New 'Capability for work application 'UC50

Hi i am receiving Universal Credit due to needing to let go of my career due to ill health. I shall shortly receive the UC50 form and havent completed one before. All advice appreciated ..where should i start looking for information on this site or otherwise? What things should i be considering ? I have mental health complex ptsd plus depression and anxiety disorder.

Hi Gordon, im really confused can you help please …
Quote from 'ESA +UC claims for MH: a guide to LCW (page 6)

'Should you claim ESA, UC or both?
However, from 16 January 2019, if you have a Severe Disability Premium (SDP) in an existing benefit such as ESA or Housing Benefit, then you will not be able to apply for UC even if your circumstances do change. This is because existing claimants with an SDP have been identified as a group most likely to suffer financially from moving to UC as the new benefit does not include disability premiums. As a result, your move to UC will be delayed until the managed migration period when your income will be transitionally protected to ensure that you are no worse off on the new benefit. Until this time, you will be able to claim contributory and income-related ESA.

On the other hand, if you’re already on UC (probably as a jobseeker), and become unable to work because of ill-health or disability, you won’t normally be able to get ESA: instead your UC award will continue, but instead of having to look for work you’ll have to satisfy the rules that this guide is about.

A final, important note: if you are in an area where people with ill health or disabilities have to claim UC and you are not excluded from UC because of an SDP (see above), you should also think about claiming new style ESA, as well. This is because UC is purely a ‘means tested benefit’, unlike ESA which can be claimed both as a means-tested benefit and as a ‘contributory’ one – paid because of your National Insurance contributions. This means that if your National Insurance record is good enough, you might be entitled to new style ESA because of this, even if your income (or your partner’s, if you have one) means you can’t get UC.

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My circumstance is that I started claiming UC 12 Nov due to ill health / disability. I could have claimed income related ESA but my union RCN advised there would be no benefit to me financially as I don't have a partner (and another reason of which I cant recall).
Last week i was awarded PIP for 2 years but my understanding is that the Capabilty for work assessment and PIP are not connected.
I am currently completing my UC50 and i was told by the finance manager at UC if i was to be awarded PIP to let them as i would be entitled to a 'Premium'. I think he has got this wrong and is referring to the old ESA ? could u clarify please. My understanding is i will go for the Health and Disability assessment and i will be put into either LCW or LCWRA group. With the later i will receive SDP and with the formal my UC payment will stay the same.

Also I would like to know if the UC50 descriptors for the assessment are the same as the old ESA ? What do i look for on line regarding this and what is the benefit for limited capabilty for work called now as it comes under UC.

Its all confusing !

Emma

thanks Gordon
Regarding the payments - would the £328.32 for the support group replace the £317.82 UC basic allowance or be addition ? i was told by my job coach it would be additional but i cant quite believe that given the rest of the system is so harsh..

Also, i was advised by my union RCN that there would be no financial benefit to me applying for contribution ESA as opposed to UC. Was this the correct information to be given in light of my either being in the LCW or LCWRA group?

Also Gordon I have just read over the work related activities list and I am utterly shocked that the activities start with 'recording mood and thoughts etc . How on earth is this classed as a work related activity ….??? wow the DWP really are setting the bar at 100 feet tall to get into the support group.
I am finding the ESA and UC guidelines very good and it is helping me to understand a lot about the process. I have a lot to get my head around in terms of where I fit within it all.

Id like to ask I have booked an appointment with CAB to fill out the form with them. Do you have any knowledge or guidance on if this is a good idea ? I am wondering if it would be better to fill it out on my own ??