managed migration to UC with combined IB and CB ESA

Received ESA managed migration to UC letter today 13-03-2025.

I rang UC dept regards process and got straight through - the adviser was helpful but didnt know much about ESA

I rang ESA dept and it took 45 mins to get through and I advised them of receiving the migration letter and I need to know the basis of my ESA if it was fully IB and they confirmed it is made up of CB and IB, but mainly IB.

I wanted to know if it could all be just classed as IB so that managed migration would be simple to just UC and not IB to UC and CB to New Style ESA, as also I believe New Style ESA comes with some kind of Jobcentre appt and commitment.

The adviser was so unhelpful talking around the subject and not answering the concerns, suggesting New Style ESA is not savings based whereas UC is and so it is a benefit to have it and that it is paid every 2 weeks instead of monthly but if I didn't want New Style ESA then I can close existing benefits and make a new claim

I advised I just wanted to know if it would be easy and not affect anything to amend the basis of the ESA from CB and IB to just IB but didn't want to affect benefits or amounts or transitional protection or managed migration process by closing existing benefits and applying for new ones..

She advised that I could wait until managed migration process started and then ask whoever it is that is processing it to close my new Style ESA claim

I had to keep pointing out that I didn't understand what she was saying or how this would not result in a reduced benefit if i closed a claim as I was ill and didn't want to do anything that would negatively affect anything or cause any problems.

She pointed out that the jobcentre appt was by tel and was just a commitment to keep them up to date with changes and is the
same for any benefit.

I advised her to just leave it and that I would just go through the managed migration process as it was.

Could you shed any light on this situation as I am confused.

Thanks

Robin