New UC Claim with N/S Esa LCWRA & PIP

Hi everyone,

Sending huge thanks and gratitude as always to the MODS and wider B&W team for all the amazing work, support and time you put into running this lifeline service. It’s been a while since I’ve posted in the forum, but I still check the news you put out every week as they are the most informative, helpful articles ever!

I’m now hoping for some guidance about a confusing situation involving New Style ESA and a new Universal Credit claim. I’ll explain everything as clearly as I can below.

My current benefits
• New Style ESA since 2023, placed in LCWRA by end of 2023 following a full assessment.
• PIP since 2024, enhanced daily living and standard mobility (no MR)
• 3 separate health/capability assessments taken for DWP across ESA and PIP between 2023 and 2024.
• I live with my disabled mother and I am also her current only carer (unpaid). I don’t have full POA, but DWP and other services recognise me as authorised to handle all admin and financial matters for her/our household. I get/need other support/assistance to do this.

My mother’s benefits
• Was on income-related ESA only, from 2018 until being migrated over to UC this year 2025.
• PIP awarded at standard daily living 2024 + standard mobility after MR in late 2025; currently awaiting tribunal with welfare rights support (current 10month+ wait)



Why I have applied for UC:

Our landlord issued a rent increase in October (for the first time in 14 years). My mother is the main tenant, so the new rent was recorded on her UC claim. LHA limit in our area is £650, leaving us with a new ongoing £145 shortfall, which I’ve been covering so far.

A debt charity (that we’ve been with since 2023) advised me to apply for UC myself to help cover the new rent gap. They also told me that I had been entitled to at least £200/month UC since 2023. The stress of forms and applications is enough to make me physically sick, but we’ve been left with no choice so I applied in mid November. My mother’s CTS was significantly reduced in August due to the PIP MR outcome (and LA policy changes) and we had already applied to DHP/LA for discretionary assistance in September (11 weeks on and we’re still awaiting the outcome of this!).


What has happened since applying for UC:

All was okay until this past week I’ve received unexpected messages that have sent me into a spiral:

Text from DWP new style ESA telling me I must attend a telephone appointment next week to accept claimant commitments and saying my claim will stop if I don’t attend. I am confused and anxious because:
• I accepted the new style ESA claimant commitments back in 2023.
• No change in circumstances has actually happened since 2023.

A day later, UC messaged online/journal asking for a fit note, despite telling me at application that I didn’t need one.
• I provided a sick note the very same day from my GP, covering from application date until March 2026. I put this as a confirmation note on my journal and asked UC if they knew why I had received this text/appointment from the DWP with regards to my N/S ESA.

UC the next day replied and said ‘ You can attend an appointment for new style JSA and explained them that you are now on universal credit.’
• This confused me more as I’m not on JSA, it’s New Style ESA which from my understanding can be claimed at the same time as UC, and will be deducted from my UC entitlement instead of taken over?

Then the next day UC sent another notice in my journal that stated they had noticed I haven’t had a WCA, and that they had booked me a face-to-face jobcentre appointment for next week for ‘UC claimant commitments’ with another sanction warning if I failed to attend.
• They also added a separate work profile task area to complete, which included needing to supply details such as work history and CV upload.

I panicked even more with this and went on a manic spiral. My support came over and on the same day we explained via the UC journal that I am disabled and mentally unwell, already found LCWRA under N/S ESA, and awarded PIP until 2028 (with details of my points). Further explained that I’m unable to attend in-person appointments and do not understand why work-related tasks are being applied to me. I asked again whether this was connected to the ESA text message/appointment at all and for further details of the appointments so I can arrange appropriate support.

Yesterday a work coach replied to my message saying the UC appointment has been changed to a telephone call which I'm very grateful and relieved to see. They also state they have nothing to do with ESA so I need to speak to them. They finish it by saying that the UC appt is a commitment review and not to worry as my payment won’t be affected.



My questions/worries:

I now have 2 telephone appointments on different days next week, 1 from ESA and 1 from UC. I’m unsure what to expect or what either is really for or even going to be like. It’s sent my anxiety and panic condition into overdrive and I'm struggling with the unknowns of it all (my therapist would be sad as we’ve been trying to work on tolerating uncertainty HA!). It would help me a lot if anyone can help with any of the below:

• What is a claimant commitment review? For both UC and NS ESA?

• Can my LCWRA status from new style ESA automatically transfer to UC, or will UC still require a separate process and a new WCA? Do any of my previous health assessments taken for DWP in 2023 or 2024 count?

• Why would ESA suddenly ask me to re-accept claimant commitments if nothing has physically changed? None of my circumstances have changed other than applying for UC.

• Is it normal for UC to ask for CV/work history updates even when someone already has LCWRA under ESA?

• Is there anything anyone can suggest that I need to prepare before the calls to avoid problems or accidental issues?

I’m desperately trying to arrange support with my advisor for the appointments/calls on both dates but this is proving difficult so far. I’m very confused about whether these 2 appointments are linked.. I’m assuming they are and that they’re both prompted from the new UC claim.. but I’m also worried this could be a sign of a DWP error somewhere on my file!?

Any advice on what is likely happening here, what to expect and what I should do would be really appreciated!

Thank you for reading and any help in advance.

Hi David!

Thank you so so much for your response! It did give me some relief for about a day and I thought I would wait for the calls next week before getting back to you.. but sadly they’ve popped up again today and advised they are sending a WCA50 out to me.

Is there anyway I can get UC to look at my previous WCA forms and assessment?

Any advice will be much appreciated!




The message reads:
We need to know if your health conditions or disability affect your ability to work or carry out work-related activity.

You will receive a letter and a Capability for Work (WCA50) questionnaire in the post.

You will be asked questions about any physical or mental health conditions you have and how they affect you.

If we decide you are not capable of work, we will not ask you to search for work or be available for work. If we also decide you are not capable of work-related activity, you may get extra money.

What you need to do
It is important that you return your completed questionnaire by the date given in the letter.

If you do not return your questionnaire by the given date, we may not be able to assess your capability for work. That means you may be paid the wrong amount of money.

It may also mean you have to do more to receive Universal Credit, for example, be available for work, search for work and prepare for work.

If you need a Work Capability Assessment
After we receive your questionnaire, you might be asked to go for a Work Capability Assessment.

If that is the case, we will contact you by post to arrange an appointment.

The person assessing you will want to find out how your disability or health conditions affect you in everyday life.

You must attend this assessment if you are asked to. If you do not, we might decide that you are capable of work.

After your assessment, we will let you know the outcome and whether this affects the amount of Universal Credit you receive.

You still need to report your fit notes (previously known as sick notes) in your Universal Credit account.

Do not bring your fit note into the jobcentre unless we ask you to. Keep it because we may need to see it in future.

If you do not keep reporting your fit notes, we will not be able to assess your capability for work. This means you will need to search for work and prepare for work, or do the things you have agreed to in your claimant commitment.

If something changes
You must tell us straight away if your circumstances change. For example, you are no longer ill, you have returned to work or your health condition or disability no longer restricts your ability to work.

You can do this in your Universal Credit account through 'Report a change'.

If you give wrong or incomplete information or you do not report changes straight away you may not be paid the correct amount of money. You will have to pay back any overpaid money. You could also be prosecuted or need to pay a financial penalty. If we pay you less money than we should, we may pay you this money back.