Contribution Based ESA

I know the plans set out in the Green Paper are just proposals at the moment but there is one change that nobody seems to be talking about. I am on Contribution Based ESA. I am single and I have savings over £16 000 at the moment so I cannot claim means tested benefits. The Green Paper makes it clear that contributory benefits are going to be time limited, though they don’t say what the time limit will be. However, they also seem to indicate that this time limit is only for new claimants. “54. Alongside levelling up the rate, this change would end the indefinite entitlement to contributory ESA for those assessed as having limited capability for work-related activity (FOR NEW PEOPLE CLAIMING). “ Does anybody know if I’ve understood this correctly? It is causing me a huge amount of anxiety alongside the fact that once my limited savings have gone, I will now only be entitled to the reduced amount of Universal Credit.

Is there any news on this yet? I’ve tried to read everything I can but nobody ever mentions CBESA. It seems strange that the government would now agree to protect those already on UC, but not do the same for those on CB ESA. I am going to have to move onto UC (I used to be on IR ESA) but it won’t happen for a couple of years.

Thank you for your response. You refer to New Style ESA. I am on legacy CB ESA. Does what you are saying apply to that too? I saw a comment on another forum yesterday and an advisor was saying that she thinks people already within the Universal Credit system will be protected from the cuts but she wasn’t sure about people on legacy CB ESA, because apparently there are no plans to move us to the UC system which seems really odd. I know we are going to be blocked from claiming IR ESA now, so it seems very unfair if we will be classed as new claimants for UC.