Hi, my name is Tracee! LCWRA &ESA

Tracee

Hi there I’m a newbie here hope you’re all well? I was after some advice please? I’ve recently been awarded LCWRA and I am also on ESA. ESA have said I am in work related group. Which I don’t understand why? I did a mandatory reconsideration and their reply was horrible it was as if I was lying 🤥 really upset me. I did read on here if your LCWRA I should be in the ESA support group. Wondered if anyone could advise please? 

Do I just leave it as it is or do I appeal? unsure 🫤 

calcotti

The decision for UC will be applied to both UC and new style ESA and should therefore be switching the Support Group. May be worth ringing ESA because I don’t know how good they are at speaking to each other.

poppy123456

Are you sure you were found to have LCWRA for UC and not LCW? Some people do get confused between the 2.

calcotti

poppy123456 said:

Are you sure you were found to have LCWRA for UC and not LCW? Some people do get confused between the 2.

I read opening post to mean OP was in LCW ESA and UC and has had an MR and as a result has had UC increased to LCWRA. OP now wanted to check if ESA will also be increased to Support Group.

poppy123456

calcotti said:

poppy123456 said:

Are you sure you were found to have LCWRA for UC and not LCW? Some people do get confused between the 2.

I read opening post to mean OP was in LCW ESA and UC and has had an MR and as a result has had UC increased to LCWRA. OP now wanted to check if ESA will also be increased to Support Group.

I didn't read it that way. I read it as they were found to have LCWRA for UC but ESA have placed them into the WRAG. They then requested the MR for ESA because they were placed into the WRAG and not the Support Group.

@Tracee please have another look at your decision letter for UC and see if it says Limited Capability for work related activity (LCWRA) or just Limited capability for work. (LCW)

calcotti

calcotti said:

I read opening post to mean ..

poppy123456 said:

I didn't read it that way. I read it as ..

We obviously need OP to clarify what they mean!

Tracee

Hi thanks for replies. Yes I’m definitely on LCWRA for UC. I couldn’t understand why I was in this and not being in the support group for ESA. I shall ring tomorrow see what’s going on. Thank you guys xx 

poppy123456

Of course it won't make any difference to your overall benefits entitlement amount because the ESA is just deducted from your UC. The deduction will increase once you're placed into the Support Group. Although the ESA would stop after 1 year being in the WRAG but you shouldn't be in that group anyway.

Are you able to print off the decision letter from UC to show it to ESA?

Tracee

Thank you. Yes good idea I’ll print it off to show them. Thanks for your help 

L_Volunteer

Have you managed to do this yet @Tracee? Please feel free to let us know how this goes for you and if there's anything else we can do to help in the meantime 

Tracee

Hi there, I rang ESA and they said they can’t help. UC should have told them I was on LCWRA so call UC. Called UC asked them to confirm I’m on LCWRA which yes I am. They can’t help either over the phone. Add a message to journal if I don’t hear by 13th ring again. I’ll keep you posted. Thanks again for your help xx 

Biblioklept

I had a similar issue when I claimed New Style ESA @Tracee! The two systems just don't talk to each other especially if the ESA claim is started after the UC one. 
It's stupid as when you're a duel claimant UC take the lead in assessments and the decision applies for both but they don't seem to backward talk.
Took a lot of back-and-forth to get it sorted for me. UC hadn't sent the information across but ESA should be able to access it another way. I believe it was ESA that finally listened but possibly because an advisor rang on my behalf and managed to speak to a decision maker. 
 Though even when I did they insisted that I needed to serve the 'wait period' on ESA. I don't know if that's correct, it doesn't feel like it as I had been receiving LCWRA for over a year on UC, but it made no difference financially so we didn't challenge it.