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I was migrated from ESA support group to universal credit. first I wasn't given

I’ve just completed the “managed” migration from IrESE (support group), with Child Tax Credits.  Firstly expect several letters informing you that “our records show that you are not in receipt of IrESA please contact your benefits office to update THEIR records.  Obviously frantic phone calls to the DWP over several weeks, only to be told that I am in receipt of IrESA and have been for 4 years due to a Neurological Condition.  Then the first statement omitted the Transitional Protection Element, further phone calls and Journal entry resulted in the amount being added to my claim.  Several letters from the HMRC informing me that my Child Tax Credit had ended, several phone calls later, an advisor admitted tome that the letter was poorly worded as there was no mention it was because I was migrating to UC.  Overall the sheer anxiety and apprehension was for me overwhelming, and my daughter took over who has a Masters Degree in Mathematics, her phone call to the UC helpline was not pleasant and subsequently the issues were resolved.  I had that support, what concerns me is what about those people who do not?

So ive had my migration letter.  Im very concerned.  Im on pip and esa with severe disability payment.  Although it states they have this transition paymeny.  They also state this drops if the general uc amount goes uo.  Meaning its a stealth way of removing it.  I will be on the same as everyone else at some point even though i have to pay everything on my own.  

Eveshell Thank you for your very detailed and helpful account. Your calm and steady approach is reassuring and goes to show you can insist on your needs and proper process, and that there is help when you need it.

We are in the process of migrating from Income Related and Contribution based ESA (joint claim, both in Support Group) to Universal Credit. We completed our forms online. As soon as we were able to post on our journals we added: "As we are migrating from ESA Support Group, we transfer to the equivalent group on UC under Reg 19, therefore, do not need fit notes, not do we need to see a Work Coach. " We also put on our journals: "As we are being migrated over from ESA to UC, we are entitled to Transitional Protection." We received messages on our journals, telling us appointments had been made at the Job centre to verify our ID. We posted on our journals that because of our anxiety and disabilities, we cannot attend face to face appointments and please can we have telephone appointments instead. The original appointments were cancelled and were changed to telephone appointments. We were told that if we couldn't complete the ID verification over the phone, they would arrange a home visit. They rung us, asked some ID questions, they were security questions and we had to upload confirmation of our names and address, these were our Council Tax Bills. They then confirmed our ID was approved. We had to upload documents from our landlord to confirm our rent amount, name, address and signatures. We did this. They then posted on our journals that the Housing element was approved. We are now waiting for our first Universal Credit payment, should be in about 3 weeks. Our Contribution based side of ESA will continue to be paid as normal. Only the Income Related part will be moved to Universal Credit. We have had help from both Citizens Advice and Welfare Rights, both have been brilliant. They worked out what the Universal Credit payment should be, with everything added over with transitional protection and helped us with any questions we had. They also said they will continue to help if something isn't correct with the payments. The Citizens Advice Bureau's contact details are on the migration letter. We communicated with them through email as this was better for us. We highly recommend you contact them, it will make the process lots easier. We hope our experience helps. We are in Lancashire.

Regarding UC Reviews. If you dont have a camera. What happens when they ask for a selfie with your ID? I can't seem to find much information on this.

Can anyone help me with this situation.   I am helping a gentleman migrate over and he has mental health issues, which means he can't remember things and will not be able to use an online journal.  I asked if he could get letters as that would be the best form of communication for him.  They have said that is not possible.   But surely under the disability act they would have to. 

Well reading all these horror stories I no know what to expect with migration there's only one positive comment

’m currently being migrated from income-based ESA, Support Group, to UC. In Southampton, Hampshire. Surname beginning G.

Just received the migration notice letter. Living in London and surname starting with P.

Moved over to u  in June and wasn’t given transition protection had to leave notes on my journal which were ignored or they didn’t know why and weren’t helpful phoned the helpline and explained I was meant to have protection and it hadn’t been added all I got told was well we will message your work coach and get them to chase it up waited again still no reply eventually took 7 weeks to sort out when it should have been done automatically since i migrated over no apology no reason why was ever given had to keep at them to get it done. During all this had to do there health assessment which to be fair was straightforward did have to do assessment but Iv ended up worse off on uc 

I got my letter to move yesterday 8th Oct. Dated the 3rd October.

I was moved on to UC as husband going on pension he has dementia and I have long term mental health and physical disability  I was started on the process on the 1 July I have had two payments and I now my payment is 0 due to husband having ESA ????? That stopped in August as you can not have two state benefits I was on income support stopped in July have been having lots of help from the people who answered the phone and and they have expedited it to work coach who will ring by 6 that day I am now on my fourth day with no reply or phone call who actually works for uc as the poor people on the phone are no wiser than me don’t need this as life is stressful enough so thank you UC head team still no reply 

I have just received my migration letter (surname P, Scottish Highlands). It says that it will be completed by 26th December. What a lovely Christmas present.

Yeah , I've had my letter. I was distraught. Move by Dec 13th or loose your benefits. 

I am in the process of helping several claimants to move from ESA to UC.  All suffer with poor mental health issues.  I have spoken to the migration team on a couple of occasions and have to say, I found them to be very helpful.  We needed an extension on the date of migration to sort a matter with the ESA for one lady, this was granted without any fuss but we were told we may not be given a further extension, if it proved necessary.  So, if ESA did not move quick enough this lady may not receive her ESA entitlement before having to migrate.

I was migrated from working tax credits into UC in April 24. I had more than £16k savings due to a recent inheritance, which hadn’t affected my wtc and which I was intending to use to buy a house. I am also in receipt of PIP and I get a grant from access to work to pay a support worker to help me continue my self employment. The first month my UC payment was £0. I reminded them of the rule that savings over £16k should not be counted in the first year as I was migrating from a legacy award. I also reminded them that the minimum income floor did not apply for the first year as it counted as a new business being my first claim of UC. They then awarded me £643. Since then, this first award has been recalculated to 0 around 6 times, and each time I have had to get an MR to get it reinstated. I have also had a repayment registered against that first award which has been taken from subsequent awards twice, and although it has been overturned it has not yet been repaid to me. It is very tiring to have to continually contest them and ask them to apply their own rules correctly. I will no longer be eligible for UC after the first year as my savings are still over £16k ( earmarked for major repair works on new house). Luckily I will get my pension in July 25 so will no longer care.