gamechanger
    You're welcome,

    You can go back onto CB ESA for yourself but you can't as a couple but as i advised, you can't claim Carers allowance and CB at the same time.

    You won't be any financially better off if you did claim CB ESA and UC because the ESA is deducted £1 for £1 but like you said, you'll be paid fortnightly, which will be £223.30 and then you'll receive the UC each month, so at least you'll be receiving something each fortnight, which is better than 1 single monthly payment.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • chrisvanf
    chrisvanf Community member Posts: 63 Courageous
    So gaining LCWRA, I lost carers...
    If I Claim ESA(c) I lose carers... 
    But gain Fortnight payments...  


    Edited, re-edited, bits added, bits taken out spellchecked then edited again, 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,359 Disability Gamechanger
    edited December 2019
    You won't lose the carers allowance because of the LCWRA but you'll lose the carers element of UC. You don't need to claim carers allowance to claim this element but you won't be any financially better off because the carers allowance is deducted £1 for £1 from the UC amount.

    To be honest you haven't really lost the carers element as such because you'll still be £170 per month better off by having LCWRA.

    Yes to the next 2 questions.

    If you went back onto CB ESA then the amount deducted from your UC will be £483 per month, which will be the ESA payments, worked out as a monthly payment. Plus any other deductions for carers allowance and your IIBD because that's classed as income for UC and is also deducted £1 for £1.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • Chloe_Scope
    Chloe_Scope Posts: 10,586 Disability Gamechanger
    Thank you for your help here @poppy123456. :)

    I hope you manage to get everything sorted @chrisvanf.
    Scope

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