Lcw and Lcwra

dcl1979

Thanks for all the support this site gives

Want clarification on my situation 

On 6th March I submitted my fit note as I was going into a operation for organ being removed. And was sent the UCD35 form 

I had an assesment in April 2023 and got awarded lcw. The award was dated 3rd May 2023

In July I had a breakdown in health with doctor sending me to a&e with a suspected stroke and I updated my health change on 20th July 2023. And then advised it was functional disorder. 

I asked them to review the health change and got fit notes but was advised seeing as I lcw I didn't need to provide fit notes. I spoke to my work coach and said about the health downturn and submitted another fit not with the new condition on 7th October

I was sent another UCD35 on 9th October and sent and got a health assesment appointment

I had my assesment on 11th December and was awarded Lcwra as result. I reviewed that award letter on 7th Jan 2024

My review period on UC is between 12th - 11th so this month is 12th Dec 2023 to  11th Jan 2024

I look at payments statement and no mention of lcwra. I recieve my benefit on 18th.

My questions wanting help with

1) seeing as I awarded on 7th Jan exactly 3 months of the new fit note. That is the 3 month assesment period? 

2) as I awarded on 7th during the assement period surely the money should be in my Jan payment?

3) seeing as I was lcw and reported the change on July 20th is it backdated to then as I supplied the discharge papers and supplementary statement from my speech language therapist and was told fit note are no longer required.


4) on a side query on payments I noticed I  October a new statement on my payments saying I declared I savings of £600 and no such thing. Is this something new I should be worried about. Seem strange with the timing

Any thanks for advice and help

chiarieds

Hi @dcl1979 - & welcome to the community. As you were previously awarded LCW, then the LCWRA element is payable from the assessment period in which a decision was made, which seems to be 12 Dec 2023 - 11 Jan 2024 from what you've said. It can take a while for this to be paid, but check the statement for your next assessment period to check that the LCWRA element has been added.

It will just be backdated to your AP 12 Dec - 11 Jan, & the money owed is usually paid separate to your normal payment date of the 18th.

We have had other members seeing their savings reported incorrectly, but don't know why, sorry.

dcl1979

chiarieds said:

Hi @dcl1979 - & welcome to the community. As you were previously awarded LCW, then the LCWRA element is payable from the assessment period in which a decision was made, which seems to be 12 Dec 2023 - 11 Jan 2024 from what you've said. It can take a while for this to be paid, but check the statement for your next assessment period to check that the LCWRA element has been added.

It will just be backdated to your AP 12 Dec - 11 Jan, & the money owed is usually paid separate to your normal payment date of the 18th.

dcl1979

So the dated health condition and requesting a re-assesment in July is useless and being ill for that 5 months is not taken into consideration

I check my payments statement today and no mention. - to clarify what your saying there is no idea or report to when I get my money and have to wait until 11th Feb to see a statement? And how much

This is all confusing and just DWP being ambiguous and so grey area to suit them and shaft the rest? 

I don't get where it says from when first reported, to 4 months, to we don't know yet but wait another month. 

chiarieds

Apologies, I wrongly picked up on you mentioning reviews (not helped by my cat getting in the way of the screen!)

As you reported a change in your health condition, the LCWRA element is payable from the assessment period in which you reported this. There is no 3 month waiting period, as you had already been awarded LCW. It does take a little time for the DWP to calculate what they owe you.

dcl1979

So to clarify they have to back date fro  20th july. As in first health change and onset fnd / stroke

chiarieds

With a 'change of circumstances,' then reporting a health condition, this should have prompted you to provide a fit note (if done via your journal). So, this should be from 20 Jul, but they may say you didn't provide another fit note until 7 Oct.

Otherwise it can certainly be argued that you were ill-informed that you didn't need a fit note in July.

dcl1979

I will have more to update tomorrow

But the savings/investments things of £600. I spoke to case manager who confirmed. That there is changes that was made in October. They added in date from when I first opened my.claom 2 over 2 years prior. 

She proceeded to shout at me. As I questioned why was the change made without notifying us. I proceeded to inform her that using data that was over 18 months old and not clarified as correct was in breach or data protection or gdpr rules as correct data. Ie change of address or even bank account

She verbally shouted down the phone to tell me it was my responsibility to keep all data up to date. So I advised her how do I keep data up to when you add new data into a system without warning of use of old data that affect payments. She said what you care it doesn't affect you as your not meet the target. Now shouted again I should go in and change it. 


As for the rest. My payment day was today......

Yesterday I was at hospital appointment and got a message about accepting new commitments. I went it to see. As just awarded lcwra from lcw. And no commitments to accept but about a payment before 24th Jan. I clicked next to see.kpre and it deleted the message to say commitments accepted (granted I accepted my lcwra commitments on 7th jan)

I looked at my payments and still read the usual 300ish amount. I had to take an advance for bills as lcwra payments wasn't through or calculated. 

I rang and questioned straight away. This morning I woke up (before another hospital appontment) to a pdf in journel saying they owe me the lcwra money. And change my payments from 300iah to over 700. 

The pdf said they still owe me 390 for lcwra. Is that an extra from the backdate above

On same phone call where I was shouted out I asked to confirm payment of lcwra and said I had advised off here that being on lcw and reporting change that the 3 month assessment don't count and she said true if lcwra is accepted is from the date of actual evidence. 

Now my first report of health change is from July. But advised being on lcw I don't need fit notes. I submitted a report for my.speech language therapist detailing the details from A&E discharge and 2 appointment with them in August. I spoke to my work coach who said I don't need fit note and asked if I'm being upgraded to lcwra. To which another coach rang and said get a fit note to which was supplied on Oct 7th

Just need a valid opinion of what kinda due and when and why the hell all.sudden changes. 

Granted my pip court hearing was 15th against dwp and things seem to koved and changed since then very quickly 

poppy123456

When you report changes to your health condition by "reporting a change of circumstances" it should prompt you to provide another fit note within 7 days. As you didn't do that until Oct then this could affect when the extra money is paid from. Do you have proof that you were advised you didn't need a fit note?

It will be down to a decision maker to make the final decision.