ESA to UC

I am blind and have a guide dog. I’m in receipt of ESA with Severe Disability Premium and I also receive PIP with both levels on the enhanced rate. I know the DWP is doing managed migrations to get us all on UC. I believe when they do this you still receive ESA until such time as UC is finalised for you, but I might be wrong. I am moving (hopefully) from England to Scotland in the next few weeks when I have been given a date. From what I understand when I tell the DWP of my change of address I will then have to apply for UC and also I think I cannot put in a new housing benefit claim to the council in Scotland as that has to be now be done as part of UC and I think the same applies to council tax relief, I assume that is part of UC now. Could someone just clarify things for me. And also if I do have to go and claim UC will my ESA that I currently receive just be cut off and I receive nothing (apart from my pip- I know in Scotland it’s ADP Adult Disability Premium but as far as I’m aware as I have a current indefinite PIP award that won’t change it will just be transferred to them) until my UC is sorted out which is probably weeks or months of waiting. Thanks for any help or advice that can be given. It has taken me some time to do this post as I rely on dictating the text and I hope I get it all correct. Thanks

Thank you Gary. The bungalow I have been offered is a Council sheltered bungalow on a sheltered scheme and the property is already adapted (wet room level access etc). When I apply for UC what will happen about my Severe Disability Premium which I currently get ? I know that under the “managed migration” from ESA to UC it is meant to be carried over but from what I have seen and the RNIB have told me making the new claim for UC I am unlikely to get the SDP carried over so I’m in a quandary about that. Also I don’t know what my level of payment with UC will be and if it will be the same as what I currently get under ESA, it’s a big worry for me and for lots of others out there. Thanks for any help or information, Tony

Couple of observations

1. As you were on SDP you should be entitled to Transitional Protection when you claim UC.

Your PIP claim should not result in a transfer to ADP due to purely moving to Scotland, however we have heard of cases of this happening in error by the DWP.

All PIP claims will eventually transfer to ADP however but at moment this should only happen if reporting a change of circumstances in your health or due a PIP review or your PIP claim is due to end.

Hi apologies but moving to Scotland from elsewhere in UK does result in PIP to Adult Disability Payment transfer - in my defence this was not mentioned in Social Security webinars to support organisations on PIP transfers and in their general documentation available on their website.

After a lot of digging and help from CPAG if a PIP claimant moves from the rest of the UK to Scotland, this does trigger a transfer via a ‘determination without application’

See social Security Scotland Decision Maker guide para 4 in following document

www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/asset-storag...m-and-vice-versa.pdf