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Migrating to UC

Kvothe

Hello

I just received a 'You are Migrating to UC' letter in the post.

To say these letters from the DWP cause me great stress is an understatement, i am wondering has anybody been through this procedure before? 

I am in the support group of ESA at the minute and i am worried that there is not the same category in the UC system

Did you have to be reassessed for your condition/Autism?

Does anybody know of any services aside from CAB that can help?

Thanks

  • in reply to Kvothe

    They were supposed to be delaying it till 2028, but they've decided to crack on with it by the end of 2025 now. I suppose it had to happen eventually - they originally hoped to have anyone transferred by 2017 if I remember rightly!

    PIP can be done on either a normal paper form, or online, so wasn't too difficult in that regard. What was difficult, was actually answering the questions. I found it quite distressing and it took me ages to complete the form. Managed to get it posted back about 2 days before the (extended) deadline. It didn't help that I was ill with infections a few times over the last couple of months. I'm not as confident about my entitlement to PIP as I am with ESA so if I have to appeal I might resort to asking the CAB for help. (I know the ESA law well enough that I could do an ESA appeal with my eyes shut).

    Some areas do have independent advice centres which have nothing to do with the CAB, so it is worth asking around.

    If it is any help, I do recommend the materials at benefitsandwork.co.uk, as they explain the law in detail and how it applies to various different medical conditions, as well as standing up for your rights. You do have to pay for it though.

  • in reply to mp500

    I got mine on my birthday which pretty much ruined it

    yeah i was kinda hoping labour would slow things down at least for people like us.. I struggle to understand things over the phone and online and often fill things out incorrectly, i will prob contact the CAB like you i might look around for other services that might be able to help, was hoping someone on here had some contacts..

    I darent apply for PIP too much stress for me

  • I got one yesterday as well. You have my sympathy.

    The support group does exist in UC but I'm not sure if it has the same name. I think for the support group you will get the same amount on UC as you get now on ESA. But if the UC amount would otherwise be less, provided you do the claim through the 'migration', you can claim transitional protection which will ensure you get the same amount. This should happen automatically.

    You shouldn't need to be reassessed as in theory, your existing 'work capability assessment' should transfer over automatically. 

    Whether this works in practise or not is another matter.

    I'm dreading claiming personally as they prefer you to do in on the internet, but this is just as impractical as a telephone claim. I understand there is no form that you can have sent to you (It would not be difficult to have a normal application form, like PIP does; I think they set it up like this to make it hard).

    I cannot vouch for it myself, but I have heard that the CAB's Help to Claim service is very good, and I intend to call them to make my claim in due course. I will wait a little while though. I made a claim for PIP the other week and still haven't got over the stress yet.