Moving from IB-JSA to UC

I have a client who is receiving Income Based JSA. As she is getting PIP - Daily Living, her claim includes a DP and SDP. She has now started submitting fit notes and DWP have informed her that she can be sick on JSA for 13 weeks. After that if she is still not fit for work, she will have to claim UC - as claiming IB-ESA is no longer an option. My question is, does the time she is spending submitting fit notes now count towards the WCA or will she still need to submit fit notes for 13 weeks on UC before the WCA process can begin?

The sick notes submitted now certainly help for the 3 month waiting period. See the legislation here, and guidance here (Para M6210).
The actual WCA process does not only start after 13 weeks, although the assessment in practice usually takes place after that period of time. How the transfer to UC from JSA will affect that, I don’t know.

Thanks for your helpful reply Charles. Much appreciated

If the health condition is likely to last more than 13 weeks it may be worth checking whether, with SDP transitional protection, it makes sense to do the move to UC sooner (but wait until after the benefit increases in April otherwise they will simply erode the transitional protection).

Nothing constructive to add to the discussion, but wondering whether there should be some sort of commemorative plaque and migration ceremony for what must surely be the final JSA(ib) claimant?

Or are there more of them than I thought?

According to daily mail theres millions of people on the dole scrounging… may take a while

HB Anorak - 23 March 2022 04:41 PM

Nothing constructive to add to the discussion, but wondering whether there should be some sort of commemorative plaque and migration ceremony for what must surely be the final JSA(ib) claimant?

Or are there more of them than I thought?

i thought the same but I was reliably informed at the last NAWRA meeting that there are still quite a few out there…