Universal Credit and LCWRA

ebond1602

Hello....I have just returned my UC50 form, and need some advice please.

I have been in receipt of UC since 2017 and reported my health condition from the onset.

I have been working periodically during that time and each time I have had to leave work due to my disability, which has been reported.

My Dr recently signed me off for 3 months (07/07/23 - 06/10/23) and has advised this will be ongoing.

My question is, if awarded LCWRA, will this be dated from when I initially applied for UC or the date on my medical certificate?

Many thanks

poppy123456

Have you been providing fit notes for the whole time without any gaps?

ebond1602

No.

poppy123456

Then it's unlikely to be backdated that far i'm afraid. The waiting period will start when your fit notes were continuous.

ebond1602

Just another quick question.

A friend of mine gets a payment each month from a trust fund £571 per month.

She has been getting a nil award for approx 5 month, she now has LCWRA award and UC are deducting the trust fund income from the basic UC and LCWRA (

ebond1602

.55) is not being deducted from the trust fund amount leaving £184 approx.

Is that correct?

poppy123456

What is the trust fund payment for? LCWRA is part of UC, it's not a separate benefit.

ebond1602

It's a trust fund payment that her father set up prior to passing to ensure that she had a regular income each month.

Instead of the £571 being x.55. UC have added the normal rate plus the LCWRA together and done the calculation that way.

Seems a strange way of doing it. Just wanted to check with you as you have excellent knowledge of how it all works. 

poppy123456

When you say x.55 i'm assuming you're referring to the earnings deductions? Income from a trust isn't earned income, it's classed as unearned income and will reduce their UC £1 for £1. See link and scroll down to F6 (j) https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/376/regulation/66

(j)income from a trust, unless disregarded under regulation 75 (compensation for personal injury) or 76 (special schemes for compensation);

With those figures then i will say they are 25 and over so their UC maximum entitlement will be as follows. 

Standard allowance £368.74/month

LCWRA element £390.06/month

Total UC before deductions = £758.80/month - £571 for the trust fund = £187.80/month UC payable.

ebond1602

Thank you Poppy

poppy123456

You’re welcome.

Sean4w

I had a lot of trouble, sanctions for not being able to make it out of the home due to sickness, once i got accepted after well over a year, i dont know exactly, i had £7k backdated, when i was finally awarded LCWRA, just been declined for PIP though, so im going to do a MR.

Hannah_Alumni

Hope the MR process goes well for you @Sean4w!  

Sean4w

Hannah_Scope said:

Hope the MR process goes well for you @Sean4w!  

Thank you very much Hannah, i have high hopes, low expectations.

ebond1602

Good evening,

I have received notification that I need to attend a work focus interview at my local job center.

I reported my medical certificate on 06/8/23 which runs out on 06/10/23.

I am confused as to why I have too attend the job center.

I have requested a telephone call, has anyone else had this problem please?

Thank you in advance.

poppy123456

Although you're sending fit notes, a decision hasn't yet been made on your WCA so you're classed as a job seeker until a decision says otherwise. It's a work coaches discretion to either reduce or turn of work commiments, some do and others don't.

Yes, you can ask for a telephone appointment as a reasonable adjustment, if you're unable to attend your local Job centre.

ebond1602

Hi Poppy,

I have requested a telephone call as the job centre is approx 1 mile away and I physically couldn't get there.

Thank you for your advice.

ebond1602

Good afternoon All,

I hope you are all well.

I was due to have my Health Assessment this morning, the letter stated I would a call between 0900 - 1200, no call.

Has anyone had this happen to them please? I have put a note in my journal stating no call.

Thank you in advance!

poppy123456

I wouldn't advise you to put a note onto your journal because the assessment is nothing to do with UC. If you still haven't been called then you need to ring the Health Assessment Advisory Service and they will be able to tell you what's happened.

AtlasShoulders

ebond1602 said:

Good afternoon All,

I hope you are all well.

I was due to have my Health Assessment this morning, the letter stated I would a call between 0900 - 1200, no call.

Has anyone had this happen to them please? I have put a note in my journal stating no call.

Thank you in advance!

I had exactly the same experience. Sat there for hours waiting, having a complete meltdown. At the end of the time window, I phoned up HAAS in floods to find out why they didn't call. They said they didn't know, since the assessors work from home, but they put a note on my account to say I'd called and said someone would contact me to arrange another date.

Turned out in the end that the GP had returned the UC113 and they'd done a paper-based assessment without telling me. Got my LCWRA letter a few weeks later.

It's definitely worth giving them a call, even if it's just to log that you were ready and waiting for their call. Who knows, they might be able to tell you what happened.

AtlasShoulders

ebond1602 said:

I have put a note in my journal stating no call.

Bear in mind that the journal message goes through to DWP, but the Health Assessment is carried out by HAAS so they won't see it. It's worth calling HAAS so that they can check what happened.