Looking for help understanding LCWRA please

Blossom22

Hello all, I hope someone can give me some clarity as UC have been utterly inconsistent in the array of answers they have given me! I have left a message in my journal asking for proper clarification from someone who knows more, but they take forever (& lots of chasing) to get back to me and I’m really desperate to know what’s going to happen as I need to find somewhere to live. 

So… I became too unwell to work at the end of May last year, my first sick note began from 25/5/23. I was told by a UC advisor that I would have to wait 3months before I could request UC50, which I did (I now believe this isn’t quite correct but it’s what happened). On 25/8/23 I left a journal message requesting the form, eventually it arrived, I got help filling it in and sent it back on time. I had my phone assessment in December and on 23/1/24 got the letter to say I had been awarded LCWRA. Then was told I had to wait three months again before any payments would be made. Apparently one of these three month periods is actually three assessment periods not three calendar months. The last person I spoke with on the phone assured me I would start receiving extra payments in April but I don’t believe that is true, I think it will probably be May. My assessment period is 5-4th of each month, paid on the 12th, this is not a new claim - I was claiming a top up while I could still work. 

I believe that I probably won’t see any extra payments until 12/5/24 and they should be backdated to sometime around the beginning of September… does that sound right to anyone else? Is there any hope I will get anything before May? 
Thanks in advance

poppy123456

The 3 months wait before they refer you is not correct. The only thing that would stop a referral is if you're working and receive earnings of more than 16xNMW/week, unless you claim a disability benefit such as PIP/DLA or ADP.

The referral should take place around day 29 after providing your first fit note, there are some occasions where a referral can be made on day one of your claim. 

The waiting period starts from when you first provided your fit note, assuming there were no gaps in your fit notes until a decision was made on your claim. If there were gaps this can affect when the extra money is paid from. 

It's 3 full assessment periods and the extra money is paid from the 4th month, with first payment being the end of that month. LCWRA element isn't paid at all during the waiting period. 

If your payment date is 12th of every month then your assessment periods should be 6th to 5th of every month. Based on the information you gave your waiting period will be June/July, July/August, Aug/Sept... LCWRA element starts from 6th Sept to 5th Oct and first payment will be 12th Oct 2023. 

Blossom22

poppy123456 said:

The 3 months wait before they refer you is not correct. The only thing that would stop a referral is if you're working and receive earnings of more than 16xNMW/week, unless you claim a disability benefit such as PIP/DLA or ADP.

The referral should take place around day 29 after providing your first fit note, there are some occasions where a referral can be made on day one of your claim. 

The waiting period starts from when you first provided your fit note, assuming there were no gaps in your fit notes until a decision was made on your claim. If there were gaps this can affect when the extra money is paid from. 

It's 3 full assessment periods and the extra money is paid from the 4th month, with first payment being the end of that month. LCWRA element isn't paid at all during the waiting period. 

If your payment date is 12th of every month then your assessment periods should be 6th to 5th of every month. Based on the information you gave your waiting period will be June/July, July/August, Aug/Sept... LCWRA element starts from 6th Sept to 5th Oct and first payment will be 12th Oct 2023. 

Hi, thanks for the info, that confirms what I thought about the entitlement. That’s not what happened though, something clearly went wrong (as it always seems to do for me). Any thoughts on when I should expect to start getting the money, April or May?
Thanks again

Blossom22

Update - I have just received this journal message, this can’t be right can it?!   

The Limited Capability for Work Related Activity has been awarded from 09/01/24. You have to serve a 3 month relevant period (in your case is 06/02-05/05. The additional element will be added to your award starting from the payment 06/05-05/06 (payment due 12/06). The current additional amount is £390.06.
Regards
Lesley

poppy123456

Blossom22 said:

poppy123456 said:

The 3 months wait before they refer you is not correct. The only thing that would stop a referral is if you're working and receive earnings of more than 16xNMW/week, unless you claim a disability benefit such as PIP/DLA or ADP.

The referral should take place around day 29 after providing your first fit note, there are some occasions where a referral can be made on day one of your claim. 

The waiting period starts from when you first provided your fit note, assuming there were no gaps in your fit notes until a decision was made on your claim. If there were gaps this can affect when the extra money is paid from. 

It's 3 full assessment periods and the extra money is paid from the 4th month, with first payment being the end of that month. LCWRA element isn't paid at all during the waiting period. 

If your payment date is 12th of every month then your assessment periods should be 6th to 5th of every month. Based on the information you gave your waiting period will be June/July, July/August, Aug/Sept... LCWRA element starts from 6th Sept to 5th Oct and first payment will be 12th Oct 2023. 

Any thoughts on when I should expect to start getting the money, April or May?
Thanks again

I already answered that question here. 

poppy123456 said:

LCWRA element starts from 6th Sept to 5th Oct and first payment will be 12th Oct 2023. 

It means that you should have already been receiving this element. Unless you're claiming UC with a partner that already receives this element on your claim. 

Money owed will be paid as a separate payment. 

If you're not claiming with a partner that already receives this element then put a message onto your journal under the payment section to ask about the element. Remind them of the date you provided your first fit note and also remind that that the relevant period starts from when you provided your first fit note. 

Albus_Scope

Heya @Blossom22 and welcome to the community!

I can see you're already getting help, but I just wanted to pop in and say hello.