Move to UC from ESA/SDP

Hi, I'm currently migrating from ESA/SDP to UC. I was advised that my ESA payments would stop 2 weeks after I started my UC claim (which would leave me a few weeks with no money between that and the UC payments starting). However I have received a letter from ESA to say my payments will stop on 29th November which is actually 2 weeks after my first UC payment, not 2 weeks after I claimed.

Can anyone clarify this please? Because if this letter is correct, it is not what I was advised or what comes up when you Google it and it would leave me much better off financially, so I don't want to get my hopes up if it isn't going to happen and need to plan what money I will have.

Thank you.

OK thank you, I was kind of thinking of this but hoping I wouldn't need to! I will now though, thanks.

Hello, happy to share and also would like advise again please as I'm very confused.

So after an hour of waiting on the phone they weren't much help! He just kept saying that the rate I had been getting (240 ish per week,480 per fortnight) would stop when I get my first UC payment.

So I questioned this as now that is a third thing I've been told because it isn't the two weeks after you claim that I have been told or what they have sent me on the letter. I explained I had put in the claim on 11th October so should recieve my last payment on 25th October which is two weeks after I claimed. But the letter they sent says it will stop at that full rate 29th November which is a whole 5 weeks extra (7 weeks after I claimed!). He just kept repeating it will stop when the UC payment starts (which is 15th November).

So I now have three bits of conflicting information. He then went on to add I will then receive a lower rate contribution ESA alongside UC of 138 per week, first I'd heard of this and I only thought I was on income related.

I had my ESA today as its the 25th, so I called to check when/if I have a nect payment of ESA and the automated thing said I have the next full amount one in 2 weeks, so if seems it is continuing until at least the 8th November.

I'm so confused, and the ESA was not helpful and a little rude as well. I went back to citizens advise about this and they confirmed it should definitely stop two weeks after you claim to their knowledge, so it should have been the last one today and I would probably have to pay back anything further.

I told the ESA man I needed clarity as I was worried about over payment and having fo pay back it's stressful not knowng what I have coming in ect, and he said no we won't over pay. But they do don't they!

Any thoughts? Thanks 🙏