Please help! Backdated LCWRA Question

confusedhove

Hi,

I hope one of you lovely people can help on this! My UC assessment periods run from the 15th to the 16th of the next month.

I was classified as LCWRA on 15.12.23. (Date I received my confirmation letter). My first sick note was registered to UC on 24.08.23. I was however continuously sick from work with the same conditions from 24.03.23. (I have ongoing running sick notes from this date until the present day). I have quite severe Autism and ADHD and at the time couldn't work out that I needed to use the ‘provide a fit note’ option and reported my sickness to UC as a ‘Change of work/earnings details’ where I informed them that I would no longer be receiving wages, just the monthly Statutory Sick Pay amount. This was entered onto my journal on 29.03.23.

I have received my first LCWRA payment this month for the assessment period of 15th March-16th April.

My carer has told me that I should be entitled to some LCWRA backpay however nothing is shown on my most recent statement. My questions are as follows:

1) Based on the above information am I entitled to any back pay? if so, how many months?

2) Will the backpay be calculated from 24.08.23 or the 24.03.23? As stated I have ongoing sick notes and wage slips that show I was only being paid SSP from my employer and have put all the above information on my journal.

3) If I am due backpay how long does it take UC generally to calculate it?

Really hope someone can help as the whole system massively confuses me!!

Thanks in advance,

Dean

poppy123456

Money owed is always paid as a separate payment from your usual monthly money. If the decision was made in December I would have expected you to receive what it owed to you by now, as well as having the extra money starting earlier than this month. 

1/ You said you've got ongoing running fit notes from when you provided your first fit note but were there any gaps at all? Ongoing running fit notes doesn't necessarily mean there were no gaps in you providing them. Gaps can affect when the extra money is paid from. 

If there were no gaps based on the information you gave then your waiting period will be Sept/Oct, Oct/Nov, Nov/Dec... LCWRA starts from AP 16th Dec to 15th Jan and first payment would be 22nd Jan 2024. 

You can ask if they would start the waiting period from when you reported the changes 24/3 and it will be down to a decision maker to make the final decision. Tell them that you weren't advised to provide a fit note despite you reported changes about your employment on that date. If they go from that date then your waiting period will be April to July.. LCWRA starts from 16th July to 15th August and first payment will be 22nd August. 

Also, before you were found to have LCWRA did you have the work allowance? If you didn't and you were receiving earnings from working (including SSP) then you will be owed some money from that. This will apply from the AP in which you reported the changes. 

confusedhove

Hi Poppy,

Thanks so much for the speedy reply! No, there were no gaps in me providing them to UC from the August date up until they told me there was no need to any longer following my LCWRA decision in December. I'll use the information to add a note to my journal and see what they come back with in regards to back dating. Thanks ever so much for taking the time out of your day to reply.

Best wishes. 

poppy123456

You're welcome. Please put the message under the payment section. 

confusedhove

Hi Poppy,

Sorry to bother you again! on the subject of work allowance: All I was receiving was housing allowance and the single persons standard allowance. I'm not sure what the work allowance is? Anything I received from my employer (The SSP) was deducted as normal as take home earnings.

Best wishes,
Dean

poppy123456

The work allowance means that a certain amount of earnings received each month is ignored before the 55% deductions apply. Before the annual increase this month this would have been £373/month for you because you are claiming for help with the rent. 

Going forward it is now £404/month.work-allowance-universal-credit Were you still receiving SSP in assessment period 16th August to 15th Sept 2023? If they go from when you provided your first fit note that's when it would start from. 

confusedhove

Ahh I see. No I only started receiving this AP 16th Nov - 15th Dec. Nothing before then. I'll mention that as well. Thankyou !

Albus_Scope

Hey there @confusedhove welcome to the community. 

I'm glad to see you've been getting some top advice from our community, but I just wanted to pop in and say a quick hello.

confusedhove

Hi Albus! Very grateful to be here!!