legacy benefiits/UC and changes in savings

Hello all.

I'm on ESA (in the Support Group). I'm currently below the savings thresholds, but it's possible that I may receive a lump sum at some point (via family) which could take me just over the threshold. If this does happen, I anticipate that there would probably come a further point in the future at which I dip back under the savings thresholds again and thus become re-eligible for benefits (including Housing Benefit).

I want to ask the following:

if I do go above the savings thresholds and this can't be avoided, once I advise the DWP of this, will my claim for ESA effectively end?

if I then dip below the savings threshold again and become eligible once more to receive benefits, will I then be forced to claim Universal Credit rather than ESA?

if I do indeed need to claim UC at such a point, will my experience of claiming it be different to how it currently is in the ESA Support group? (in other words, will it be more intrusive, will I have to do an online journal, etc?).

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help.

Many thanks Gary for your reply.

Just to check something: so, in the case whereby I have to reapply for benefits in the form of UC later, does your reference to WCA mean that I would need to be reassessed - eg, I'm assuming that your reference to WCA in your post refers to Work Capbability Assessment?

And as regards a 'Fit Note', presumably this means that as part of my UC application I'd have to get a medical certificate from my doctor and submit that?

And is it then the case that I'd basically have to 'start from scratch' when claiming UC, notwithstanding the fact that I'm in the Support Group?

Thanks again.

Oh! Just one other thing, related to the question of whether a claim is for CB or IR ESA.

The correspondence I have doesn't make things explicit in this regard - however it does refer to my being credited with NI contributions whilst receiving ESA. I also receive SDP. Do either of these give any clues?