Currently (until 27th Jan 2021) - In a straight migration from IR ESA to UC you will always get the same or more with UC-LCW/LCWRA than you did with ESA.
Other IR benefits may have to be taken into consideration though.
This is a simple comparison of the IR ESA and Universal Credit rates for a single person over 25 with Limited Capability who is migrated to UC.
If you have a change of circumstance that means making a new claim for UC then your ESA will be 'Naturally Migrated' to UC, you will get more money for UC-LCW/LCWRA than you do with IR ESA.
NOTE- From 27th Jan 2021 those with SDP will be eligibe to claim UC again.
If/when you are 'Managed Migrated', sometime in the future, then your money (from all IR benefits) is guaranteed not to decrease.
This comparision does not show Housing element, Carers element, Child element, Work Allowance, or anything else UC.
There would be too many variables to do all that.
I am using 52.143 weeks per year to calculate UC weekly equivalents. (365/7 - Ignoring leap years).
NOTE- This comparision includes the covid uprating that was applied to UC Standard rate.
It is not clear yet if that uprating will continue after April 2021.
ESA rates: (2020/2021)
Personal allowance = 74.35
WRAG component = 29.55 (Not paid if you first claimed after April 2017).
SG component = 39.20
EDP = 17.10
SDP = 66.95
UC rates:
Personal allowance = 409.89 (Note- Includes the Covid uplift which may be removed in April 2021).
LCW element = 128.25
LCWRA element = 341.92
Results:
ESA without SDP
ESA Group
+ premium(s)ESA
Weekly amount
£UC
Weekly equiv.
£Weekly Difference if
Naturally Migrated
(Now)Weekly Difference if
Managed Migration
(Whenever that starts)WRAG
(After Apr 2017)74.35 94.33 +19.98 +19.98 WRAG
(pre Apr 2017)103.90 123.85 +19.95 +19.95 SG no premiums 113.55 Contribution Based. Remains ESA. Not migrated. SG+EDP 130.65 173.02 +42.37 +42.37 ESA that includes SDP WRAG+EDP+SDP
(After Apr 2017)158.40 94.33 Migration Blocked
(Until 27 Jan 2021)No Diff. (Protected) WRAG+EDP+SDP
(Pre Apr 2017)187.95 123.85 Migration Blocked
(Until 27 Jan 2021)No Diff. (Protected) SG+EDP+SDP 197.60 173.02 Migration Blocked
(Until 27 Jan 2021)No Diff. (Protected)
As you can see if Natural Migration would leave you worse off it is now blocked and you can't claim UC.
When it comes time for Managed Migration that is protected and so you will not be worse off.
SG only is aways Contribution Based, if there is an IR entitlement then it gets the EDP automatically.
It is not possible to get WRAG+EDP(only), you would qualify for SDP as well.
CB ESA stays outside of UC.
If you have CB ESA with an IR top-up (premium) then the CB stays outside and the IR top-up (premium) becomes UC.
If this applies (CB ESA with UC) then whatever is paid as CB ESA is deducted from your 'standard' UC LCW/LCWRA payment, leaving the same payment overall.
If you want to then when it comes time to migrate to UC you could close your CB ESA claim altogether and just claim UC instead.
If you did that you then only have the one claim to deal with, but any savings/capital or income that wouldn't affect CB ESA will affect the UC.
If you have already been Naturally Migrated UC and had lost the SDP because of that then there is now a 'Transitional Element' added to your ongoing UC payments to make up for that loss.
See 'If you have SDP'.
Remember that this is only a simple comparison for a single person, other elements of UC may come into play depending on your circumstances.
Use one of the online benefit calculators to check your full circumstances and benefits.
There may also be a change to any Council Tax Relief that you get once you have migrated to UC.
As this is under the control of each council, and each council has different rules, it is impossible to say here just how that might affect you.
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