If a couple have a joint JSA claim and the one who doesn't sign on (i.e not the lead claimant) goes abroad for a few weeks does this trigger migration to UC, either on leaving or returning?

Hi everybody, apologies if you've seen my question on some other forum, but I did not get any replies and I'm getting a bit anxious about this issue. Quick recap: - EU national, in UK for 15 years, but with an absence of more than 6 months (see below) - Never claimed any benefits until late 2013, till I lost my job, then left the UK for 8 months and came back in 2014. - Claimed JSA in 2015 (six months after coming back) but it was initially refused on the ground the 8 months absence would not entitle to any benefits. - Appealed and won, but was told I could only claim for 3 months - Appealed again, offering to show documentation of my previous jobs and NI contributions; won the appeal (they didn't even bother asking me for proof of my documentation) and was granted JSA with no restrictions. I even have a letter from the Benefit Centre stating that they accept I am a permanent resident. - Since then I've been in and out of JSA and this is basically the same claim, which has been extended by multiple rapid reclaims - My area has now gone full digital. I'm still on JSA, but I understand any change in circumstances will trigger a migration to UC. My questions: - Can I voluntarily ask to be migrated to UC? My work coach says that I would have to quit JSA first and then make a new fresh claim for UC. Is this true? - In any case, if I'm "naturally migrated" to UC, would I have to go through a new procedure of showing my entitlements to benefits or would my file be just moved on from JSA to UC? I'm worried that, if I move to UC, the DWP will give me hard time, because the regulations are much stricter for UC than for JSA. In 2015 it took me 10 months of appeals to get unrestricted JSA. Would the letter from the Benefit Centre (2015) be enough to prove my entitlements? I don't really want to stay on the dole for the rest of my life but I just would like to know where I stand.

Hi There, This is a long story so hope you are sitting down and got a cuppa. I was medically retired from the NHS in 1997 and placed on IB, I also had a pension from NHS/CIS for about £70 now £73.(2016) The DWP people were aware of the pensions from the beginning as the Hospital filled initial forms in. In about July 2012 was converted to C ESA wrag group which I had a mandatory reconsideration and placed in support group in about Feb2013. I then received a letter saying my C ESA was due to run out in August as id had my year i asked them what i should do and they said if i'm still Ill i could claim IR ESA to which i sent back forms. The next letter says my ESA will continue. Just been reading up and it states that if in support group C ESA can continue indefinitely as long as you satisfy the medical conditions. Im sure i sent pension details also. Then in April 2016 they said i didn't tell them about pensions and that I was overpaid, and that they would write to me again. This weekend i have received a letter Interview under caution as they want to speak to me over my pension freud. So im stressed to hell, after googling a couple of thing am i reading things right. Because my Pension was disregarded for IB in 1997 and in 2001 the rules where changed and pensions where now being taken into account and it is stated anyone before this date stayed on it whatever the size of their pension. Surely then my Pension should be disregarded. So now i'm being done for freud because they say i never told them apparently they new my smaller pension of £12.57 so they took that out of my ESA, should they have taken it out if i was pre 2001. I don't know why they had no paperwork on pension 2 £57, even so its less than the £85 threshold they suggest. Phoned DWP and asked if i'm on C ESA and its less than £85 why are you taking it they said i'm on Both C ESA and IR ESA so they can take it. Why am i getting IR ESA if i'm entitled to be on C ESA indefinitely because i'm in support group. Please Help me

Hi I hope someone can help me, I have been in receipt of Disability Living Allowance Higher rate care & mobility since 1999. I have also been in receipt of Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA) continuously since 1998. My benefit didnt stop when they scrapped SDA and replaced it with Incapacity Benefit. I was just told I could remain on SDA indefinatly. This was also the case when they scrapped Incapacity benefit for Employment and support allowance. My benefit didn't change. Alas, I have today received a form ESA50 to migrate from SDA to Employment & Support Allowance. I knew this would happen sooner rather than later due to all the benefit changes etc. Having read the rules for exemptions for medical assessment I notice that I may fall into one of the categories for exemption of the assessment and am seeking confirmation that I am correct. I am a mature student (age 34) studying 5 GCSE's on a full time college course. I have been on the course since Sept 2013. I read on a website that as a student who is in receipt of DLA then I am treated as having Limited Capabiliy for work. Please can somebody clarify this information. To give you some further info about my circumstances...I live with my husband and 3 children. My husband works full time but earns minimum wage. We also receive tax credits and some housing benefit. I'm also wandering where I stand with claiming ESA due to my husband working and if this impacts on my exemption from the medical as I am a student. Hope this all makes sense! Thanks in advance CDJ755

Hi I am a newbie who is looking for help/advice. My husband recieved a phone call on 9 oct saying he had been placed in support group then half hour later recieved another call apologising and saying he was in wrag. We have since made several calls asking where letter saying he is in wrag group is as we have only recieved one stating he is in support group and we want to appeal the decision. Keep being told it has been sent, have now requested another one. He was awarded this without attending any medical so just went on form sent in. Also he will be receiving contribution based and income based esa but am confused about contribution based being payable for 365 days what happens after that as was told over phone in wrag for two years. Also if hubby appeals are we correct in saying that he will not get his full entitlement and will we have to send sick notes in as while on IB he has not had to send in for last 5 years. Thankyou sorry about all the questions just find it all mind blowing.

My husband who was on the old IB then moved on to ESA, he was put into the WRAG group for ESA. He started a full time job on Friday which is fantastic and he can work from home which is even better due to his medical conditions. My questions are: He will be informing them today of his new current situation. is there anything he would be entitled to as he will changing to monthly pay? If for some reason he finds that he is too ill to continue with work, can he be put back into the same category within a certain timescale or will this become a new claim? Many thanks

Hello All I am need of wisdom to help me through the Incapacity Benefit to ESA migration. Back in January I filled in the huge ESA 50. Sent this off. Then I heard nothing until May when I was called into ATOS to have a medical. They kept me waiting some 40 minutes before I went into for the examination. The examination lasted some 50 minutes I waited a couple of weeks and then requested the ATOS report which I received. I heard nothing in writing and I kept telephoning and asking what was happening. Now some considerable time later I received a letter which stated that I had been migrated to ESA and I was to be placed in the work related group. I read it again and again and then I went through the ATOS report. This summerised that I had chronic illness's and unlikely to recover and unlikely to work in the next two years However I did note that the ATOS person had put I was capable of walking more than 100 metres without stopping etc. Thankfully I had my wife with me and at no point was this distance discussed. At no point did I say I could walk that far. I am furious. I wish I could do 10 - 20 metres without pain and shortness of breath. I am also being written to by 2 different DWP centres which is confusing things and I received a letter with a decision which was dated in the letter 30 days previous. I have asked the question why is that and also about the totally wrong and misleading distance recorded by ATOS I have followed telephone DWP advice and submitted a GL24 reference the date and the distance. How will this proceed now please sinkinghelp

Have had the letter saying I will receive the ESA50 form soon. Any info appreciated as worried. My disabilities are mental rather than physical. I've heard mention of recent new criteria for ESA new descriptors etc is that right? can i source them anywhere? will there be adequate questions asked re mental health? any info appreciated

I have sent in my esa50 five weeks ago. Just got a call today from a witheld number.They were saying my name and asked if I was that person, But the line was very poor I asked who they were but had to give up in the end as, The line was very poor. Do ATOS ring you from a witheld number.Or am I stressing for nothing thanks for your help.

Last November I obtained a MAC code from Virgin (ADSL) and tried to migrate to BT. BT initially told me that the MAC code from Virgin was invalid, so I called Virgin and obtained a new one over the phone. With that, BT successfully completed the migration and started providing my phone and broadband services. Virgin have not stopped taking money from me by Direct Debit each month. I called to query this and they deny ever having issued the second, valid MAC code. This is due to their policy against keeping records of phone conversations - I learnt my lesson and now only communicate by email. Despite the fact that they no longer provide me any services, the amount of the bill has fluctuated wildly, implying that they are charging for something like phone calls - which is impossible because I now pay BT for all my phone calls. I have never been provided with a bill by Virgin - for years they have failed to give me access to my 'eBilling' account. I never found this too much of a problem in the past as they were providing a service for which I was happy to pay. Now, it's a problem, since I need to see what they're charging me for! My next step is to call BT and ask if there is a reason the migration did not succeed, but I expect they will confirm my suspicion that it is Virgin's error. Either way, what rights do I have? Can I expect the company in the wrong to refund the excess bills? Should I cancel the Direct Debit to stop Virgin taking more of my money with little chance of recovery? Or would that make negotiations even more difficult? Is there any legislation or regulator I can use to force Virgin to let me see my bills? Help me CAG, you're my only hope!