Scroll down or click these links for more info on:
- Will I be worse off on UC than ESA?
- Moving House and Universal Credit.
- Will I need to have a new Work Capability Assessment if I Migrate to Universal Credit?
- What happens if I am found Fit-for-Work following Assessment/Reassessment?
- Getting an Advance Payment of UC
- Can you get free prescriptions with Universal Credit?
- What about Permitted Work?
- SDP and Natural Migration
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Here's a quick recap of what is happening with ESA and migration to Universal Credit at the moment.
As of the current time: (December 2020).
The whole country is now 'Full Service' Universal Credit for new Income Related benefit claims.
(Any new claim for an Income Related benefit now has to be Universal Credit - Unless you have the SDP paid with a benefit, or did have it in the previous month)
Nobody is being made to change from Income Related ESA to Universal Credit - yet.
(This is called 'Managed Migration' and will happen, but it's not happening yet).
(It started in July 2019 for a pilot of 10,000 claimants, it started with IR benefit claimants in Harrogate, it was put on hold because of Covid-19).
Contribution Based ESA will not change to Universal Credit. All Contribution Based benefits stay outside of Universal Credit.
(It is only Income Reated benefits that will migrate).
It does not matter which ESA group you are in. - The only criteria is Income Related or Contribution Based.
It is possible to have CB ESA as well as Universal Credit.
(Just like you can have CB ESA with an IR ESA top-up).
In the future those who change from IR ESA to Universal Credit by 'Managed Migration' will not get any less money.
(There will be 'Trasitional Protection' to make sure you don't get any less money than your ESA and other IR benefits as a total).
BUT
You can be changed from Income Related ESA to Universal Credit if you have a 'Change of Circumstances'.
This is called 'Natural Migration'.
This CANNOT happen currently if you have, or are entitled to the Severe Disability Premium on any benefit.
(SDP with any one of ESA, IS, JSA, or HB currently blocks you from claiming UC).
However this will change on 27th Jan 2021 and those with SDP will then be able to move to UC.
Not all 'Changes of Circumstances' will trigger a migration to Universal Credit.
(For instance a change of health circumstances that moves you from WRAG to SG, or vice-versa, should not trigger a migration to Universal Credit).
It will only happen if you need to make a brand new claim for an Income Related benefit.
(For example if you are claiming HB but move to a house to a different local authority area you will have to claim UC-Housing Element in the new area, a brand new claim).
(If you move house in the same Local Authority area this does not apply, you can stay on HB. It only applies if you move to a different Local Authority).
Contribution Based 'New Style' ESA WRAG ending after 365 days is a 'Change of Circumstances' that also counts.
This is because after 365 days CB are over you technically have to make a new claim for Income Related benefit. So this would have to be a new UC claim.
There is no 'Transitional Protection' for 'Natural Migration' by a change of circumstances, but new laws means you should not end up with less money.
You could end up with substantially more, it all depends on your individual circumstances.
See Will I be worse off on UC than ESA?
You need to check carefully before considering any house move, particularlarly you housing costs and any Council Tax Relief which may be different at the new house.
Those are the main points about migration from ESA to Universal credit at the current time.
Obviously it does not cover all the little wrinkles, that would just get too long and complicated.
And yes, the DWP have and still are making some wrong decisions about it. (They always do with something new).
They are getting better at it though as they get more familiar with UC.
If they do get something wrong then of course you can still ask for MR and appeal.
This thread will be kept closed to posts, to keep it clear of distractions, but I will try to keep it up to date.