Help regarding LCWRA

NickG

Hi, I’m hoping someone can help me please. Today I received the outcome of my WCA on the 1/2/24 and they have said I have LCWRA. I need help because I am curious what to expect regarding when the additional element will be added to my UC claim and any possible backpay. I was told by my previous work coach that I no longer needed to provide fit notes a while back around 6+ months ago and haven’t been asked to provide them since by my new work coach. They have only ever asked me to attend a meeting every 3 months to update them on my circumstances which I have done without fail and like I say I have never been asked to provide a fit note or to look for work so I’m really unsure what to expect regarding the LCWRA. Any advice would be greatly appreciated thank you. 

poppy123456

You are supposed to continue to provide fit notes until a decision is made on your WCA. 

Gaps can affect when the extra money is paid from. For this reason I’m not sure why a work coach told you differently.

It will be down to a decision maker to decide when it’s paid from in this case. 

What date exactly did you provide the first fit note? And what date do you usually receive your money each month? 

NickG

I thought it will probably have an affect on it. I have just looked back through my UC portal to check and seen I have not provided a fit note since April 2021. I then seen on the 10/5/21 I was notified I had LCW following a WCA around that time. Could this be why I wasn’t required to provide fit notes? Having checked the rest of my file I was never required to attend another WCA until February this year and my circumstances never changed between May 21 and now. I usually get paid on the 22nd of each month. 

poppy123456

Then that changes it. Was this a review started by UC? If so then the extra money is paid from the assessment period in which the decision was made. There will be no money owed.

If you reported changes to your health condition I would have expected you to need to send in fit notes to support this. Then the extra money would be paid from the assessment period in which you reported the changes.

Hope this helps.

NickG

The letter doesn’t say it’s a review, it just said they need to find out more about my health condition but I’m guessing that’s a standard letter for re-assessment which is a review. So if I am understanding this correctly then there will be no back pay because of this but because my period is 16-15 roughly and the assessment was made on the 1st of this month I should see a change in this months payment statement. Thank you so much for your help with this as I struggle to understand it all. 

poppy123456

If you didn’t report changes then it will be a review started by DWP. Therefore no money is owed. 

As the decision was made in assessment period 16th Jan to 15th Feb you will receive the extra money on 22nd Feb. You will need to check your statement to make sure it’s included. 

NickG

Ok that makes sense thank you so much for helping me understand this 😊