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ESA to UC migration – your questions answered

Details

Whilst we still have no definite start date for the process, the comments sections of Benefits and Work articles on ESA to UC migration have been filled with readers’ fears and uncertainties.

We already have a 28 page members guide to ESA to UC migration.  But as a result of the many issues raised we have now supplemented this with an 11 page collection of answers to FAQs for members, which we hope covers most of the main issues that have been raised.

The FAQs cover:

Managed migration

  • Will managed migration affect me?
  • How will I know when I have to move to Universal Credit?
  • Do I have to wait for managed migration?
  • I don’t want to move to UC – can I appeal?
  • Will managed migration affect my PIP and other payments?

Making a claim

  • What if I can’t claim by the deadline on my migration notice?
  • I’ve missed my managed migration deadline, and I didn’t ask for an extension beforehand – what can I do?
  • How do I make my claim for UC?  Do I have to talk to someone on the phone?
  • Will I have to explain how my health conditions affect me on the UC application?
  • Will I have to provide a fit note or prove I am unfit for work if I am moving to UC from ESA?
  • Will I have to go to the Jobcentre to show them my ID?
  • What happens if I don’t have any photo ID?
  • Will I have to go to the Jobcentre to verify my identity?
  • Who can help me make a claim?

The amount of UC

  • Will I get the same amount of money as I did on ESA?
  • When will I know how much UC I will receive?
  • My first payment is lower than I was getting from legacy benefits – what should I do?

Requirements whist receiving UC

  • I have already had a Work Capability Assessment for ESA – will I need another one?
  • Do I have to agree a claimant commitment?
  • Do I have to attend in person to sign my claimant commitment?
  • Will I have a work coach if I am in the support group?
  • Will I have a work coach if I was in the ESA work-related activity group?
  • I am an appointee for someone who was claiming Income-related ESA – what does managed migration mean for me?

The document includes all the health condition related questions you will be asked and has detailed examples of how your UC, including the transitional element, is worked out.

We’ll be adding to this document over the coming months as more issues are raised by readers.

Members can download the ESA to UC Managed Migration FAQs from the ESA/UC guides page.

Comments

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Gail
    · 1 months ago
    I’m dreading this my elderley mother is my appointee so I want to make it as easy as possible
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    T
    · 1 months ago
    I've recently been spending a lot of time reading post on the universal credit groups on Facebook. 
     It's become clear that in a lot of cases you are required to attend the job centre to provide identity and , a few are lucky enough to be able to verify online and quite a lot seem to have done identity online to still be told they need to verify identity at jobcentre... 
     Nobody seems to know anything about phone biographical interviews.. 
       Everybody seems to have had to attend the commitment agreement meeting too regardless of being in support group although some have been able to do this via phone. 
      So this definitely isn't as simple as some people make out, the people with problems and fears with social interactions and housebound will be forced to confront some of our worst fears or we will not get onto universal credit. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Julie
      · 1 months ago
      @T I believe through experience that the biographical calls are intimidating as you are put under pressure to answer the random questions quickly and any slight pause or let me think is reason for them to fail you. 
      When I attended my meeting at the job centre with the dozens of apparent documents to prove my identity, firstly my time slot was late and then they were more interested in seeing my bank card as proof of I.d....an unpleasant experience but hey someone has to do the poxy job!
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Simon
      · 1 months ago
      @T You'll be fine - they can't/won't force you to do anything you are incapable of doing. Reach out to somebody you know who can attend any sessions with you at a job centre and if the work coach (or whoever) isn't sympathetic, ask for another one. You basically spend much of your time initially just logging into an online account and have a diary facility, where you can detail all of your issues (if you choose), so much of the time spent with the system is faceless and away from other people.

      If they attempt to get you to use a pogo stick with a broken leg, just say no, and then provide reasons for the "no" and make sure you provide evidence for the no.

      I know it seems scary, and it can be, but there is a way through.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    David
    · 1 months ago
    Thanks team. This extra guide was super useful to those who are anxious about the process.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    jem
    · 1 months ago
    im so scared of this change. im on legacy esa but do not know what to do with the uncertainty of it all
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Simon
      · 1 months ago
      @jem One day at time Jem. I went through this and came out the other side. I am autistic and have major issues with socialisation and confrontation. The unfamiliar is a scary place if I am unable to precisely map the environment, so I took somebody with me through the process and found a sympathetic work coach to dialogue with.

      As I say - one day at time, one form at a time etc.

      Make sure you have a trusted friend or family member or GP to back you along the way.

      Now forget about all of this and do something you enjoy. What will be will be.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Ah
    · 1 months ago
    Do you get a text message to notify you to migrate?
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      jean howells
      · 15 days ago
      @Ah I was under the impression, that if you didn't apply by 2025, you would automatically migrate, again, that all changed, and sneaked in through the back door, just like the women's pension  was,  they made sure that they moved my husband from the not able to work category to the work one, with one phone call, before he had the letter to say his ESA was ending
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Jon
      · 1 months ago
      @Ah No text message just a standard letter
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Rik
    · 1 months ago
    As we are officially in autumn now, I suppose the letters will start to come? Shocking we still haven’t had any comment from the DWP on this.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Jon
    · 1 months ago
    Im from nottingham
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    UC to ESA
    · 1 months ago
    Please everyone stated where you from when migration from ESA to UC as we need to know this!
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    TD
    · 1 months ago
    https://youtu.be/etPb44A51Dw
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    TD
    · 1 months ago
    https://youtu.be/n40ICN1Z8s0
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Nightcity
    · 1 months ago
    Thanks that guide was extremely helpful.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    MJ
    · 1 months ago
    If you are in the support group will you have to produce a sick note and go to a job centre to produce ID?

    What if you have not had a work capacity assessment (or whatever the official term is) on ESA for years? Will they say you are overdue one and will have to have one before you can move over to UC?
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      jean howells
      · 15 days ago
      @Michael Sorry but Jon is correct, my husband had his migration notice, to say, that his ESA payments would end on the 16th October 2024 and that he had to claim U.C. otherwise he would have no money, that's how ruthless they are, so Jon right, Michael Wrong
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      jean howells
      · 15 days ago
      @MJ yes, they did this to my husband, he had to go for a medical board every couple of years, every year at the beginning, but they had to pay for a Doctor to asses him, when they give to contract to Capita, so after he went twice, when they had took over, probably didn't want the expense of a professional, they never sent for him again, but starting hassling him, when they wanted to move him to U.C. All the government's are the same, a bunch of ruthless so and so's
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Harry.Upp
      · 26 days ago
      @MJ
      This scare-em,oops,forum is filling heads with misinformation.contradictions etc.just wait till you have official news(letter) from the dwp.get citizen advice help to claim u.c. To help you.depending on your situation you might be entitled to the 2week continuation of your esa and housing benefit(.i.e) the wait between you claiming u.c and your first u.c payment is normally 5 weeks but the run-on continues for 2weeks,so 3 weeks till first u.c.payment(for those on esa income related and housing benefit or just esa income related) so between you and citizens advice you can work out the best time to claim u.c(i.e the first day after your last esa payment.but best in mind your housing benefit if this is applicable
      The citizens advice will help you.fret not yet.🤗
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      TD
      · 1 months ago
      @SVK The migration ends some time in 2025, so please don't panic...
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Natasha
      · 1 months ago
      @Michael I put my passport details and driver's licence online and they want me to attend the meeting next week with ID despite providing it all. I was honest and applied early. Now I wish to God I had advice before I rushed into the online application after the 'migration ' letter.

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