I have some complex ESA IR to UC migration questions / New to the Forum!

I have a number of complex questions regarding my migration from IR ESA to UC which I couldn’t find answers too online so bear with me.

1) Regarding the online verification. I have no photo ID other than a out of date passport as they were all stolen. I also have no driving license and cannot find my birth cert & NI card. To complicate matters I am also housebound.

What should I do other than inform them of this?
Will they be able to verify ID over the phone as it states in the guidance?

2) On the migration letter it states that my HB will continue to be paid directly to my local council because I am in supported or temporary accommodation. This is not the case though but I do rent from a housing association.

Should I call my local council and get them to change this?
Or should I mention it in when making the UC application? Or both?

Obviously it’s very important so I want to leave no room for error.

3) My family and social workers have been telling me to apply for PiP since 2018. I was on the high rate care and normal rate mobility DLA for over 7 years but I then had a utterly terrible experience with my first PiP application in 2017 so have been unwilling to reapply.

The assessor even triggered my back injury leaving me unable to walk more than 10m for over 6 months by forcing me to do mobility exercises. I have 4 serious mental health diagnosis including 2 personality disorder, mood disorder etc. & a severe lower back injury yet still I got zero points.

So I have decided to reapply. My concern is as I have 10 weeks left, if I apply for PiP first now then get the online PiP form sent in within a month, then a few weeks later start the UC migration, will I get the transitional protection for severe disability premium if I apply now for PiP before I apply for UC.

It says here:
www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/2021/jan...pt-requirement-claim

‘have been entitled (or been part of a couple where one member was entitled) to an award of income support, income-based JSA or income-related ESA that included an SDP within the period of a month preceding the first day on which they became entitled to universal credit’

Does this mean by applying for and getting the PiP online application completed first, then starting the UC migration say 2 weeks later (14 days before the deadline), as the PiP claim starts from the day I make the phone call & as that will be over one month before the first day I become entitled to to UC there is a good chance I will get this transitional protection for severe disability premium?
(Or does the PiP claim starts from the they receive the form?)

4) I’ve not completed a WCA because they claimed they never received my meticulous ESA form in 2020 even though it was sent first class recorded / special delivery. They wrote stating the above but they said I was going to carry on getting ESA anyway because of my severe mental health issues and am on some register or something. Something to that effect.

When I first applied for ESA in 2009 they asked me to attend in central London and when I did they said they didn’t need to see me so it was a wasted trip. I was there literally 2 minutes.

Seeing as how I’ve never had a WCA what is likely to happen regarding my migration?
Are they likely to want me to go through a WCA?

5) My next question is regarding proof of my conditions. Not seen my GP since March 2020, he visited my home at that time after a 20 minute telephone consultation. I have tried to call them a couple times over the last 4 years but the phone endlessly rang for 45 minutes or longer. Despite them spamming me all year every year telling me to see them.

Last year the group that own all the surgeries canceled phone calls entirely so now if you want a appointment it’s via a online portal only.

Not seen the mental health team since 2017 because after I became housebound at first they refused to visit me, but then the excuse was that I am now under the charge of the social welfare team and they cannot see me for that reason. But I was seeing them for 6/7 years up to the point I became housebound. When I told my GP this he said the mental health team cause so many issues for him daily he feels like hitting his head against a brick wall!

Due to depression etc. I have no idea where any of my documents are. I’ve not been in touch with my social worker since last August again due to severe depression. I was supposed to fill out some financial thing for help or peer mentor. Other than a heath care assessment they did in 2021 which was very in depth I have no proof of any of my conditions. I’m not on meds either as my GP refuses to give me anti anxiety tablets and anti depressants have always given me very terrible side effects. So when I can afford them I take either St John’s Wart or 5 HTP but both are rarely affordable.

Other than trying again to contact my GP for a telephone appointment and/or home visit and getting in touch with my social worker what else can I do to obtain proof and evidence of my conditions?
Can I get access to all my mental health records and NHS health records?

It did cause me great anxiety to call the the GP receptionists would give me a lot of grief for asking for a telephone appointment and would probe me with personal questions asking why and say things like ‘Why can’t you visit us like a normal person?’. But as I mentioned you cannot even call them now.

6) Last question is regarding payment dates. I have exactly 10 weeks left to migrate. If I start the process on say the 5th June, one day after a ESA payment am I correct in stating that I will get one more ESA payment on the 18th June?

This is also the last day I have to start the UC migration. If I were to finish the migration form by 9th June then from the 3rd July to the 13th July I will have 12 days no ESA or UC payments but then I should get the first UC on the 14th July. 5 weeks later.
Could the above issues in my other questions delay my UC claim?

I have no family or anyone I can borrow from, also have pets so it's important it takes no longer than 5 weeks as I cannot get to a food bank.

Basically I don’t want to take out a UC advance loan. I’d rather save now to cover that period, but if course will just about be able to cover those 12 days with no money.

Thank you in advance![/b]

David wrote:

Hi PenfoldsPen
To answer your questions-

2. Are you saying you were in temporary or sheltered accomodation? When did you move to a standard tenancy?
Yes I was in temporary for around 12 months back in 2010 and moved to standard tenancy in 2011.

4. From what you are saying you had a paper based WCA. Are you in the ESA Support Group? Do you have an Appointee or Corporate Appointee?
Support group yes. I filled out the ESA form in 2009, attended a interview in 2010 that was not needed or cancelled when I showed up at the window. Then in 2020 they asked me to go though a WCA and fill in the ESA form. But upon sending 1 week before the deadline via first class special delivery which of course had proof of delivery they claimed not to have recieved it. So I can assume they never opened or read it. No, no appointee or corporate appointee. My ESA claim just carried on as normal in 2020.

5. I cannot attempt this question until the previous questions have been answered.

6. I don't know your ESA payment cycle. I would strongly advise you to phone the Citizens Advice Help to Claim service for personalised advice. Here is a recommendation from our Forum member VIA-- www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/kunena/10-dla-...aged-migration-to-uc David

From my understanding and thanks to Talk to Stu's recent migration video that was based on the help here, as well as the UC migration letter that ESA continues for exactly 2 weeks after finishing the migration application. Therefore I understand that if timed correctly one will recieve one more 2 week payment. Has anyone had a good experience with timing this right?

Hi David,

Thank you for your response.

PenfoldsPen wrote:

David wrote:

Hi PenfoldsPen To answer your questions- 2. Are you saying you were in temporary or sheltered accomodation? When did you move to a standard tenancy? Yes I was in temporary for around 12 months back in 2010 and moved to standard tenancy in 2011. 4. From what you are saying you had a paper based WCA. Are you in the ESA Support Group? Do you have an Appointee or Corporate Appointee? Support group yes. I filled out the ESA form in 2009, attended a interview in 2010 that was not needed or cancelled when I showed up at the window. Then in 2020 they asked me to go though a WCA and fill in the ESA form. But upon sending 1 week before the deadline via first class special delivery which of course had proof of delivery they claimed not to have recieved it. So I can assume they never opened or read it. No, no appointee or corporate appointee. My ESA claim just carried on as normal in 2020. 5. I cannot attempt this question until the previous questions have been answered. 6. I don't know your ESA payment cycle. I would strongly advise you to phone the Citizens Advice Help to Claim service for personalised advice. Here is a recommendation from our Forum member VIA-- www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/kunena/10-dla-...aged-migration-to-uc

From my understanding and thanks to Talk to Stu's recent migration video that was based on the help here, as well as the UC migration letter that ESA continues for exactly 2 weeks after finishing the migration application. Therefore I understand that if timed correctly one will recieve one more 2 week payment. Has anyone had a good experience with timing this right?

David

Hi David,

Thank you for your response.

Ah I see regarding the paper based WCA.
I wonder though in that case will they ask me to go through another WCA for the UC migration since it wasn't completed properly in the first place?

Even though technically it's on them if they lose a form returned a week before the deadline via first class special delivery. Obviously I had proof it was delivered to the correct place a week before their deadline. They must have lost it.

Do you or anyone else have any idea about my second and fifth questions, about temporary or sheltered accommodation status & proof of my conditions respectively?
Both are quite a concern regarding my migration.

This kind of thing has happened to me before. Back in 2001 when first I had to first claim incapacity and HB due to my health conditions, the DWP refused to help me for over 18 months.

If it hadn't been for my dear Mum at the time I would have ended up homeless and living with no money for a year and half. She paid my rent and did my food shopping for that period. But that was all she could afford so I had to without everything except for food. I had proof of my conditions and had sent that proof and doctors notes etc. I actually had to find a local solicitor paid via legal aid to fight the case.

18 months later the solicitor proved them wrong and I was given a backdated payment for the 18 months for HB and incapacity most of which of course was used to pay back my Mum. But I have no family left now so if this all goes pear shaped my pets and I will end up homeless and penniless.

In the end the DWP gave no explanation for not paying me for 18 months other than that 'they made a technical error'. Not even an apology. Up till that point I had been working hard paying into the system since the mid nineties so I know how easy it is for them to not help us. They truly are utterly awful and we all know it’s now far worse for us dealing with them.

All the constant jumping through hoops and humiliations we have to go through to get help. Especially if one has severe mental health conditions & disabilities. All this anxiety over this leaves me feeling more suicidal. I survive on so little that 99% of the time I cannot afford to put the heating on in the winter in a flat with single glazing. Apologies to divulge all this but it all feels so utterly bleak & hopeless. Am finding this all so hard to cope with.

Penfold's Pen