Migration Notice and UC claim

Just to let you know I had my id interview and it seemed to go ok, better than I thought it would to be honest, it was just to confirm my deatails and and if I had any questions about my claim the interview took less than 10 minutes to complete. The Work Coach or Adovisor seemed to be a pleasant guy, now let's see if the payment dates and amount are correct and on time. I will let you know, I'm just relieved that most of the migration to UC is now complete now let's see if I get paid on time and with right amount. I just hope others have a positive migration over to UC without any hitches. Good luck everyone.

To update you on my lovely journey through what is know as Migration from irESA to UC, up until May 16 when I had my UC id check over the telephone, the advisor told me my first payment date would be June 15 and would know how much I will be paid on June 10 to me I thought the call went well, since then I have kept checking my journal for any up dates or messages, I had the letter saying my ESA would stop on May 22 which I was expecting, no surprises there.

Now lets skip to last Friday June 6, on checking my bank account I had another ESA payment of £281.10 which I was caught off guard by, and which I though was wrong, and made decision to call ESA on Monday June 9 concerning this payment as I wasn't expecting this payment at all, so on Monday as I was just about to call the DWP the post came, white envelope Belfast written on the back, I though here we go another balls up, on opening the letter, your Cb/ESA payments are changing from May 23, we will be in touch with you about accepting a claimant commitment and explaining to us how your health affects your ability to work, and how to report any changes. One I have never been on CbESA always thought it was irESA and was confused as I'd already accepted a claimant commitment for UC, so I called them 46 minutes waiting listening to that dreadful music that enough to make anyone ill, spoke to lovely lady eventually, she explained to me that my irESA was made up of a small amount of cbESA and past their criteria for New Style ESA, which is £281,10 every two weeks, she said UC round this up and take if off your UC payment, as they are both different benefits, there has to be two claimant commitments, but she said they usually follow each other, she also said if you get an appointment for your cbESA please attend it as will update the system, I told her I was in the LCWRA for UC and in the SG group for my old claim to ESA plus on full PIP, she checked everything on her computer, I told her letter I received on Monday morning was an ESA98 she checked again and she said nothing is showing that an ESA98 letter was sent to me (which I thought was a bit off, unless she was fibbing, but can't prove that) I said letter is dated June 1, she put me on hold for a moment, came back and said everything is good, but if I do get an appointment to attend it or take the call. After this call had ended I checked my UC claim, and found what I am entitled to I got the Basic Amount, plus the LCWRA, and Transitional Protection, plus money deducted from UC for my New Style ESA payments, I have no housing, child, debt costs taken off, not sure if anyone else had had an ESA98 pop through their letter box on this unnecessary journey

I haven't heard anything about my New Style ESA claimant commitment interview yet, not sure how long that will take or when it will happen, I will update this as soon as I know and how the interview goes if it telephone or face to face etc hope this help others that might be going through a simular situation, it can be terribly worrying and scary as nothing really prepares you for this or what can and does happen during the change over. I the thing is you remember are not on your own and yeah it is very frightening as it concerns our life and livelyhood, it not our fault we are sick and disabled, I think we all need a little bit more respect to be honest. Good luck everyone.

Thanks David, your words are very much appreciated, I will definitely keep the forum updated on this as it might help someone going through similar experience alone and not have any real support system not know much about welfare changes, which can take you by surprise and be daunting to say the least.