First claim for UC leading to LCWRA, I’d never even heard of LCWRA!

mastiffmam

Hi folks, I’m very new on here and new to having to claim anything other than PiP.  I cant quite get my head around the rules and regulations of asking for and getting financial help when it’s needed. Apart from getting PiP the last time I claimed anything was working family tax credit about 20 years ago.  I simply didn’t and still don’t know my way through the system, I didn’t even know how to make a claim or what for, I just knew I had to actually do something, that was hard for me to accept then to do. Where I need some advice if anyone out there is able to help is to do with a claim for U.C. I put the claim in (single person separated and living on my own) and from day 1 even before I was granted UC I had a fit/sick note, my claim went through and my -I think it’s called an) assessment period is from the 10th of the month to the 9th of the following month. My first month was January to Feb, then Feb to March and again March to April.etc I listed my health problems and was told I’d have a ‘video’ works assessment interview. That was a new thing to me, anyway, the video interview ended up being done over the ‘phone, the assessment was done mid March and after almost two weeks I was told not to hand in anymore sick/fit notes, I didn’t need to keep having the fortnightly calls and I wasn’t expected to look for work. And that I’d been awarded LCWRA…I’d never even heard of it so had no idea what it was. I sent a message in my UC journal the lady who replied to me said that in a few weeks I’d get some extra money in my UC payments, which is great news that was a few weeks ago.
 I’ve since been told that I won’t get any LCWRA until June. But I had fit/sick notes from before I had to put a claim in and had a new s/f note every month with no gaps, the way it was explained to me was day 1 of my claim 10 Jan  from then to three months would be J-F, F-M, M-A would be my three months so I’d start receiving my allowance in April but be paid from May onwards, now I’m told no payment for and extra two months…it’s  probably easy for most people to get their heads round but honestly it’s giving me a headache, don’t get me wrong I’m very grateful for the help (car due it’s tax and MoT within 2 weeks) but I just wish everyone was able to tell us the same thing and dates didn’t change depending on who you speak to.  Can anyone tell me which date is right ? If you can I’m very grateful.

poppy123456

Having a fit note before your UC claim started is irrelevant. UC can only be backdated for a maximum of 1 month in the most extreme circumstances. 

The waiting period starts from when you reported your health condition but you must have provided your first fit note within 7 days of that. What date exactly did you provide that first fit note? and did you report your health condition when you first claimed?

mastiffmam

Hi Poppy, the first one I gave to UC was 08/01 to 05/02. 

poppy123456

That can't be correct because that was before you claimed UC, which was impossible. Did you provide that fit note on the date you first claimed UC? I asked what date you provided it, not the date on the fit note itself. 

mastiffmam

Looked through the journal & all sections of my claim were completed by the tenth of January at the latest. 

poppy123456

Based on the information you gave your waiting period is Jan to April… LCWRA starts from assessment period 10th April to 9th May and first payment will be 16th May. 

No LCWRA element is owed. 

This is assuming there were no gaps your fit notes up until a decision was made. 

mastiffmam

I’ve just re-read your comment Poppy, I think wires got crossed…. I was asking about LCWRA  NOT U.C. 

It was because I put in a claim for UC  that I was given the work assessment that then led to me being the LCWRA payments, does that make it any easier to understand the query of the three month rule and when it should start?

mastiffmam

Thank you Poppy, I’ve just read your last post, I thought May was the first pay date but when I’m told two different things by people in the same dept it gets confusing!  They seem to have a different way of working out their dates, thank you for your help it’s much appreciated. 👍🏻

chiarieds

LCWRA is an element (part of) UC. With a first claim, when awarded this LCWRA element after a Work Capability Assessment, then there's a 3 full months waiting period before this element is paid.

As poppy says, based on what you've said, then this waiting period is Jan - Feb, Feb -Mar & Mar -April. However, altho then due from your assessment period 10 Apr - 9 May, as this LCWRA element is paid in arrears, then your 1st payment of this LCWRA element will be 16 May. Does this now make sense?

mastiffmam

Hi chiarieds, it does make sense, I’m just not sure why one person gave me an earlier date than the other staff member from the same dept’! I was a bit reluctant to tell them they’ve made a mistake - well one of them has - I feel better about that now that it’s not just me that thinks June shouldn’t be the first payment, I’ll message them tomorrow and query it with them, many thanks for your help.

poppy123456

Your first payment isn’t due until next month so please wait until then. You need to check your next statement when you receive it. 

Shazza1

Sorry to post on this thread but having read it I’m confused about why LCWRA was awarded without completing the uc50 form amd just during a work interview. Have I miss read this?

poppy123456

Shazza1 said:

Sorry to post on this thread but having read it I’m confused about why LCWRA was awarded without completing the uc50 form amd just during a work interview. Have I miss read this?

Just because the UC50 form wasn’t mentioned, this doesn’t mean it wasn’t filled out and returned.