Change to New Style ESA during migration

Hi
My pwME (who was on CB ESA support with a small IB top up)got her migration notice and completed the application for UC 3 weeks ago. It all seemed to go smoothly, she added the statement as suggested in your guide about being in the support group.The responses were that because she is in the support group she would not need to supply fitnotes and she finds out next week how much UC she will receive.

However today she has received a letter stating that her CB based ESA will change to New Style and she must have an interview with a work coach to complete a NewStyle ESA claim.

She cannot leave the house so it will have to be by phone,but what's worrying us is that it says she will be asked about how her illness affects her ability to work,as well as agreeing a claimant commitment.

Does this mean she is effectively having to make a complete new claim and will have to answer all the detailed questions on a claim form, or is it just a brief question to complement the claimant commitment? She is so poorly right now I am worried about whether she will even be able to cope with a short phone call, but if its to be a major one for a new claim that's scary indeed.

Any advice or similar experience would be hugely appreciated. Thank you.

Hi David, thanks for replying. We hoped it was just the quick claimant commitment. But what worries us is that it says WE WILL ASK YOU TO EXPLAIN HOW YOUR ILLNESS OR DISABILITY AFFECTS YOUR ABILITY TO WORK. Is that a standard thing with the claimant commitment? It feels a bit like more than that.

She's terribly fragile right now after having to leave the house for the first time in 7 months for a hospital appointment and I worry about her ability to cope with a haranguing phone call.

I just wondered if everyone moving from OS CB ESA to NS ESA gets the same thing?

Thanks a lot, sorry to labour the point, as with everyone, anxiety about everything is at fever pitch right now!

Thanks very much!