New and confused (LCWRA)

ElMH

Hi, I applied for UC online on the 8th of June and attended the appointment on the 16th June, now claiming UC standard rate but put in a claim for lcwra. 

I was referred for a work related assessment and was sent a health questionnaire to complete on the 20th June. 

Fit notes have been sent as requested up until 6th September where I got a notification on my journal telling me they decided that I have Limited Capacity for Work and work Related Activity. It’s the standard letter telling me I won’t have to look for work or provide any more fit notes and I may be awarded extra money each month. They never asked me to an appointment but gave reasons for my award.
Today 8th September my new statement has come through on the website but it’s only showing my standard rate and housing, it doesn’t show any additional money being paid for disability. It does have a different page to what I am used to however, under payments it writes

‘ On 14 September 2023 you will be paid any money you are entitled to.

The amount you get is based on your circumstances from 8 August to 7 September 2023.

If your payment falls on a bank holiday or weekend you'll usually get it earlier‘

And following that are my payment statements, the statement for the 14th September showing the standard payments only. 

Does this mean I will get my additional money in September or will I be waiting longer? Why isn’t it showing on my newest statement? 

chiarieds

Hi @EIMH - & welcome to the community. The LCWRA element is only payable after 3 full months (this is called the waiting period). To check this can you say when you reported your health condition; was this the day you applied, i.e. 8 June? Did you also provide a fit note within 7 days of doing so? Do you know the date of your first fit note, please?

ElMH

chiarieds said:

Hi @EIMH - & welcome to the community. The LCWRA element is only payable after 3 full months (this is called the waiting period). To check this can you say when you reported your health condition; was this the day you applied, i.e. 8 June? Did you also provide a fit note within 7 days of doing so? Do you know the date of your first fit note, please?

It was 16th June that my first fit note was approved

ElMH

ElMH said:

chiarieds said:

Hi @EIMH - & welcome to the community. The LCWRA element is only payable after 3 full months (this is called the waiting period). To check this can you say when you reported your health condition; was this the day you applied, i.e. 8 June? Did you also provide a fit note within 7 days of doing so? Do you know the date of your first fit note, please?

It was 16th June that my first fit note was approved, being unwell I had to continue to provide them for each month so not to be required to look for work until awarded lcwra. There were some past final notification due to difficulties I have with managing this stuff, so the dates my fit notes were approved are
16th June
19th July
22 August 
4th September 

chiarieds

Thank you for your reply. Based on what you've said, & if your fit notes were continuous, then your waiting period would be Jul-Aug, Aug-Sept & Sept-Oct, with the LCWRA element being payable in the assessment period 8 Oct-7 Nov, so that would be 14 Oct.

ElMH

chiarieds said:

Thank you for your reply. Based on what you've said, & if your fit notes were continuous, then your waiting period would be Jul-Aug, Aug-Sept & Sept-Oct, with the LCWRA element being payable in the assessment period 8 Oct-7 Nov, so that would be 14 Oct.

Thank you, but why does the waiting period start in July-August when I provided a fit before that from June-July, the same day as my first UC appointment to apply for Housing, Standard and lcwra  ?

chiarieds

Well from your assessment period which is from the 8th -7th, your first fit note was in the 8th Jun -7th July period. As your first fit note was on the 16th Jun, then that wasn't a full month.

ElMH

chiarieds said:

Well from your assessment period which is from the 8th -7th, your first fit note was in the 8th Jun -7th July period. As your first fit note was on the 16th Jun, then that wasn't a full month.

Thank you fro the help. I contacted UC and they confirmed what you told me

chiarieds

You are most welcome, & thank you for letting us know.

nevertolateis56

Hello i have a question on this subject as my letter says the same thing will i differently be getting extra payments and also how long before i get my frust payment i put my frist sick note in on july the 7th thank you 

chiarieds

Hi @nevertolateis56 - I see that you already had LCW, so the LCWRA element will be due from the start of the assessment period in which you reported the change in your health condition.

nevertolateis56

Hello i sort of understand  what your saying but when i was given lcw i wasnt given any money so because my letter states i mite get extra payment i was worried that i wouldnt get anything again also if i put my frist sick note in from 5 july will i get paid in october ? Just so confusing  😕  thank you 

Adrian_Scope

It usually says 'might' because it can't cover all situations in the letter. If you have a partner on your claim that already receives LCWRA you won't receive any extra, if it's a single claim or no one else is claiming LCWRA then you should get it. 
As @chiarieds said, since you reported the change, you should receive any extra backdated to the assessment period you reported the change.

chiarieds

The LCW element doesn't pay any extra (unless claimed before 3 April 2017), so I can understand your confusion with the letter you received. As Adrian has said, unless you're living with a partner that already gets LCWRA, you will get extra money. 

nevertolateis56

Thats great thank you perhaps  you can answer me another question about my pervious  claim i was rewarded lcw in 2021 in march 2022 i logged a change in my condition  and the change was never picked up by any agent i repeatedly asked for this to happen and even spoke to my agent about it so by rights i should have been assessed over a year ago should i appeal  this is what i want to know thanks 

nevertolateis56

perhaps you can answer me another question about my pervious claim i was rewarded lcw in 2021 in march 2022 i logged a change in my condition and the change was never picked up by any agent i repeatedly asked for this to happen and even spoke to my agent about it so by rights i should have been assessed over a year ago should i appeal this is what i want to know thanks 

Jimm_Scope

Just so other's know I have responded to nevertolateis56's question here Lwcra — Scope | Disability forum