Housing benefits, universal credit and esa

[Kallil]

Hey all,

 

I am male 33 I receive employment and support with severe disability premium, pip enhanced daily living, lower mobility rates and housing benefits. 

 

My partner 23, pregnant and gets universal credit.

 

The council have a joint application and we are on a high banding so that we can move in together,

 

my question is

how will our benefits be affected,

we both was advised to stay as single claimants as we dont live together at the moment and I dont understand what will happen to our benefits will they stay the same?

 

Will I get moved to universal credit?

If I do what outcome of income should I expect?

I am worried I will just get moved into standard universal credit or my money will stop.

 

Could someone help me do a benefit calculator and explain what benefits I will loose and how our rent etc will be paid 

 

[dx100uk]

you must do a joint UC claim if you move in together.

 

try one of the many benefit calc websites like entitled.to

 

there is a calc and lots of advice there upon what will happen too.

 

 

[Kallil]

Hi thank you

I'm not really good at the calculator

I dont understand it properly

I will call mind on monday

[unclebulgaria67]

Because you claim Severe Disability PSDP), you will stay on your existing benefits.   At the moment, you cannot claim Universal Credit, if you currently receive the SDP.

 

Because you receive SDP, you are treated in a totally different way. This is because Universal Credit does not currently include any amount similar to SDP.   

 

Edit-  See below from Sirbob00, that if your partner does move in, you will lose the SDP and the consequence is that you then have to move to a joint Universal Credit claim.  Think this is correct and you will have to think carefully about the consequences.  

[Sirbob00]

If you move in together you’ll loose the SDP premium and you’ll have to go onto her Universal Credit claim. 
 

You would loose your housing benefit but you would get the housing element on UC.  When baby is born you can claim child benefits and the child element will be added to your UC.  
 

As regards ESA if you’re in the Support Group or WRAG this should be transferred over to UC

[Kallil]

Thank you to both of you,

 

will I also loose my pip as well?

And does universal credit not have a disability component?

Because I wouldn't be able to live on a standard joint claim of £409.89 my eating disorder costs more than that for supplements.

 

Also my partner is only 23 so she also has the under 25's amount what is a lot less

[Sirbob00]

No you won’t loose PIP.  That will be paid separately.  Also as you’re over 25 you’ll get £594.04 standard allowance even though your partner is under 25.  The standard rate at the moment is roughly an extra £80 per month due to COVID and is due to end April 2021. 

[Will Goodfellow]

If this is your's and your partner's first child, you may also be entitled to the £500 Sure Start Maternity Grant:

 

"You could get a one-off payment of £500 to help towards the costs of having a child. This is known as a Sure Start Maternity Grant.

 

You usually qualify for the grant if both of the following apply:

• you’re expecting your first child, or you’re expecting a multiple birth (such as twins) and have children already
• you or your partner already get certain benefits

You must claim the grant within 11 weeks of the baby’s due date or within 6 months after the baby’s birth.

You do not have to pay the grant back and it will not affect your other benefits or tax credits."

 

https://www.gov.uk/sure-start-maternity-grant

 

This will help with the cost of items you need for your baby.

 

If you're in the WRAG for ESA, you will also receive an additional limited capability for work element £128.25 per month on UC. If you are in the Support Group for ESA there is an additional limited capability for work related activity element of £341.92 per month. You will also receive a housing element towards rent which depends on how much the rent is and the number of bedrooms/people in the property.

 

Once the baby is born, there is also a child element of £235.83 per month plus child benefit of £21.05 per week.

 

Currently in the WRAG for ESA - UC SA £594.04 + £128.25 = £722.29 per month plus X amount of housing element towards rent.

Currently in Support Group for ESA - UC SA £594.04 + £341.92 = £935.96 per month plus X amount of housing element.

 

Once baby is born LCW (WRAG)- UC £722.29 + CE £235.83 + CB £91.22 = £1067.34 per month plus X amount of the housing element towards rent.

Once baby is born LCWRA (Support Group) - UC £935.96 + CE £235.83 + CB £91.22 = £1263.01 per month plus X amount of housing element.

 

It is likely that all, if not most, of your rent will be paid by the housing element

 

You should also apply for council tax reduction to reduce your council tax bill.

 

[Kallil]

Thank you for the info I didn't no about it but my partners midwife did tell her about it, i have two other children so probably not 

 

I am on income related esa with sdp in the support group, I don't have to attend any meetings or carry out any work I just have to go to a assessment normally every 2 years it was every year at first. I no i probably shouldn't say but I receive £381 every two weeks and pip £451 every four weeks

 

Then council tax and rent is paid automatically for me except I have a direct debit setup to pay £36.90 per month 

 

We have now been accepted for a 2 bedroom house well they said nominated. But its via the council. Thank you 

 

[Will Goodfellow]

As you are currently in the suppport group for ESA, until the baby is born you will receive:

 

UC SA £594.04 + £341.92 = £935.96 per month plus X amount of housing element towards rent. Plus PIP.

 

As it is a 2 bedroom, council property, it is very likely that all of your rent bar 12% will be paid. This is because until your baby is born, there will be a 12% reduction in your housing element for a spare room, bedroom tax. You will need to pay that 12% reduction yourself. You can apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment from your local council to cover the 12% shortfall but there is no gurantee that you will receive it.

 

Once your baby is born, the 12% will no longer be deducted as you won't have a spare room so it is very likely that all of your rent will be paid, you will receive the following:

 

UC £935.96 + CE £235.83 + CB £91.22 = £1263.01 per month plus (more than likely) all of your rent paid by the housing element of UC.

 

You will continue to receive your PIP. 

 

Your total monthly income including PIP once the baby is born will be £1751.60 and in addition all of your rent will (most likely) be paid.

 

You should also apply for a council tax reduction.

 

You may have to pay some council tax depending on which local council you fall under as each council has different policies.

 

Edited September 5, 2020 by Will Goodfellow

[Kallil]

Thanks again will

Severe disability premium

You cannot claim Universal Credit if you either:

• get the severe disability premium, or are entitled to it
• got or were entitled to the severe disability premium in the last month, and you’re still eligible for it.

I was really confused with the above comment on the gov website, but you have explained it alot more clearly to me, unlike the website and benefit calculators I was really confused by it all.

 

Would you possibly no if I will have to go threw a assessment again or will our money just simply swap over? 

 

Thank you

[Will Goodfellow]

It is correct that you cannot just decide to claim universal credit instead of ESA as you currently receive SDP. However, you should be submitting a change of circumstances rather making a fresh claim so will be moved on to universal credit, and will therefore lose your SDP.

 

You will not have to be reassessed as a result of a change of circumstances, your change of circumstances will be processed without any affect on your limited capability for work related activity status.

Edited September 5, 2020 by Will Goodfellow

[Kallil]

Ok brilliant so its really just the case of ringing up and telling them when we are going to move in 

[Will Goodfellow]

Once you have signed the tenancy for your new property, you should notify Jobcentre Plus of a change of circumstances within one month by calling 0800 169 0310.

 

It may advise you to submit a claim for universal credit but you should clarify the correct process with Jobcentre Plus before submitting that claim.

 

[Kallil]

Hi all

 

Thanks for your help so far, while I'm here the new house they are asking for a £679 deposit, it is with a housing association bromford housing and we was nominated by the local council for the property, since living on my own I have had 3 tenantcys and i have never had to pay the first deposit, is this right or has there been some sort of error down the line?

[Will Goodfellow]

Each housing association has different policies so you would need to confirm with Bromford Housing whether or not a deposit is required.  If a deposit is required and you don't have it, check Shelter's advice for options, your local council may have a rent deposit, bond and guarantee scheme:

 

https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/private_renting/rent_deposit,_bond_and_guarantee_schemes

[Kallil]

Hello, good afternoon.

 

I have this in my journal on my universal credit it account, as said previous I am on ESA + SDP + PIP - EDLA + SMR, we spoke about switching to UC on my partners claim.

 

Unless I misunderstand this message it means that I can continue to claim ESA but I will loose my SDP but my partner would get CA for me, I would prefer to stay on ESA but would UC Still pay my HB? 

 

 

 

Some other benefits can affect how much Universal Credit you get. You and your partner can continue to claim these benefits, but we will adjust your Universal Credit payment. Your statement shows you how we do this.

Our records show that My Name is getting:

Employment and Support Allowance

If you think this is wrong

If My Name no longer gets this benefit they should contact the office they claimed it from. Tell them My name is now getting Universal Credit and to update their records.

Benefits that can affect Universal Credit are:

• Employment and Support Allowance

[Sirbob00]

You can continue to receive ESA but it would be deducted £ for £ from your UC.  Housing benefit would stop but UC have a housing element so you’d need to upload your tenancy agreement so you can receive help with paying rent.

[Kallil]

I am really confused by it all, I just phoned esa and told them I am changing my address and moving in with my partner, and there has been a joint universal credit claim made,

 

The esa told me that I will continue to claim contribution esa what is £137 per week plus I will get universal credit on top of this, is this correct information? And dose it change anything advised of above mentioned by will goodfellow?

 

Thank you

[Sirbob00]

You’ll continue to get your ESA but it will be deducted from your UC.  Your partner will need to add you to her UC claim so I believe if she goes on her UC journal and changes from a single claim to a joint claim.  She’ll need to do this the day you move in together.  Also you’ll need to supply your tenancy agreement so they can add the rent element to your joint UC award.

[Kallil]

Thank you 

 

We are in the process of sorting it now, they uc have asked me for a sicknote so I am just waiting to speak to my doctor tomorrow, apart from that I think everything is in place then we will get a decision, we really appreciate the help we have been given you guys are brilliant!!

[Kallil]

Hi, I have received a letter from universal credit, why would I need to take a new assessment if I was awarded pip and esa till december 2021.

 

 

We need to find out if your disability, illness or health condition affects your ability to work or carry out work-related activity. If we decide you are not capable of work, we will not ask you to search or be available for work.

If we also decide you are not capable of work-related activity, you will get extra money. 

What happens next
The Health Assessment Advisory Service (working for us) will send you a questionnaire.

You will need to fill this in, giving details about any physical or mental health conditions you have and how they 
affect you. 

If you do not return your questionnaire we may not have enough information to assess your capability for work. This means you may have to do more to receive Universal Credit.

This could include being available for work, searching for work and preparing for work.

 

If you need an assessment After we have received your questionnaire, you might be asked to go for a work capability assessment. The Health Assessment Advisory Service will contact you to arrange an appointment. 

The person assessing you will want to find out how your disability.

illness or health condition affects you in everyday life.
You must attend this assessment if you are asked to.

If you do not, we might decide that you are capable of work.

After your assessment, we will let you know if you are entitled to any extra Universal Credit.
Tell us about any changes You must tell us straight away using your journal if there is a change in your circumstances. For example, you need to tell us if you have a new health condition or your existing health condition gets better or worse. 

If you give wrong or incomplete information or you do not report changes straight away you may be paid more or less money than you should. You will have to pay back overpaid money when told to do so. You could also be prosecuted or need to pay a financial penalty. If we pay you less money than we should we may pay you 
this money back including any arrears due.
More information 

Visit the Health Assessment Advisory Service website at www.chdauk.co.uk to find out about work capability assessments.

Visit www.chdauk.co.uk/videos for a video example of an assessment. 
Yours sincerely,
Universal Credit

You still need to report your fit notes (also known as sick notes) in your Universal Credit account.
Do not bring your fit note into the jobcentre unless we ask you to.
Keep it because we may need to see it in future.

If you do not keep reporting your fit notes, we will not be able to assess your capability for work.

You will need to search and prepare for work, or do the things in your commitment that you have agreed with your work coach.
If you are fit for work, or have already returned to work, tell us using your journal

[Sirbob00]

You need to let them know that as you receive support group of ESA you should automatically receive the LCWRA of UC 

[Kallil]

Hi bob,

 

I have just added a note into the journal, this is his partner lily today, 

 

He is getting really frustrated and he will not go near anyone due to this virus, I have trid explaining this to uc, I have managed to calm him down by telling him they will probably not be doing assessments this year.

 

Thank you

LILY

[unclebulgaria67]

Don't worry about this.  What happens is that UC will receive the ESA information before the end of the first assessment period and the support group (LCWRA) will be transferred onto the UC claim.  When this is done, the work capability assessment will be cancelled as it is not required at the moment.  

 

If the work capability assessment is received in the meantime, send it back uncompleted to the assessment centre with a covering letter advising that support group was awarded under ESA until December 2021 and no assessment is currently due.