Scroll down or click these links for more info on:
- The Big Question - Will I be worse off on UC than ESA?
- Moving House and Universal Credit.
- Will I need Fit Notes and a new Work Capability Assessment when I Migrate to Universal Credit?
- What happens if I am found Fit-for-Work following an ESA 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: (April 2022).
Managed Migration to UC from Legacy benefits will start on 9th May 2022
It will be a slow rollout at first, just 500 people to start, and may/will be refered to as "Mandatory Migration" to start with.
Watch this space for more information.
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).
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).
You can still be changed from Income Related ESA to Universal Credit if you have a 'Change of Circumstances'.
This is called 'Natural Migration' and does not include any Transitional Protection - unless you currently have SDP see below.
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, would not trigger a migration to Universal Credit.
Natural Migration will only happen if you need to make a brand new claim for an Income Related benefit because of a 'Change of Circumstances'.
(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 New Style CB ESA WRAG are over you technically have to make a new claim for Income Related benefit. So this would have to be a new UC claim.
If you have SDP in you ESA then you will currently get less money if you 'Naturally' migrate to UC than you do with ESA.
A recent court judgement may change that and give full 'transitional protection' to those with SDP who naturally migrate, we are waiting for the DWPs response to that judgement.
You can 'choose' to change from Income Related ESA to Universal Credit. This is now being called "Voluntary Migration"
To do that you simply claim UC while still getting your current IR benefits, your current benefits will be migrated automatically and closed.
Be very sure that you want to do that, and that you will not be worse off on UC. Once done you can't go back. - In particular if you have the Severe Disability Premium (SDP) then don't even consider claiming UC by choice; at least not until we know the DWP's response to the recent court judgement
In some cases you will get more money with UC. While most will be about the same there can be other advantages to moving to UC.
eg. If you do migrate you will get an extra 2 weeks of IR ESA, and of Housing Benefit if you have that, and you don't have to pay that extra back.
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.
This thread will be kept closed to posts, to keep it clear of distractions, but I will try to keep it up to date.