LCWRA and work

nattyb

Hi guys, Ok, I have been getting LCWRA since around october last year and also lower rate pip as I was having an awful time with my mental health, anyway, I feel that being at home 24/7 is having a negative affect on my mental health and that getting a part time job would get me out again and build my confidence etc, I mentioned this in my UC journal and somebody rang me today, I asked would I stop getting LCWRA if I worked 16 hrs or under, ( the job is currently 10hrs) with potential for more, he was quite nasty and abrupt with me and basically said why did i get lcwra payment if I can work? I said it very much depends on my mental health whether its stabilised with meds etc and it can vary depending on lots of things, he said yes I will loose my lcwra payment which is around £347 a month, if this is the case then i dont want to risk it in case working doesn't work out as i want it to, does anybody else know any thing about this? as job centre and Universal credit staff are utterly useless and tell me different things all the time, also will it affect pip? appreciate your time and any help very much, nat xx

poppy123456

The advice you were given was totally incorrect. People do work while claiming LCWRA and there's no maximum amount of hours you can work. Working doesn't mean you'll lose the LCWRA element. However, if the work you do contradicts the reasons why you were found to have LCWRA then it can go against you when you're next reviewed.

At the moment LCWRA is £354.28/month, increasing to £390.06/month with next months increase. You will also have the work allowance, which means that you can receive a certain amount of earnings each month before any deductions apply. If you claim for help with the rent your work allowance will be £344/month, if you don't it will be £573/month. (they will increase next month)

If you start working you will need to report a change of circumstances through your journal and tell them you're working.

PIP isn't means tested so it's not affected by any other income. You do not need to tell PIP you're working. However, the same applies to this as with LCWRA, if the work you do contradicts tghe reasons why you're claiming it then it can go against you at your next review.

nattyb

thankyou poppy, I knew they'd be wrong as per usual! i understand what you mean about it contradicting the reason i'm claiming, when i stopped working over a year ago i was severely depressed and suffering from panic attacks, i had a lot of personal stuff going on in my life too, so i wasn't coping, things have calmed down alot since however and i think working a few hrs might actually help, I think full time would probably be too much at the moment so this is a little ten hr job, how often are the reviews? i wasn't told about them either suprise suprise, thanks for your help  

poppy123456

Reviews are currently suspended, so it's unlikely you'll have another anytime soon.