Pleas advise,LCWRA

poppy123456

You're welcome. Yes, if placed into the Support Group payments will continue for as long as you remain in that group.

Yes, all the old means tested benefits are moving to UC and this includes Income Related ESA.

Your ESA is New style and not Income Related so it's not means tested and will not move to UC because it's not part of UC. You're already claiming UC anyway as a top up to your ESA.

I agree, it's confusing.

jane23

hi everyone

I had my call today with the DWP which was very short and I struggled to understand as so foggy today.

I am now asked in my journal to accept my commitments from the call. I am really confused tho, as was told by the person who called me that they would not confirm what group I was in while i was still being paid from employment.

I told him that this has stopped now as I have just lost my job. But he was still not able to confirm anything about the report from the health board which they got from July this year. Or confirm what group they are putting me in - so I’m left unsure about if I should even accept the commitments.

I am not required to look for or apply for jobs at this time. My work coach will tell me if this changes.

I will review my commitments and meet these responsibilities.

Activities

I've agreed with my work coach that I'll:

• I am in contact with my GP and employer to discuss support available to help me return to work. I will attend all appointments. I will report any change to my circumstances to the jobcentre. 

Voluntary activities

I've agreed with my work coach that I'll also:

• Job ended due to excess sickness absence, due to bad health. I will work with my GP, till I am fit & fine. I will provide sick note, when the old one runs out.

I’m really not sure what the voluntary means - as I already provided fit note til November this year

Should I accept these commitments as they stand and hope that they finally make me aware of what the outcome is for my UC50 report? Or query this with an advice service before accepting, as might need to appeal whatever their decision is . I’m very stressed and confused any advice grateful for

jane23

so sorry, I posted the former twice by accident

Jimm_Scope

It's okay @jane23, I cleaned up the extra posts for you 🙂

If you are unsure have you tried confirming with them in a message on your journal? Perhaps requesting contact via email where everything is laid out and you cannot possibly miss things? I know I can sometimes struggle to take in all the information given to me over the phone, so I tend to prefer things in writing.

From what you have put up here, it sounds to me like they don't expect you to do anything outside of talking to your GP to focus on improving your health, but you are still to attend any scheduled appointments with the work coach.

poppy123456

You need to accept your commitments otherwise your payments will be affected.

It doesn’t seem like a decision has been made on your work capability assessment yet. Once it has a decision will be uploaded onto your journal.

jane23

thanks for the replies and advice. Just been going on for so long now it’s worn me down. January till now seems a huge long wait for decisions. And, it’s hard not to worry as I won’t be able to meet my rent commitments soon which worries me more than anything else. The PIP I get will have to go on rent until it’s sorted out

poppy123456

You're welcome. Believe it or not, it's fairly normal. Some are very lucky to have a decision very quickly but not often.

jane23

hi Poppy,

I have received a message on my journal today that I have finally been given LCWRA.

I have no idea what arrears they will issue, but I have been supplying fit notes without a break since 3rd December 2023 both for ESA and UC.

I’ve not received any UC yet due to having half pay still from my employer - but as i am now on no pay and have just lost my job I’m guessing UC will start in September.

I wondered if I will get any arrears paid for now being in the LCWRA group too? From reading it seems I should expect arrears from around March or April this year, after the assessment 3 month period? I rang ESA who say I will get back arrears from them but couldn’t tell me when or how much and I don’t need to supply fit notes anymore as am in their support group